Try Dive – The First Step Towards Learning How to Dive

A fascinating world awaits you while diving, where you experience weightlessness and a feeling of absolute freedom. Underwater, you can leave your everyday thoughts behind and concentrate completely on the moment. It is as if you are immersed in another dimension, where you float amid shimmering schools of fish and colourful coral reefs. You feel part of this unique ecosystem and experience nature in a whole new way.

However, as with all sports, everyone starts from scratch and has to find out for themselves whether it's the right thing for them. And then it's all about practice: Practice makes perfection.

Try diving is a good way to get into diving. Especially if you want to try it out first before booking a beginner's course and investing time and money without knowing whether you will enjoy it. Depending on the diving organisation, it may have different official names (SSI Basic Diver, PADI Discover Scuba Diving,...), but I'm only going to write about the basics of the first try dive.

How does a try dive work?

As a rule, every good diving center will briefly explain the equipment and theory to you in advance.

Don't worry, this is not about complicated calculations or knowing all the equipment by name afterwards. However, every diver, even a try diver, should be informed about the most important and basic topics in advance and know their own equipment. However, it depends a little on the instructor, but also on the student, how deep you go. As already mentioned, everyone should know the basics. As well as a few small exercises that simply serve to ensure safety under water.

In places where a lot of try dives are organised, it can happen that the basics are explained to you very little or not at all. Feel free to ask for more information or change dive centers if you feel uncomfortable. Your safety and well-being always come first!

After the introduction to the theory and when you are equipped with your gear, you are ready to go. The dive itself is usually very person-dependent. Some newbies seem to be born divers, feel right at home, complete the exercises perfectly at the beginning and are rewarded with a dive to a maximum depth of 12 meters. Others simply need a little more time to get used to the new environment and to be able to start the dive. On the surface, breathing is an instinct, but underwater it is not something that people are immediately familiar with.  And that is also completely normal! Take your time and enjoy the new surroundings, after all, that's what a try dive is for. 

How the dive itself turns out depends on where you are, of course. Every underwater world is completely different, but certainly exciting and overwhelming! Don't be unrealistic, adjust your expectations to the place you're diving at. Or at best, simply have no expectations of the underwater world at all.

What do I need to pay attention to during or before a try dive?

The try dive is usually your first dive ever, nobody can or will expect you to be able to take care of everything yourself after a short theory session! Your instructor's eyes will always be on you and will help you in an emergency. Just listen carefully to your instructor before the dive and follow his instructions, as they are usually relevant to safety.

Apart from that, there are only 3 things that only you can do:

1. Breathe in and out. Never hold your breath!
2. Remember to equalize regularly when descending 
3. Make yourself noticed if something is not right - if you are not feeling well or uncomfortable.

How deep can I go during a Try Dive?

A try dive is limited to a maximum of 12 metres. Ultimately, however, the instructor always decides whether you will go down to 12 metres or perhaps do a shallower dive. This mainly depends on how comfortable and confident the try diver feels and what he or she radiates, but of course also on the conditions under water.

How much does a Try Dive cost?

The prices for a try dive vary greatly depending on the diving school, region or country. As a rough guide: In Malta, a try dive costs around €85.

Just make sure that everything is already included (rental equipment, etc.) and that no additional costs are incurred on site.

Where should I do my Try Dive?

It totally depends on your preferences! Many people spontaneously decide to do a try dive while on holiday, others want to get a taste of diving already at home and then do a beginner's course before they go on holiday. The important thing is that you go with your gut feeling when choosing a diving centre or, at best, listen to recommendations from friends or internet reviews. The main thing is that you feel you are in good and safe hands on site.

Congratulations, you have successfully completed your first dive! The next step would now be a beginner's course, the Open Water Diver. 

By the way: At many diving centres, you can have the cost of the try dive credited towards the Open Water Diver (beginners' course) if you decide to do a course straight afterwards. Just ask here and it's best to let them know in advance that if you like it, you would like to do a course afterwards.

And last but not least, here's a funny but true quote that I once saw in Thailand:

Diving is like sex – The first time you are nervous, but it’s still the BEST thing you’ve
ever tried. The more you do it, the better it gets. Do it with more people, learn new techniques.
With more experience you go longer & deeper.