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Coral reefs are amongst the most important eco-systems in the world and here in the Maldives, these thriving communities of life surround us with over 2,000 species known to inhabit them. Anyone who has been snorkelling or scuba diving in the Maldives will know life below the surface is simply stunning …but it’s also fragile. Coral reef systems are under threat from marine debris pollution, climate change and, in some areas around the world, destructive fishing methods. The reefs need our help and, as an individual diver, there is a very easy way to ensure your dive doesn’t impact on the reef and its inhabitants in a negative way – achieving good buoyancy control.

Once mastered, good buoyancy control will be yours to enjoy every time you go diving and the reefs will thank you for it too. Divers who have good positioning in the water will be much less likely to damage the delicate corals with their fins while kicking and, as some corals are incredibly slow-growing, years of growth can be destroyed with just one accidental bump into it. Having absolute control of buoyancy and being able to fine-tune depth with breathing is not only good for the reef, it’s good for you and your equipment too – your air consumption will improve, you’ll be much more comfortable in the water and be able to reduce the amount of weight you need, you’ll be able to get closer to the reef while still ensuring no contact is made and your equipment will be less likely to sustain damage.

No matter how long you’ve been diving or how many dives you’ve logged, if you’d like to fine tune your buoyancy control, ask our team about the PADI Peak Performance Buoyancy specialty course.