Helping divers make informed choices about training, skills, safety, and gear.

Learn Why Checklists Matter in Diving

Scuba diving requires attention to detail, situational awareness, and disciplined procedures. A well-structured checklist significantly reduces errors, enhances safety, and improves overall dive experiences.

The Role of Human Factors in Diving Errors

Front cover of the Human Diver book by Gareth Lock

I was introduced to checklists in diving when I read Gareth Lock's book Under Pressure - Diving Deeper with Human Factors. You can explore his blog here and here. Checklists reduce errors, prevent cognitive overload, and mitigate normalization of deviance in diving.

Benefits of Using a Dive Checklist

Printed Checklist Best Practices

Common Mistakes When Using Checklists


Dive Checklist Resources

Below are all current checklist-based resources on Dive Otter, including downloadable PDFs, planning tools, and procedural flow guides.

Setup & Pre-Dive

Travel & Packing

Safety & Emergency Planning

Planning & Procedures