Scuba Diving Skills
Dive Otter Skills covers the physical, procedural, and team capabilities that make recreational diving more controlled and repeatable. Use these six subject areas to find practical reference material; they describe development, not certification or mastery.
Core Diving Skills
Build a foundation with core skills: gear setup, hand signals, buoyancy, trim, descents, safety stops, mask clearing, free flow response, and sharing air.
Entry & Exit Skills
Master the essential entry and exit skills that keep every dive safe and controlled, from giant strides and shore entries to exiting the water.
Surface Skills
Build confidence with practical surface techniques, including shore vs boat diving, efficient surface swimming, and signaling for safety.
Underwater Skills
Develop the underwater skills that set confident divers apart, from hovering and advanced finning to buddy positioning and safe SMB deployment.
Buddy Skills
Strengthen your teamwork with practical buddy skills, from clear role assignment and positioning to mentoring new divers and handling challenging situations.
Teamwork Skills
Build effective team diving habits with skills that improve awareness, shared responsibility, and coordinated ascents from start to finish.