Safety and Diving

Scuba diving is an amazing, thrilling, and fascinating adventure into the beautiful landscapes of the oceans, rivers and lakes below us. Some are still, natural wonders, some are thriving, bursting ecosystems, all are rare and valuable sites to be protected and respected.

Our number one goal at Capital Scuba is to train a good diver who can be comfortable in any situation. We are patient and resourceful and would like to help you become confident and knowledgeable about your underwater diving experience so that when the time comes you can focus on enjoying your dives!

Staying Aware

No matter where you dive, you should always bring a buddy to share the dive and also to help out in case of any trouble you may experience. When diving it's important that your buddy understand the basics of underwater communications and that he or she is also willing to be as calm and aware as you are. Stay close to each other and make sure you always know where your partner is at all times underwater and on the surface. This helps you have an extra set of eyes, and it helps both divers identify any trouble that may have to be discovered quickly to be avoided.

Wildlife

The wildlife you meet underwater is often very unlike the kind you may have seen at a zoo. These animals are for the most part, 100% wild. Stingrays, eels and sharks are generally very timid creatures, but they can behave unpredictably, and any act on your part to get close may cause the animal to feel threatened and lash out.

Don't touch animals or reach out for them. An example would be a small colony of Lion fish which has sprung up off the NC coast. These fish are not indigenous so many locals may not be aware to warn you, however, the spikes which cover these fish are highly poisonous.

Sharks typically become active only at sunset and will only come close to shore if they are sick or injured, or their natural food source has been contaminated or over fished. If you see a shark off the NC coast, you can be 99% sure it is either a timid limon shark or a curious nurse shark, one of the oldest living species of shark which are usually only about 3-6 feet long and will have little interest in contending with a human. But be safe, and do not go splashing in the surf at sunset. There are plenty of other times during the day to go for a swim.

If you ever find yourself suddenly in contact with an animal you didn't expect underwater, remain calm and still and the animals around you will do the same.

Poisonous Corals

Fire coral isn't a problem in North Carolina, however it is fairly common in Florida and can create a highly painful long-term abrasion if touched. Because fire coral looks so similar to other varieties of coral, and because many other fish and sea life contain lots of painful surprises, it's a good idea not to touch anything you see underwater.

Destroyed Habitats

Touching coral reefs is even more damaging because even the trace oils from your body can permanently kill the organisms that grow the coral structures, creating a permanently-stopped coral. The pressure from a simple fingertip can also kill hundreds of the organisms and crush the structures inside the coral, which take hundreds of years to grow even just a few inches. Remember that the corals you see underwater are the effort of millions of tiny creatures after millions of years of effort. Is it really worth a touch to destroy?