Before you dive: health and diving requirements

Medical suitability

Scuba diving puts the body under pressure and asks the lungs, heart, ears and sinuses to work normally at depth. For most healthy people this is no problem. The conditions below are the ones that rule diving out with us or that need a doctor's opinion first. When in doubt, ask a physician who understands diving — and tell us before booking, not on the boat.

When you should not dive with us

• During pregnancy.
• With a heart condition.
• With a serious respiratory condition, including severe asthma.
• Under the influence of alcohol, or the morning after a heavy night.
• Under the age of 14.

When to ask a doctor first

The following do not automatically rule out diving, but they need a doctor's advice before you book. We will plan around what you tell us; we cannot plan around what we do not know.

• Previous medical conditions affecting the heart, lungs, ears or nervous system.
• Regular medication of any kind.
• Recent surgery, or a recent illness — especially of the chest, ears or sinuses.
• Diabetes, epilepsy or a history of fainting.
• A cold, sinus congestion or an ear infection on the day: you will not be able to equalise, and diving with blocked ears can injure them.

Ears and sinuses

As you descend, the pressure on your eardrums rises and you equalise by gently blowing against a pinched nose, swallowing or moving your jaw — the briefing shows you how. If you cannot equalise, you do not descend further; the instructor brings you up a little and you try again. A cold or congestion on the day makes equalising impossible, and the honest thing is to postpone the dive.

Alcohol, fatigue and hydration

No alcohol before diving. Alcohol impairs judgement and coordination, dehydrates you and raises the risk of decompression sickness; the same is true of a hangover. Arrive rested — a short night before a dive is not a good idea — and drink water before and between the dives. Drinking water is on the boat.

Flying after diving

Do not fly within 24 hours after your last dive. The pressure drop in an aircraft cabin can trigger decompression sickness in a body still off-gassing nitrogen. Plan your dive day so that at least a full day separates it from your flight home.

Tell us before you book

Anything on this page that applies to you, any medication, any recent illness, any long gap since your last dive if you are certified, and whether you can swim if you are a beginner. A sentence in the booking notes or a WhatsApp message is enough, and it changes how your day is planned.

This page is guidance, not a medical opinion. If anything is unclear, ask us and ask a doctor.