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Scuba Diving: top tips to get close to marine life

Posted on February 5, 2015

Reading Time: 2 minutes

Beginners flailing around under water can scare off the very fish they’ve come to see. Here are our tips for getting close to marine life.

Try not to make marine life feel trapped

Get a better viewing of marine life by not making them feel trapped!

Slow down and relax

Fish are very used to reading visual signals from other creatures so if you’re excessively finning, fiddling with gadgets or even breathing too rapidly they’re going to see you as a threat. Take your time, use slow movements and regulate your breathing and most fish will go on about their business right before your eyes.

Don’t make marine life feel trapped

Always leave a fish or other marine life a clear way to escape, it will make the creature you’re observing feel more relaxed and it might even stick around longer.

Stay in one place

The ocean is a big place so there’s no point rushing around trying to see it all! Sometimes it’s a good idea to just stop in one place and really explore what’s in front of you, many creatures that hid on your approach may reappear if you stick around.

Choose one thing to focus on without getting too distracted

Choose one thing to focus on at a time, really take it all in!

Focus on one thing

Pick one thing and look just at that without being distracted by what else is going on in the water. Choose one piece of coral, a sea anemone or sea fan and let your eyes focus on every small detail – you’ll find a rich variety of life thriving there which you never would have noticed with just a glance.

Look behind you

Naturally curious marine creatures won’t come out while you’re swimming towards them but once you’ve passed they may well follow close behind to find out more about you so turn around every now and then to see if you’ve picked up any followers.

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