Scuba diving from your kayak can open up a whole new world of underwater possibilities. Because of the nature of a kayak, they are often able to get where other watercraft can’t, and they can get you beyond the range of shore diving. However, there can be a learning curve for using your kayak with all the equipment necessary for scuba diving.
Jump into kayak scuba diving with these tips.
Preparing and Planning for Scuba Diving from a Kayak
Choose Safe Conditions
Ideally, you will want a calm day with minimal swell, especially as you learn. Beginners should reduce hazardous variables as much as possible. Always respect the power of moving currents. Make sure you can launch and land your kayak safely.
Know Your Route
Know your plan in advance. Consider the current, the weather, and navigation in and out. Scout your route as much as possible before you go. Make sure you know where to anchor your kayak and how to return to it, if you aren’t leashed to it.
Check Your Equipment
Special care should be taken with your safety when you are leaving your kayak. Visibility flag, waterproof first aid kit, and surface marker buoy are wise investments. Ensure you leave a buddy plan / float plan with someone on shore. Also, note the nearest lifeguard station for yourself and the float plan. While you never want to need emergency services, you should do everything in your power to help them be successful in finding and rendering care if you do.
Kayak Setup & Gear Management for your Scuba Dive
Kayak
Choose a stable sit-on-top kayak. When scuba diving, a tank well and quick release straps are ideal. Some kayaks are specifically designed to hold scuba or similar equipment. Otherwise a sit-on-top with bow or stern storage can be used to hold your equipment. Make sure that you don’t exceed the weight limits for your kayak with all your equipment.
Secure Your Gear
Pre-assembling your gear is a great step in making your dive more manageable.
- Put your tank, BCD, and regulator together before you strap them in your ‘yak.
- Do your best to keep the weight centered and low to the water for stability.
- Clips, bungees, and leashes are all important for securing your gear. Masks, fins, knives, and all other accessories can quickly become lost if you capsize or drop them. Ensure that they are secured to you, your rig, or in a hatch.
- When thinking about packing your vessel, follow the FILO (first in, last out) rule. Pack items that you need first at the top for easy access.
Disembarking & Diving Steps
- Step One: Secure your kayak. Before diving, make sure to tie your kayak to a mooring, anchor it with sufficient slack, or attach it to you for towing during your dive. (Make sure everything in the kayak is secured and all hatches are closed before you leave the craft.)
- Step Two: Prep your gear. Most divers don the heavy gear (BCD and tank) in the water, not in the kayak. After you inflate your BCD and clip it to your kayak, roll it into the water. Put any other gear (masks, weight belt, etc) near the edges of the kayak where it can be reached from the water.
- Step Three: Put on your fins. Your fins should be the first thing you put on and the last thing you take off. They provide stability while you straddle the kayak and buoyancy while reboarding.
- Step Four: Enter the water. Once you are in the water, don your gear while floating. Make sure it all stays tethered to your kayak until you have it fully secured on your person. Then you can detach and begin your dive.
Reboarding Steps
Reboarding involves reversing most of the above steps.
- Step One: Remove your weight belt, mask, and other small gear and put them in the kayak.
- Step Two: Attach BCD and tank to your kayak. Make sure to add some air to your BCD and then tether it to your kayak BEFORE you take it off.
- Step Three: Reboard your kayak with fins on. Use the BBF technique. This belly, butt, feet technique uses the momentum of your fins and upper body to pull yourself back in your kayak. Float at a right angle to your kayak, kick your legs to the surface, lunge forward onto your stomach so that you are across the kayak. Then roll onto your butt and swing your legs onboard. Avoid pulling yourself UP from the water, or you could flip the kayak. Concentrate on pulling across the kayak until you lie on top of it. Don’t remove your fins until you are securely in the kayak.
- Step Four: Carefully pull the larger, heavier gear into the kayak and secure it.
Launching & Beaching
Launch and land during lulls. Paddle the kayak straight through waves and up to the beach. Avoid getting sideways to the waves as you could easily flip, even in small waves. Paddle hard to get over swells.
Additional Safety & Best Practices for Diving from a Kayak
Stay hydrated
Kayaking AND diving are both physically demanding. Put them together, and you need to make sure that you stay hydrated and energized. Pack enough water and snacks to fuel you safely through your dive.
Practice
Before your first trip, practice donning your gear and running through your checklist. You can do a dry run, but even better is to practice in deep water (like a swimming pool) so you know what to expect before waves are stinging your face.
Bring a Buddy
It really is safer to dive with a friend. Two heads are better than one, and you can watch out for each other. If you don’t have a dive friend, consider joining a local club.
Stay Visible
Anytime you scuba dive, it is important to alert other boats that there are active divers below. This is even more important when kayak scuba diving, as your above-water footprint is so small. Invest in a good-sized dive flag or other visibility aid.
Quick List for Practice & Procedures for Scuba Diving
Know how to:
- Anchor or Secure your Kayak
- Make yourself Visible
- Enter the Water Safely
- Not Stray from your Kayak
- Re-enter the Kayak
With some preparation and practice, your kayak can become another platform to expand your underwater playground. Jump into kayak scuba diving! Happy Paddling.