SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
SSI ITC Dive Resort Oceans 5 Gili Air Blog Posts
A Guide for Responsible Divers The Gili Islands are famous for scuba diving. Every year, divers travel to Gili Air, Gili Meno and Gili Trawangan to explore warm tropical waters, coral reefs, walls, wrecks and dive sites where encounters with sea turtles are part of …
What to Expect on a Typical Dive Day Scuba diving on Gili Air does not have to mean spending the entire day on a crowded boat. At Oceans 5 Gili Air, each dive is a separate trip. Our boats leave three times a day, and …
Nine Indonesian university students have begun their Conservation Internship at Oceans 5 Gili Air. Over the coming months, they will collect underwater data inside the Gili Matra Marine Protected Area and gain practical experience that can help prepare them for careers in marine science and conservation.
However, the internship does not begin with collecting data.
It begins with becoming a better diver.
Before students can accurately observe marine life, conduct surveys or record changes to the reef, they must be comfortable and controlled underwater. That is why the first stage of the Oceans 5 Conservation Internship focuses on refreshing fundamental scuba skills, improving buoyancy and developing responsible diving behaviour.
Marine research should never damage the environment it is intended to study.
University students can learn a great deal about marine biology, ecology and research methods in a classroom. However, collecting information underwater introduces an entirely different set of challenges.
A marine scientist working underwater may need to:
These tasks become difficult when a diver is struggling with buoyancy, trim, breathing or equipment. Instead of concentrating on the research, the student’s attention is divided between the survey and simply controlling their position underwater.
Good diving skills are therefore not separate from marine science. They are part of the foundation on which reliable underwater research is built.
Neutral buoyancy allows a diver to remain at a chosen depth without sinking onto the bottom or continually swimming to remain in position.
For recreational divers, good buoyancy makes a dive more relaxed and enjoyable. For an underwater researcher, it is essential.
A student who is neutrally buoyant can observe a quadrat, photograph coral or write information on a slate while remaining stable. A student with poor buoyancy may repeatedly move away from the survey area, stir up sediment or accidentally touch the reef.
These actions can affect both the environment and the quality of the information being collected.
The Green Fins guidance on weighting and buoyancy identifies correct weighting as one of the most important ways to reduce diver-related damage to coral reefs. Overweighted divers are more likely to collide with coral and often find it harder to control their position underwater.[1]
This is why Oceans 5 does not immediately send new interns into the ocean with survey equipment.
First, we look at their diving.
The September 2026 Conservation Internship begins with a scuba-skills refresher for all nine students.
The purpose is not simply to check whether they can complete standard diving exercises. The training helps the Oceans 5 instructors assess how comfortably the students can apply their skills in realistic conditions.
The students work on:
At Oceans 5, skills are practised while neutrally buoyant whenever possible. We do not want students to depend on kneeling on the bottom because that is not how they will conduct research or behave during a normal dive.
A marine researcher must be able to stop, think and perform a task while maintaining control in mid-water.
Oceans 5 has a strict no-touching policy.
Divers should not touch, chase, feed or manipulate marine life. They must also keep their hands, fins, gauges and other equipment away from the reef.
Corals are living animals, and even apparently minor contact can cause damage. NOAA advises divers to keep their hands and fins away from reefs, avoid touching coral and prevent sediment from being disturbed because it can settle on and smother coral.[2]
For a marine science student, responsible behaviour is especially important. Researchers should observe natural conditions without unnecessarily influencing the animals or habitats they are studying.
If a diver chases a turtle, moves an animal for a photograph or touches coral to maintain position, the observation is no longer completely natural. The diver may have changed the behaviour or environment being recorded.
Responsible research starts with responsible diving.
After completing their skills refresher, the students continue with a Deep Adventure Dive.
During their internship, some research activities may take place at deeper dive sites. The students therefore need experience with the additional considerations involved in deeper diving, including:
Completing the required training prepares eligible students to participate safely in internship activities at sites down to a maximum depth of 30 metres, within the limits of their training, certification and the planned research activity.
The purpose is not to go deep simply for the experience. It is to give the students the knowledge and practical ability needed to work responsibly at a wider range of research sites.
A scientific survey must be repeatable and consistent.
Imagine that students are comparing coral cover at several locations. If one student remains at the correct distance above the reef while another moves constantly up and down, their observations and photographs may not be directly comparable.
Poor buoyancy can also disturb sediment and temporarily reduce visibility. This may make it more difficult to identify species or document the condition of the seabed accurately.
Divers who are calm and controlled can concentrate on following the agreed survey method. They are better able to maintain their position, communicate with their team and record observations consistently.
Better divers can therefore become better underwater data collectors.
Diving ability does not replace scientific knowledge, but it allows that knowledge to be applied underwater more safely and accurately.
One of the most important skills for any marine scientist is learning how to observe.
Underwater, that means slowing down, maintaining an appropriate distance and allowing marine life to behave naturally.
A responsible researcher should ask:
These questions help students develop the awareness needed for professional fieldwork.
Conservation is not only about knowing the names of species. It is also about understanding how our presence can affect them.
The Conservation Internship is organised through cooperation between Oceans 5 Gili Air, the University of Mataram and Marine Conservation Indonesia.
Each partner contributes different knowledge and experience. The university provides an academic foundation, conservation specialists contribute scientific knowledge and Oceans 5 provides the diving facilities and operational support needed to work underwater.
Oceans 5 supports the students with access to:
This cooperation helps bridge the gap between classroom education and real-world marine fieldwork.
Oceans 5 provides this support without relying on grants or external sponsorship.
The program is funded through the normal activities of the dive centre and resort. When visitors choose to dive, complete a course or stay at Oceans 5, part of that business activity makes programs like this possible.
This creates a direct connection between responsible tourism and local education.
Our guests are not asked to make donations. The best way to support the program is simply to dive or stay with us.
Indonesia contains some of the most important and biodiverse marine environments in the world. Protecting these environments requires Indonesian scientists who possess academic knowledge, practical field experience and a strong understanding of responsible diving.
The nine students beginning this internship may become marine biologists, environmental researchers, conservation managers or government advisers. The skills they develop today could influence how Indonesia’s marine environments are studied and protected in the future.
But before they collect their first data, they must learn how to enter the underwater environment without unnecessarily disturbing it.
That is why, at Oceans 5 Gili Air, the journey towards becoming a marine scientist begins by becoming a responsible diver.
The Oceans 5 Conservation Internship is a practical program that supports Indonesian university students as they develop diving, ecology and underwater research skills around the Gili Islands. It combines academic knowledge with supervised field experience inside the Gili Matra Marine Protected Area.
The September 2026 intake includes nine Indonesian university students. The program is organised in cooperation with the University of Mataram and Marine Conservation Indonesia.
A refresher allows instructors to assess and improve the students’ weighting, buoyancy, trim, equipment control and general diving awareness. These skills help the students conduct research safely without damaging the environment or compromising the quality of their observations.
Neutral buoyancy helps researchers maintain a stable position while observing marine life, taking photographs or recording information. It also reduces the risk of touching coral, disturbing sediment or influencing the area being studied.
Marine researchers need to complete tasks while remaining controlled in the water. Practising skills while neutrally buoyant prepares students for realistic diving conditions and helps prevent unnecessary contact with the seabed.
Divers at Oceans 5 must not touch, chase, feed or manipulate marine life. They must also control their fins and secure their equipment to prevent contact with coral or the seabed.
Some research locations may be deeper than standard Open Water Diver limits. The Deep Adventure Dive introduces students to the planning, awareness and safety considerations associated with greater depth. Subject to their training, certification and the planned activity, this prepares them for internship dives down to a maximum of 30 metres.
Data collection begins after the initial diving-skills development and depth training. This ensures the students are properly prepared before beginning their underwater research activities.
No. Oceans 5 supports the internship through its own business activities rather than relying on grants, donations or external sponsorship.
Visitors can support the program by diving, completing a course or staying at Oceans 5 Gili Air. Revenue from the dive centre and resort helps Oceans 5 continue providing facilities, equipment and practical support to Indonesian students.
This particular initiative focuses on supporting Indonesian university students. Anyone interested in other conservation training opportunities should contact Oceans 5 directly to ask about currently available programs and eligibility.
[1] Green Fins. Weighting and Buoyancy. Guidance explaining the relationship between correct weighting, buoyancy control and the prevention of diver-related damage to coral reefs.
https://greenfins.net/topic/weighting-and-buoyancy/
[2] NOAA Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Tips for Being a Responsible Diver. Guidance covering proper buoyancy, avoiding reef contact, securing equipment and respecting marine life.
https://floridakeys.noaa.gov/visitor_information/things-to-do/responsible-diving.html
[3] NOAA Fisheries. Shallow Coral Reef Habitat. Information about coral-reef ecosystems, threats to reefs and responsible reef etiquette for divers.
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/habitat-conservation/shallow-coral-reef-habitat
[4] The Reef-World Foundation and Green Fins. Guiding Guests Towards Environmental Best Practice. Practical recommendations for improving buoyancy, preventing contact and reducing the environmental effects of diving.
https://greenfins.net/blog/guiding-guests-towards-the-environmental-best-practice/
[5] Oceans 5 Gili Air. Why Oceans 5 Invests Its Own Money in Marine Conservation. Information about Oceans 5’s cooperation with the University of Mataram and its support for Indonesian marine-science students.
https://www.oceans5dive.com/blog/marine-conservation/
Would you like your visit to the Gili Islands to support practical marine education?
Come diving or stay with Oceans 5 Gili Air. Your booking helps us provide training, equipment, boats and field experience to the next generation of Indonesian marine scientists.
WhatsApp: +62 853 3339 7823
Email: [email protected]
The Main Legal Framework The protection, management and responsible use of Gili Matra are supported by several layers of Indonesian law. Together, these regulations govern conservation zoning, coastal development, environmental protection, wastewater and pollution, business activities, public access and the use of small islands. Among …
What Are You Actually Paying For? When comparing scuba-diving prices, it is tempting to choose the lowest number. A fun dive is a fun dive, right? You receive a tank, join a boat, go underwater and return to shore. Why pay more when another dive …
A scuba certification gives someone permission to dive within the limits of their training. But does a certification card automatically prove that the diver is currently capable of diving safely?
The honest answer is no.
Some certified divers return to the water after several years without diving. Others completed their course but never developed reliable buoyancy control. Occasionally, a diver may have logged many dives but still depend on a guide to prevent uncontrolled descents, contact with the reef or rapid ascents.
This raises a difficult question for dive centres:
Should a certified diver be allowed to join an ordinary guided fun dive if they cannot control their buoyancy?
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, we believe that safety and environmental responsibility must come before avoiding an uncomfortable conversation. A certification card should be respected, but the diver must also demonstrate that they can participate in the dive without creating an unreasonable risk to themselves, the group or the marine environment.
An Open Water Diver course teaches the fundamental knowledge and skills required to begin diving independently with a buddy. However, receiving a certification does not mean that every skill has been permanently mastered.
Buoyancy requires continued practice. Skills can deteriorate when someone does not dive regularly, particularly if the diver:
The number printed in a logbook does not always tell the complete story. A diver with 20 carefully supervised and well-practised dives may have better control than someone with 100 dives who has repeated the same poor habits.
Poor buoyancy is more than an inconvenience.
A diver who cannot control their depth may descend deeper than planned, consume gas rapidly or become separated from the group. Constantly adding and releasing air from the BCD can make the problem worse.
The most serious concern is an uncontrolled ascent. Divers Alert Network warns that a rapid ascent can increase the risk of lung-overexpansion injuries and arterial gas embolism.[1]
A dive guide can assist with a temporary problem, but a guide should not have to physically hold a certified diver throughout an entire dive. While the guide is concentrating on one struggling person, their attention is taken away from the other divers in the group.
That changes a normal guided dive into something much closer to a training dive.
Divers often book a fun dive expecting to explore the reef, observe marine life and enjoy a relaxed underwater experience.
When one diver cannot maintain depth, the entire dive may have to be changed. The guide may need to:
This is unfair to the other guests, especially when they booked and paid for a guided recreational dive rather than joining someone else’s training session.
Small groups help, but even in a group of no more than four divers, one person requiring continuous assistance can occupy most of the guide’s attention.
Around the Gili Islands, many dive sites contain coral formations and fragile marine life. A diver who is overweighted, vertical in the water or unaware of their fins can damage the reef without deliberately touching it.
Fins can break coral, stir up sediment and disturb small animals. Dangling gauges and alternate air sources can also strike the reef.
Green Fins explains that divers with good buoyancy are considerably less likely to contact coral and other delicate parts of the marine environment.[2] Its guidance also states that dive professionals should ensure photographers have adequate buoyancy before allowing them to concentrate on taking pictures.[3]
A no-touching policy means very little if divers do not possess the control needed to remain away from the bottom.
Conservation begins with the way we dive.
Refusing someone without offering help is rarely the best solution. Most divers do not intentionally create unsafe situations or damage coral. Many genuinely do not realise that their buoyancy needs improvement.
The professional response is to explain the problem respectfully and offer a way forward.
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, a diver who cannot safely control their buoyancy should not continue participating in ordinary guided fun dives until the problem has been addressed. Instead, we can offer two appropriate solutions.
The most effective solution is the SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty.
This program is not simply another card to add to a diver’s collection. It provides structured training and time to concentrate specifically on:
SSI describes Perfect Buoyancy as a program that teaches advanced buoyancy skills, improves body position and helps divers protect the underwater environment.[4]
Unlike a regular fun dive, the purpose of this specialty is training. The instructor can observe the diver, identify the cause of the problem and provide exercises, feedback and repeated practice.
At Oceans 5, buoyancy skills are practised neutrally buoyant. We do not believe that kneeling on the bottom is the right way to teach someone how to become a controlled, environmentally responsible diver.
Completing the specialty gives the diver more than another certification. It can transform every future dive.
A diver who does not want to complete the full Perfect Buoyancy Specialty may be offered the option of diving privately with an instructor.
This is different from joining an ordinary guided fun dive.
The instructor’s primary responsibility is to supervise, assist and coach that individual diver. The dive can be adapted to the diver’s ability, and the instructor can intervene immediately when necessary.
Because an instructor is being assigned specifically to one diver, this option is more expensive than a normal fun dive. The diver is paying for professional instruction and close supervision, not only for somebody to show them the dive site.
This additional cost is reasonable. It would not be fair to charge the ordinary fun-dive price while expecting the dive centre to provide private instruction or continuous one-to-one assistance.
If the diver demonstrates sufficient control, they can later return to normal guided fun dives.
Being told that your buoyancy needs improvement can feel personal, particularly if you have been certified for many years.
But the decision should never be based on embarrassment, ego or the training agency named on the certification card. It should be based on what happens in the water.
Even experienced divers can become rusty. A change in equipment, body weight, physical condition or diving environment can affect buoyancy. Recognising that you need help is not a failure. Refusing to address a clear safety problem is the real concern.
A responsible dive centre should explain:
The conversation should be professional and constructive.
A dive guide is there to lead the dive, manage the group, assess conditions, assist with unexpected problems and show divers the underwater environment.
A guide is not there to compensate continuously for skills that a certified diver is expected to possess.
There is an important difference between assisting a diver with a temporary issue and physically managing that diver for most of the dive. When continuous correction, holding or equipment adjustment is necessary, the diver requires instruction—not ordinary guiding.
This is why diving privately with an instructor costs more than joining a fun dive.
Scuba diving is not a normal retail transaction. Dive professionals have responsibilities that cannot be ignored simply because a customer has paid.
A customer cannot demand a deep dive when they lack the appropriate training. They cannot insist on entering unsafe conditions, touching marine life or continuing a dive after creating an unacceptable risk.
In the same way, a certification card does not give someone the right to join every dive regardless of their current ability.
A professional dive centre must sometimes say:
“We cannot safely take you on another ordinary fun dive today, but we can help you improve.”
That may not be the easiest answer, but it is often the most responsible one.
Oceans 5 Gili Air is located inside the Gili Matra Marine Protected Area. We have a responsibility to our divers, our staff and the reefs on which our business depends.
If a certified diver cannot control their buoyancy sufficiently to participate safely in a normal guided dive, we believe the dive centre has the right—and sometimes the obligation—not to accept that person on another regular fun dive.
However, the answer should not end with “no.”
The diver can:
Once the diver demonstrates safe, controlled buoyancy, they can return to normal guided diving with greater confidence, better gas consumption and more enjoyment.
Good buoyancy makes diving safer, easier and more enjoyable. It reduces gas consumption, protects the reef and allows the guide to give appropriate attention to the complete group.
Dive centres should not shame people whose skills need improvement. But they should also not ignore poor buoyancy because they are afraid of losing a booking or receiving a negative review.
Sometimes saying no to another fun dive is not rejecting the diver.
It is offering them the opportunity to become a better one.
A dive centre is responsible for deciding whether it can safely provide a particular dive. Certification, recent experience, observed ability, medical fitness and local conditions may all influence that decision.
It proves that you satisfied the course requirements when you were certified. It does not guarantee that your skills have remained current or that you are comfortable with unfamiliar equipment and conditions.
A guide can assist with occasional difficulties. If you require continuous physical assistance, correction or equipment adjustment, you need individual instruction. The guide must also remain responsible for the other members of the group.
The instructor is assigned specifically to supervise and coach you. You are receiving one-to-one professional attention rather than sharing a guide during a normal recreational dive.
The best structured option is the SSI Perfect Buoyancy Specialty. It focuses on weighting, trim, breathing, BCD use, body position, propulsion and controlled ascents and descents.
Yes. Logged dives do not automatically equal good technique. Long periods without diving, unfamiliar equipment and repeated poor habits can affect divers at any experience level.
It is better to master buoyancy first. A camera divides your attention and can make you less aware of your depth, fins, buddy and surroundings.
Should a certification card always be accepted as proof that someone is ready for a fun dive?
Or should a dive centre require additional training or private instructor supervision when a certified diver cannot control their buoyancy?
We would like to hear the opinions of divers, instructors and dive-centre owners.
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The equipment is ready. The tanks are on the boat. The water looks inviting, and everyone wants to start diving.
Then the Divemaster begins the dive briefing.
For some experienced divers, this can feel like information they have heard many times before. They already know the common hand signals, understand how to complete a safety stop and have entered the water from dozens of dive boats.
But a dive briefing is not simply a lesson for beginners—and it should never be treated as a formality that must be completed before everyone can jump into the water.
A proper briefing explains how this particular dive will be conducted, with this group, at this site and under today’s conditions.
It turns a collection of individual divers into an organized dive team.
You may have visited the same dive site several times, but you will never make exactly the same dive twice.
The current may be moving in a different direction. Visibility may have changed. The boat may need to use another entry point. The group may include divers with different experience levels or air consumption. Recent marine-life sightings may influence the route.
This is particularly important around the Gili Islands, where many dives are affected by currents.
A briefing at Shark Point will not necessarily be the same as one at Turtle Heaven, Halik, Deep Turbo or the Bounty Wreck. Even a briefing for the same site may change between the morning and afternoon.
Divers Alert Network describes a dive briefing as the moment to explain the site, underwater topography, expected marine life and the instructions needed for everyone to follow the plan.[1]
The purpose is not to repeat generic information. It is to prepare divers for the dive they are about to make.
Divers should know where they are going and what the site looks like underwater.
The guide may describe:
A clear description helps divers mentally visualize the dive before entering the water. When they descend, the environment will feel more familiar, and the guide’s route will make more sense.
The briefing should include the conditions that may affect the dive, including:
Conditions can change, and predictions are not always perfect. The guide may therefore explain more than one possible plan.
For example:
“We expect the current to move north. If the current check shows that it is running in the opposite direction, we will change the entry point and reverse the route.”
That is not uncertainty. It is responsible preparation for a dynamic environment.
Divers need to know how they will enter the water and what will happen immediately afterwards.
The briefing should make clear:
This prevents one diver from descending while their buddy remains on the surface adjusting equipment.
Around the Gili Islands, a negative or prompt descent may occasionally be appropriate for experienced divers at certain sites and in suitable conditions. This procedure should never come as a surprise after someone enters the water. It must be discussed clearly during the briefing and matched to the group’s abilities.
Being part of a guided group does not remove the buddy system.
Every diver should know:
SSI recommends discussing the plan directly with your buddy even when a dive center has already provided a group briefing.[2]
A good buddy relationship begins before the dive, not after a problem occurs underwater.
The group must understand the limits of the dive.
These commonly include:
The guide should also explain whether a buddy team ends the dive together when one person reaches the agreed gas limit.
SSI’s professional briefing criteria include maximum depth, maximum time, gas-management signals, turning points and reserve pressure.[3] These are not minor details; they are part of the dive plan.
A guide asking for a gas reading is not merely collecting information. The answer may determine the route, depth and time remaining.
Most basic scuba signals are widely recognized, but not every diver was trained by the same agency or in the same part of the world.
Divers may also communicate gas differently. Some think in bar, while others use PSI. Even simple number signals can have variations.
A briefing should review the signals that will be important during the dive, such as:
If a signal is unclear on land, it will not become clearer underwater.
Nobody expects an emergency, but every diver should understand what to do if the dive does not proceed according to plan.
The group should know the procedure if a buddy becomes separated.
A commonly taught response is to search briefly in the immediate area before making a controlled ascent and reuniting at the surface. However, local procedures and circumstances can affect the exact plan.
The important point is that everyone agrees on the procedure before entering the water.
A lost-buddy situation becomes more difficult when one diver searches for several minutes, another surfaces immediately and a third person assumes the guide will solve the problem.
Clear planning prevents different people from taking conflicting actions.
Divers should know:
This information should be reinforced through the pre-dive safety check. DAN notes that buddies should understand each other’s weight-release system, alternate air-source location and equipment releases before the dive.[4]
Any diver may end a dive at any time for any reason.
A diver might feel uncomfortable, cold, tired, anxious or simply believe that something is not right. They should never feel that ending the dive will disappoint the group or create a problem for the guide.
The briefing should explain the signal for ending the dive and what will happen afterwards. DAN recommends discussing the possibility of calling a dive during every briefing, including the procedure for returning to the surface, boat or shore.[5]
It is much easier to make a calm decision when the procedure has already been discussed.
A boat briefing and a dive briefing are related, but they are not identical.
Divers should know:
DAN recommends that operators explain their method of accounting for divers, monitor buddy checks and review entry and exit procedures.[6]
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, our boats carry oxygen, first-aid equipment, communication equipment and safety supplies. A roll call is completed before departure, and divers should pay attention when names and groups are checked.
Boat organization may not seem exciting, but it prevents equipment confusion and ensures that every person is accounted for.
At Oceans 5, the main dive briefing is normally given in front of the dive center before guests board the boat.
There are practical reasons for this.
The area is quieter, and the guide can speak to the entire group without competing with engine noise. Divers can ask questions comfortably, and changes to equipment or group organization can be made before departure.
It also allows the team to confirm:
Once the boat approaches the site, the guide can provide a shorter update based on the actual conditions and current check.
This separates the detailed briefing from the final site assessment. Both are important.
A briefing does not replace a buddy check.
The briefing explains the plan. The pre-dive safety check confirms that the divers and their equipment are ready to execute that plan.
Before every dive, buddies should check:
SSI advises that even experienced divers should perform a pre-dive check before every dive.[7] DAN similarly warns that experienced divers can still forget to open a cylinder valve fully, secure a weight pouch or correctly position equipment.[8]
Experience should make a diver more disciplined—not less interested in basic safety procedures.
A diver with 1,000 logged dives may know how to complete a safety stop. That does not mean they know:
Talking through a briefing can also prevent other divers from hearing information they need. DAN’s guidance on dive etiquette specifically advises divers not to talk during the briefing, even when they already know the standard procedures.[9]
Listening is not an indication of inexperience. It is part of professional and respectful dive behaviour.
A responsible briefing should explain how the group is expected to behave underwater.
At Oceans 5, this includes:
Environmental conduct should not be reduced to “do not touch anything.”
Divers need to understand how their position, buoyancy and behaviour affect marine life. A diver does not need to touch coral with their hands to cause damage. Unsecured equipment, vertical positioning and careless fin kicks can also affect the reef.
DAN includes environmental briefings among the important forms of pre-dive communication, recommending clear instructions about actions divers can take to protect the site.[1]
A five-minute explanation before the dive can prevent avoidable damage underwater.
A briefing creates a plan, but it does not remove the need for judgment.
Conditions may differ from expectations. The current may turn, visibility may decrease, another group may occupy the intended route, or a diver may consume gas faster than expected.
The guide may decide to:
Divers should remain close enough to see the guide’s signals and close enough to assist their buddies.
Following the plan does not mean blindly following the original route. It means following the procedures established during the briefing, including how changes will be communicated.
If something is unclear, ask before entering the water.
Useful questions include:
A professional Divemaster will prefer to answer a question on land rather than solve a misunderstanding underwater.
A good dive briefing does not need to be unnecessarily long. It needs to be clear, relevant and specific.
It should tell divers:
At Oceans 5 Gili Air, the briefing is part of the dive—not an obstacle delaying it.
Those few minutes create better communication, stronger buddy teams, safer entries, more controlled dives and less environmental impact.
So, when your Divemaster begins the next briefing, stop assembling your camera, pause the conversation and listen.
You may have heard some of the information before.
But you have not made this dive before.
A proper briefing should cover the dive-site layout, conditions, route, maximum depth, approximate duration, gas-management procedures, buddy teams, hand signals, entry and exit procedures, emergency procedures and environmental behaviour.
Yes. Experienced divers may know standard scuba procedures, but they may not know the local conditions, planned route, entry method, group organization or boat procedures for that particular dive.
The area in front of the dive center provides a quieter environment where everyone can hear the guide, ask questions and make any necessary equipment or group changes. A shorter update can then be provided on the boat after the current and site conditions are checked.
No. The briefing explains the dive plan. The buddy check confirms that both divers understand each other’s equipment and that the equipment is functioning and ready for the dive.
The guide may adjust the entry point, route, depth or dive time. If necessary, the guide can change or end the dive. The original briefing should explain how changes will be communicated.
The guide normally carries and deploys a surface marker buoy for the group. At Oceans 5, all Divemasters and instructors are required to carry an SMB and reel. Certified divers should also develop the ability to carry and deploy their own SMB where appropriate.
Yes. Any diver can end a dive at any time and for any reason. Feeling uncomfortable is already a valid reason. Signal the guide and your buddy and follow the agreed ascent procedure.
Dive operations use different boats, dive sites, equipment arrangements and local procedures. Listen to the briefing even when you are an experienced diver or have dived in the area before.
The Best Dive Site in the Gili Islands “What is the best dive site in the Gili Islands?” It is one of the questions we hear most often at Oceans 5 Gili Air. Some divers arrive with a famous name already written in their logbook: …