Stay calm and signal your buddy when visibility drops underwater.

What should divers do immediately after experiencing poor visibility underwater?

• A. Speed up the dive
• B. Stay calm and signal to their buddy
• C. Swim towards the surface
• D. Panic and try to find a way to the surface

Answer: (B)

The appropriate action to take immediately after experiencing poor visibility underwater is to stay calm and signal to a dive buddy. Maintaining composure is crucial in any underwater situation, especially when visibility decreases. Panic can lead to poor decision-making, which can jeopardize the diver's safety. By signaling to a buddy, divers can communicate their situation effectively, ensuring that both divers are aware of each other’s well-being and can coordinate their next steps. Team communication is vital in maintaining safety, as it allows divers to stay together and support one another. While it might seem logical to speed up a dive or swim towards the surface, doing so can increase risk. Rushing could lead to uncontrolled ascent, which can result in decompression sickness or other hazards. It's also important to avoid panic, as it can lead to disorientation and further complicate the situation. Therefore, the correct course of action is to remain calm, assess the environment, and signal for assistance.

When the water goes gray: the first move matters

Imagine you’re gliding along, and suddenly the world ahead narrows to a pale blur. Visibility can vanish in a heartbeat—stirred up silt, a plankton bloom, a shifting current, or simply the shadows playing tricks in low light. The first instinct might be to keep moving, to push on and pretend the problem will clear. But here’s the thing that separates good divers from the rest: the moment you notice poor visibility, your priority is staying calm and communicating with your buddy.

Why staying calm pays off

Panic is loud underwater. It makes you forget checks, rushes you toward decisions you regret, and frays the rope that keeps you and your buddy safe—the buddy system. When visibility drops, your depth, your air, and your orientation all become a little more fragile. A clear head helps you:

• Read the situation without overreacting

• Manage your air more effectively

• Keep your bearings by sticking with someone you trust

• Choose a safe, measured course of action rather than a risky sprint

So, what exactly should you do in that moment? The tested and trusted answer is simple: stay calm and signal to your buddy.

Staying calm and signaling: the practical move

Here’s how this looks when you’re under water, not in a heroic movie:

• Stop the guesswork. Slow your breathing. Check your air gauge, depth, and time, and give yourself a quick mental check: am I okay? Is my buddy nearby?

• Make contact. If you’re wearing a regulator and a mask, a steady, deliberate breath helps you think clearly. Use your buddy’s name and establish contact with a light touch or a gentle nudge. In low visibility, physical contact is often the most reliable signal that you’re together and paying attention to each other.

• Signal your status. The standard move is to let your buddy know you’re there and you’re okay, or to describe your concern if you’re uncomfortable. Use established hand signals or a pre-agreed signal—like the familiar OK sign to confirm you’re okay, and a thumbs-down to indicate a problem—so there’s no guesswork.

• Agree on the next step. Short, simple phrases work well underwater: “I’m here,” “I’m with you,” “We stay close,” “We slow down and reassess.” It’s not the time for long explanations; it’s time for clear intent.

• Don’t abandon your buddy. Even if you can’t see far ahead, stay within arm’s reach. If you’ve trained together, lean on that teamwork: one person guides, the other listens and watches for signs of trouble.

A quick note on signaling gear

Divers don’t rely on sight alone in murky water. You’ll see a lot of talk about signals and gear that bridge the gap when visibility tanks:

• Lights. A headlamp or underwater torch can reveal signs of life, hazards, or a partner’s sign. Use it sparingly to avoid blinding your buddy, and switch off when it’s not helping.

• Taps and contact. A light tap-tap or a gentle tap on the shoulder can carry if you’re not sure you’ve got visual contact. It’s a language of its own and works best when you’ve practiced it with your partner.

• Audible signals. A whistle or a compact surface signaling device (an SMB, a small float) can call attention without yelling, and they’re easy to spot from distance once you surface.

• Pre-dive signals. Before you descend, agree on a few hand signals and contingencies for low visibility. Rehearse them during the safety briefing and in practice sessions so you don’t have to think twice down the line.

What to do after you’ve signaled

Now that you’ve established contact, your next moves should be careful, deliberate, and guided by the goal of remaining safe and together:

• Move slowly and stay level. If you’re uncertain about orientation, glide rather than kick. Fine-tuned movements preserve air and reduce the chance of drifting apart.

• Pause and reassess. Look at depth, current, and your air. Ask, “Are we still in reach of our planned descent or ascent point? Are we in a safer position to work through this?”

• Maintain a buddy-led plan. If one of you has a better visibility line or easier access to a landmark, let that guide you—while keeping the other close and informed.

• If the scenario worsens and you feel separated or disoriented, revert to a simple, proven approach: ascend slowly in a controlled, buddy-linked pattern, and return to a known reference point or safety stop if you’re near it. Do not sprint to the surface or push past the point where you can safely rise.

Common mistakes to avoid

Even experienced divers slip here. A few traps to watch for:

• Rushing toward the surface. A fast ascent is a dangerous impulse in poor visibility. It can trigger decompression issues and makes you more likely to misread your depth.

• Abandoning the buddy. The moment you drift apart, you’re more exposed to hazards and disorientation. Keep close, stay connected.

• Freezing or panicking. Freezing reduces your awareness and air management. A few slow breaths and a plan are better than a burst of frantic action.

• Ignoring signals from your partner. If your buddy indicates concern, treat it as a priority. You’re in this together, lockstep.

Turning a murky moment into a learning moment

Poor visibility isn’t the end of the story—it’s a chance to practice a core skill: effective communication under pressure. The more you drill this with your buddy, the more natural it becomes. And that, in turn, builds confidence not just for the next outing, but for any scenario where conditions change on you.

If you’re curious about all the little details that build this confidence, think about the tools you carry and how they fit together. Your regulator and BCD keep you breathing and buoyant; your compass and reef markers help you stay oriented; your SMB and signal devices help you reach out when the sea refuses to show you the way. The aim isn’t to rely on gadgets alone but to know how to integrate them into a calm, thoughtful plan.

A few practical tips that often help in the real world

• Do a quick, pre-dive buddy check. Confirm you both know the plan if visibility drops and how you’ll signal. Even a three-second check can prevent a tense situation.

• Keep your eyes on your partner’s light. If one diver’s torch disappears or their beam fractures in the murk, you’ve got an early cue to slow down and reassess.

• Practice your signals in a controlled setting. Pool sessions or calm, shallow training dives are perfect for rehearsing low-visibility scenarios. It won’t just be memorized; it’ll feel automatic when it matters.

• Share a simple contingency route. Decide on a safe plan to follow if things go quiet—like tracing back to a known landmark or returning to a surface buoy if you reach a hard limit.

A closing thought that sticks

Underwater, the world can switch from familiar to uncertain in a heartbeat. That’s not something to fear; it’s something to prepare for. The steadier you are, the more reliable your decisions become. And the most reliable decision in poor visibility is this: stay calm and signal your buddy. It’s a small action with a big payoff, one that keeps you both safe and moving forward, together.

If you’ve ever wondered how to translate calm, clear thinking into actual underwater behavior, start with the simplest rule and build from there. The water is rarely perfect, but the way you respond can make it reassuringly predictable. And isn’t that what we’re chasing when we lace up our gear and head out—whether it’s for a quick reef drift, a long shoreline swim, or a day spent exploring the underwater world with a trusted partner?