Fin safety
Fins are designed to provide momentum, not lift. Buoyancy control and neutral trim will make your finning more efficient, reducing effort and air consumption. In other words - don't fin up, BCD up.
Fins don't have feelings, this means you can kick things without knowing it, or tangle your foot in a line. Practice fin control regularly. Awareness of possible obstructions above, below and behind you is imperative.
If you find yourself sinking into coral or silt, don't kick any more or you'll cover the area in silt-fog and/or cut your fins to ribbons. Use breath control or your BCD to gently raise yourself above it.
Know when not to fin. Finger walking and hand over hand methods are sometimes better ways to propel yourself.
A modified flutter kick, using the lower fin to disperse downward thrust from the upper kicking fin, can help reduce disturbance. You don't have to actually touch coral or silt to create a problem, thrust is enough.
Penetration lines used in wreck or cave diving are easily caught up around fins. Proper line skills will help you avoid these problems. Tape down your fin strap ends (the adjustable straps that make your fins fit well) or run the strap end under the buckle to avoid getting trapped.
Fins and boats don't mix. You must be able to remove your fins unaided. The longer you hang on a boat ladder trying to remove your fins, the more chance you have of being injured.
Know your fins. At the end of a dive there can be a dozen pairs of fins in the bottom of a boat. If you can't pick yours out immediately, you're at risk of going home with somebody else's. Mark your fins!
Finning to keep your head above water can quickly lead to exhaustion and drowning. Proper weighting and self-rescue skills including BCD inflation and weight ditching should be practised.
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