Group manners on a snorkel boat or dive trip

A snorkel or dive trip works best when everyone on board does their part. Good companions listen at the briefing, wait their turn at the ladder, follow the guide's plan, keep their gear where it belongs and leave the site clean. A boat is a small space shared by many people, and the crew can only keep everyone safe when the group moves together. Most of the manners that matter are simple, and they are easy to practice from the moment you step aboard.

Before you get on the boat

Arrive early enough to check in with the crew and find your gear. Many operators assign a spot on the deck or a locker for personal items, so store your bag there and keep walkways clear. Keep your fins, mask and snorkel in the same place throughout the trip, because a cluttered deck makes it easy for fins to slide overboard and for someone to trip. Apply sunscreen well before you board and let it set, so it does not rub off onto other people's gear. A rash guard or thin wetsuit covers exposed skin and reduces how much sunscreen you need.

Pay attention to the briefing, which covers the site, the entry method, the signals and the time you will return. Ask questions during the briefing rather than on the water, because the boat is not the place to work out what the guide meant. Keep conversation quiet while the briefing is given so that everyone can hear it. If you are prone to seasickness, ask your doctor or pharmacist about options before the trip rather than relying on a guess on the day.

Respect the crew's work as well. The people running the boat are managing the engine, the weather, the group and the safety of everyone in the water at the same time. Follow instructions the first time they are given, and do not touch the engine, the lines or the safety equipment unless a crew member asks you to. If you are unsure whether something is yours to move, ask before you touch it.

Sharing space at the ladder and the entry point

Boarding and entry are the busiest moments on any trip, and they are where most bumps and crowding happen. Wait your turn at the ladder or the entry platform, and move forward only when the person ahead has cleared the spot. Keep your fins off until the crew says it is time to enter, then put them on at the entry point just before you go in, since walking a moving deck in fins causes falls. Hand off gear only when asked.

For a giant-stride entry, check that the area below is clear before you step off. If you are diving, partly inflate your buoyancy device, and keep your mask and regulator or snorkel secured. Once in the water, swim clear of the boat and the entry line so the next person has room. If you need to get back on board, wait for the crew to signal that the ladder is free.

When you are not entering, stand back from the entry spot while others are jumping in or climbing out, and keep bags and loose fins out of the way. A spot that stays clear lets everyone enter in turn, and it spares the crew from stopping the line to untangle a tripped-over diver.

Following the guide and staying with the group

The guide's plan accounts for the site, the current, the tide and the number of people in the water. It also tells the crew where to find you when the dive ends, so follow it closely. Stay within the group, keep your buddy or the guide in sight, and do not wander off to explore unless the guide has said that is fine. If you need to change your plan because of discomfort or a problem, signal the guide and return to the group or the boat.

Good manners also apply to marine life: when a guide points out an animal, let them show it first, then take a turn at the view rather than crowding around it, which stresses the animal and blocks the view for others. Keep your own pace in line with the group rather than racing ahead or drifting behind.

Cleaning up and leaving the site as you found it

Clean up before the boat heads back. Take all trash with you, including small items such as wrappers, bottle caps and cigarette butts, which can blow overboard or sink to the reef. Do not throw anything into the water, including food scraps. Secure loose gear so it does not blow away or slide over the side. Rinse rental equipment as the crew asks, and return it in the condition it was given to you, reporting any damage to the crew straight away.

Before you leave the water, check that you have not lost anything, such as a fin strap, a weight or a dive light, and tell the crew at once if you have. Items reported quickly are easier to recover, and a loose piece of gear left on the seabed can be a hazard to the next person who uses that spot.

Shared trips depend on small courtesies that add up over a day. When everyone waits their turn, follows the plan and cleans up, there is more room for the next group and the crew can focus on the people in the water. Treat the boat as a shared space and the reef as a shared resource, and act accordingly from the first step on board to the last step off.