PADI 5 Point Descent Over a Sensitive Bottom Skill

The 5 point descent is one of the best and safest way's to descent underwater. In the PADI Open Water Course you learn to perform a 5 Point Descent Over a Sensitive Bottom Skill. 

It is extremely important that we don't touch any aquatic life when we descent. Depending on the depth you find many bottoms with sensitive life on it. Using the 5 Point Descent Over a Sensitive Bottom Skill will prevent us damaging that life.
The 5 points are steps that we take before we deflate the BCD and go underwater. These 5 points help us to make sure we understand that we go down, that we have a clear view of our surroundings, we don't forget to switch from the snorkel to the regulator, that we check our dive computer before we go down and that we equalise gently before and during the descent. Check out our detailed video below on how to do the PADI 5 Point Descent skill in confined water 👇

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Steps for the PADI 5 Point Descent Over a Sensitive Bottom Skill

1. Signal to your buddy: OK to go Down
2. Orientate yourself and look underwater
3. Switch from your snorkel to your regulator
4. Check your dive computer / watch
5. Equalise your ears and deflate your BCD
6. Slowly descent, equalize your ears and stay close to your buddy
7. Make sure you look down and add some air to the BCD to achieve neutral buoyancy and don't touch the bottom during the descent

Check out the video on How To perform the PADI 5 Point Descent Over a Sensitive Bottom Skill for the PADI Open Water Diver Course in an Easy Way:
In this other video we show you how to demonstrate the PADI 5 Point Descent over a Sensitive Bottom as a PADI Divemaster or PADI Scuba Instructor. It is important when you demonstrate this skill to do it slow and over exaggerated:
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For this skill we recommend you to have a great BCD to control your buoyancy during your descent. Having a personal BCD that fits you properly and that you know how to use, can make you control your descent much better. The ScubaPro Hydros Pro BCD w/Balanced Inflator
is one the best BCD's for Buoyancy control:
Scuba Pro Hydros BCD
Scuba Pro Hydros BCD

5 Point Descent PADI Skill in the Open Water

You need to also complete this skill during your PADI Open Water Diver course to get your scuba diving certification. The 5 point descent is easy to remember by using SORTED. S stands for Signal, O stands for Orientation, R stands for Regulator, T stands for Time, E stands for Equalize and D stands for Descent.

5 Point Descent Steps:
  1. Signal ok to go down
  2. Orientation
  3. Swap your snorkel to your regulator
  4. Check the time
  5. Equalize
  6. Descent

Check here a video of all the steps for the 5 Point Descent PADI Open Water:
Next Skill: Regulator Clearing 2 Methods