Why do divers jump backwards from boats when they enter the water? is it always done?
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Safety and coordination when wearing heavy gear. Scuba gear is really awkward to move around in.
* You don’t want to get your regulator ( thing that provides you air) caught on a rope or something on the side of the boat, then land in the water face down unable to breathe. Divers will be wearing fins which makes climbing down a ladder near impossible and hitting the water face first both hurts, and has a high chance of mask or regulator coming off.
* More commonly, you‘re in a small boat that’s rocking back and forth and standing up when you’re wearing heavy gear is a recipe for disaster. As the weight balance changes when more divers enter the water, the Boat can rock even more.
But no, it is not always used. There’s another method called “giant stride” which is usually used on larger boats with purpose built dive decks or where the dive deck is too high To safely backward roll. Basically you just hold your mask and regulator with one hand to make sure they don’t fall off when you hit the water and step off the back of the boat.
Those are the two main entry methods from boats, if you have mobility issues or a weirdly designed boat then you might also just slide in or have assistance.
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