How should divers prepare for a night dive regarding visibility?

Preparing for a night dive requires careful consideration of visibility conditions, and ensuring that all dive lights are functional and that backups are available is critical. Diving at night means you will be relying heavily on artificial light sources because natural light fades significantly once the sun sets.

Having functional primary dive lights allows divers to navigate, identify marine life, and maintain situational awareness underwater. Backup lights are essential in case the primary light fails, which could happen for various reasons, such as battery depletion or equipment malfunction. Being prepared in this way enhances safety by ensuring that divers can manage the unexpected without being left in darkness, which can lead to disorientation and possible accidents.

The other approaches, while they may have some merit, do not prioritize safety in the same way. Relying solely on natural light sources would be impractical as night diving inherently reduces these sources drastically. Planning to ascend frequently for visibility does not address the core challenge of limited light conditions, and using brightly colored gear may help with visibility but does not substitute for an adequate lighting system. Therefore, ensuring all lights are functional and having backups is the best strategy for a successful night dive.