Which gear is essential for a night dive besides standard diving equipment?

For a night dive, having a compass and a high-powered flashlight is essential due to the unique challenges posed by reduced visibility and the lack of natural light. The flashlight is crucial for illuminating the underwater environment, allowing divers to see marine life and navigate effectively. Additionally, it serves the important purpose of signaling to fellow divers and ensuring safety in the dark. The compass complements this by aiding in navigation, especially when familiar landmarks or reference points may not be visible, which helps prevent disorientation in the dark waters.

While other equipment can enhance the experience, such as a camera for capturing underwater moments, this is not critical for the dive's safety. An extra tank of air could be useful, but it does not address the immediate needs of navigating and seeing in the dark, making it less essential than the flashlight and compass. A surface marker buoy is also advantageous for safety during ascent and signaling to the surface, but it is not as crucial for the immediate functioning of a night dive as the primary navigation and illumination tools.