DiveSight Safety Disclaimer

Effective Date: 2026-04-20 Version: 2026-04-20-v1

This Safety Disclaimer is incorporated into the Terms of Use by reference and forms part of the binding contract between you and DiveSight. The Terms of Use govern any dispute arising under this Safety Disclaimer, including dispute resolution (§16), assumption of risk (§5), release (§6), limitation of liability (§8), and indemnification (§9).

DiveSight is designed to help divers, snorkelers, and freedivers plan better dives. This page explains what DiveSight is, what it is not, and how to use it safely.

1. DiveSight Is an Informational and Planning Tool

DiveSight provides:

• Forecasts of fish abundance, underwater visibility, water temperature, currents, tides, wave height, and weather;
• Descriptions of dive sites, regions, and marine species;
• Search, filtering, and trip-planning features;
• A personal dive log.

DiveSight does not provide:

• Certified dive training or instruction;
• Official marine or weather warnings;
• Site-safety certifications;
• Medical advice or medical fitness clearance;
• A dive computer, decompression algorithm, or gas-planning tool;
• Real-time on-scene emergency guidance;
• Any form of dive supervision or safety monitoring;
• Verification of any third-party dive operator, charter, instructor, or course listed in or linked from the Service.

2. Forecasts Are Probabilistic Estimates

All forecasts in DiveSight — the Marine Life Index, visibility predictions, depth-resolved temperature, currents, wave height, tides, and weather — are probabilistic estimates generated by machine-learning models from public scientific data sources (Copernicus Marine, HYCOM, NASA, Apple WeatherKit, and others).

Forecasts have uncertainty. Actual ocean conditions can differ from predictions — sometimes by a little, sometimes by a lot. Ocean conditions can also change rapidly after a forecast is generated. Data shown in the app may be hours, days, or weeks old; we display the freshest data we have but cannot guarantee its currency.

Do not treat DiveSight forecasts as fact. Verify conditions on site before entering the water.

3. DiveSight Is Not a Substitute for Local Expertise

The single best source of safety information for a dive site is a qualified local dive operator who has been in the water today. Local operators know:

• Current surface and underwater conditions;
• Recent changes in currents, visibility, and marine life activity;
• Entry and exit hazards specific to the site;
• Local regulations, permits, and marine protected areas;
• Recent incidents or closures.

Always consult a certified local operator before diving, especially at unfamiliar sites. DiveSight does not endorse, vet, or accept responsibility for any third-party operator, instructor, charter, course, or service listed in or linked from the App.

4. DiveSight Is Not a Substitute for Official Warnings

Before any dive, check official sources appropriate to your region:

• United States: NOAA National Weather Service, NOAA Tides & Currents, U.S. Coast Guard
• European Union / UK: National meteorological services, local harbormaster, Maritime and Coastguard Agency (UK)
• Australia: Bureau of Meteorology, local Marine Rescue
• Global: Your country's national weather service and coast guard

Heed all official warnings (small craft advisories, marine weather warnings, water quality advisories, marine protected area closures, etc.) even if DiveSight's forecast looks favorable.

5. Dive Within Your Limits

You are solely responsible for ensuring that any dive you undertake is appropriate for your:

• Certification level (Open Water, Advanced, Rescue, Tec, Cave, Wreck, Freediver, etc.);
• Recent diving experience and currency;
• Current physical fitness and medical status;
• Equipment condition and familiarity;
• Familiarity with the specific site and conditions;
• Surface-interval and post-flight requirements.

Never attempt a dive beyond your certified ability. If you are unsure whether a dive is appropriate for you, consult a certified dive instructor or operator before diving.

This Service covers a wide range of activities, including recreational scuba, technical and decompression diving, cave, wreck, drift, night, solo, and ice diving, freediving, spearfishing, and snorkeling, each with distinct training, equipment, and procedural requirements. You acknowledge that DiveSight does not verify your training or certification for any of these activities.

6. Medical Fitness to Dive

Diving has known medical contraindications, including cardiac and pulmonary conditions, recent surgery, certain medications, pregnancy, asthma, patent foramen ovale (PFO), middle-ear and sinus disease, and others. Some conditions are absolute contraindications; others require physician clearance.

Consult a physician trained in dive medicine (see the RSTC Medical Statement and DAN's medical resources at https://www.diversalertnetwork.org/medical) before diving if you have any condition that may be affected by diving, and re-evaluate periodically. DiveSight provides no medical advice and does not evaluate your fitness to dive.

7. Inherent Risk of Diving

Scuba diving, freediving, snorkeling, spearfishing, and related open-water activities carry inherent risks of serious injury, permanent disability, and death. These risks include but are not limited to:

• Decompression sickness ("the bends");
• Arterial gas embolism and pulmonary barotrauma;
• Nitrogen narcosis;
• Oxygen toxicity;
• Drowning;
• Hypothermia and hyperthermia;
• Marine animal encounters (including, but not limited to, stings, bites, and envenomations);
• Boat and propeller injuries;
• Equipment malfunction or failure;
• Entanglement (kelp, fishing line, nets, derelict gear);
• Currents, surge, surf, and tidal hazards;
• Disorientation and loss of navigation;
• Lost-buddy or solo-diver scenarios;
• Cave/overhead-environment hazards;
• Altitude diving and flying-after-diving issues;
• Pre-existing medical conditions exacerbated by diving.

By using DiveSight, you acknowledge these risks and accept them as your own. You further agree to assume risk on behalf of, and to be solely responsible for, any minor, guest, buddy, or other person you bring on, invite to, or organize a dive for. (Indemnification for claims by such parties is set out in Terms of Use §9.)

8. Minors

DiveSight is intended for users 13 and older (16 in the EEA/UK where applicable). Diving regulations for minors vary by certification agency and jurisdiction — generally, snorkeling/discover-scuba below age 10 is restricted, Junior Open Water certifications begin at 10, and dive-depth and supervision rules apply through age 17.

If a minor uses DiveSight, their parent or legal guardian must (a) read and accept the Terms of Use and this Safety Disclaimer on the minor's behalf, (b) directly supervise the minor's dives or arrange supervision by a certified dive professional, and (c) ensure the minor dives only within the limits permitted by their certification agency and local law. DiveSight does not verify any user's age, certification, or supervision arrangement.

9. Custom Sites and User Content

Dive sites, notes, photos, and other content submitted by other DiveSight users ("User Content") have not been verified by DiveSight. Coordinates, depths, hazards, entry/exit descriptions, and species claims in User Content may be wrong or dangerously misleading. Treat User Content as opinion, not fact. Do not rely on user-generated content for safety decisions.

If you believe any User Content on DiveSight is inaccurate or dangerously misleading, report it to admin@divesight.org. We may use any report to investigate, remove, or correct content.

10. Marine Protected Areas and Environmental Conduct

You are responsible for complying with all applicable marine protected area, fisheries, and wildlife regulations, including permit and quota requirements, no-take and no-anchor zones, season closures, and species-specific protections. Do not touch, chase, ride, feed, or otherwise harass marine life. Follow established environmental guidelines (e.g., Green Fins, Project AWARE, Reef-World). DiveSight does not warrant the accuracy or currency of any MPA boundary, regulation, or permit information shown in the App.

11. Not an Emergency Service

DiveSight is not an emergency service and will not respond to emergencies. The Service does not monitor your location, dive status, or vital signs. In a dive emergency:

1. Signal for help and surface safely if possible.
2. Call local emergency services (911 in the U.S., 112 in most of Europe, local equivalent elsewhere).
3. Call Divers Alert Network (DAN) 24/7 Emergency Hotline: +1-919-684-9111.
4. If on a dive boat, alert the captain and crew.
5. Administer oxygen if trained and available.
6. For offshore dives, broadcast on Channel 16 VHF (international distress) and use any EPIRB, PLB, or DSC-equipped radio you carry. Mobile signal is often unavailable at sea — carry independent distress equipment.

Know your local emergency contacts before every dive. DAN maintains regional hotlines at https://www.diversalertnetwork.org.

12. Assumption of Risk, Release, and Limitation of Liability

By using DiveSight, you agree that you dive at your own risk. The Terms of Use govern this Safety Disclaimer and contain the operative legal provisions:

• Assumption of Risk (ToU §5) — you voluntarily and knowingly assume all risks of diving, whether known or unknown.
• Release (ToU §6) — you release DiveSight, its affiliates, officers, employees, agents, and licensors from claims based on ordinary negligence to the maximum extent permitted by law. This release does not apply to gross negligence, willful misconduct, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be released under applicable law (including, in California, California Civil Code §1668).
• Limitation of Liability (ToU §8) — DiveSight's aggregate liability is capped at the greater of USD $100 or amounts you paid us in the 12 months before the event giving rise to liability.
• Dispute Resolution (ToU §16) — disputes are resolved by binding individual arbitration with a class-action waiver; you may opt out within 30 days of first accepting the Terms.

13. Reporting Inaccurate Information

DiveSight is continuously improving. If you encounter forecasts, site descriptions, species data, MPA boundaries, or other information you believe is materially inaccurate, please tell us at admin@divesight.org so we can investigate. We may use any report to improve the Service.

14. Language

This Safety Disclaimer is published in English. Translations, if any, are provided for convenience; the English version is controlling. If you cannot read and understand this Safety Disclaimer in English, do not use DiveSight for any safety-related decision until you have it translated.

15. No Warranty as to This Document

DiveSight makes reasonable efforts to keep this Safety Disclaimer accurate and current, but provides no warranty that it is free of errors or omissions. Nothing in this document constitutes legal, medical, or professional advice.

16. Updates

We may update this Safety Disclaimer. For material updates we will (a) bump the Version string above, (b) recompute the Content hash, and (c) require you to affirmatively accept the new version in-app before continuing to use the Service. Non-material updates (typos, link refreshes) do not require re-acceptance.

Contact: admin@divesight.org DiveSight, LLC, 495 Jackson Street #1210, Oakland, CA 94607

See also:

• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy
• Third-Party Attributions