Plongée

Plongée is the practice of going underwater, typically for exploration, recreation, or professional work. In French usage, the term covers several forms of underwater activity, including scuba diving (plongée sous-marine, using self-contained underwater breathing apparatus) and freediving (plongée en apnée). The word stems from the verb plonger, meaning to dive or plunge.

The main forms of plongée are scuba diving, freediving, and technical diving. Scuba diving uses tanks and regulators to enable extended time underwater and is commonly practiced in coastal and tropical environments, wrecks, and reefs. Freediving relies on breath-hold immersion without breathing apparatus, with disciplines ranging from shallow recreational dives to competition-level depths. Technical diving encompasses more complex procedures, deeper depths, longer profiles, and specialized gas mixes, often in caves, wrecks, or overhead environments.

Training and certification are central to plongée. Organizations such as PADI, SSI, CMAS, and NAUI offer entry-level to advanced credentials. Standard courses cover physics and physiology, dive planning, underwater navigation, emergency procedures, and equipment handling. Compliance with local regulations and dive shop or charter requirements is typical for organized outings.

Safety and environmental responsibility are essential considerations. Key risks include decompression sickness, nitrogen narcosis, oxygen toxicity, and drowning, mitigated by proper training, adherence to depth and time limits, a partner or buddy system, pre-dive checks, and conservative planning. Environmental awareness emphasizes avoiding damage to habitats, respecting protected areas, and following best practices to minimize disturbance to marine life.

Plongée has a broad cultural and scientific presence, from recreational tourism and underwater photography to research, rescue work, and industrial applications. Advances in gear, training, and safety continue to shape its development while emphasizing responsible stewardship of underwater ecosystems.