You are neutrally buoyant when you neither sink to the bottom nor float to the surface. You'll want to maintain neutral buoyancy throughout your dive so you don't stir sand off the bottom, damage marine life, or exhaust yourself while swimming.

You can adjust and test your buoyancy using a skill called a fin pivot. To perform a fin pivot:

1. Lie face-down at the bottom.
2. Take a breath of air and add a burst of air to your BCD. Then exhale the breath.
3. Repeat this process until you rise up as you inhale, and sink as you exhale.

Your buoyancy will change as your depth changes. Add more air to your BCD as you descend, and release air as you ascend. This will help you to maintain neutral buoyancy.