Exploration

The Last Caretaker Diving Guide: Max Dive Depth, Pressure and Controls

Last Updated: October 11, 2026

Your safe dive depth starts at 10 m, and each level of the Pressure enhancer adds 1 m, up to 110 m at level 100. Below your safe depth your battery drains much faster and your Vitality drops slowly, so plug in a power cable from your boat or carry batteries and Charge Injectors. On a keyboard, hold Crouch (Left Ctrl) to dive and Jump (Space) to rise.

Cross-checked (B) between the community wiki, the game 0.8.5 data, videos and Steam players; the TideRipper and swimming notes come from official update announcements (A). Single-source tips are kept apart in the player reports box.

Dive Depth Calculator

Enter your Pressure level and the depth you want to reach to see your safe depth and how many more points you need.

Your Pressure level (0 to 100)Depth you want to reach, in metres (1 to 1000)

Your safe depth: 30 m
Pressure level for 60 m: 50

Put 30 more points into Pressure (level 50) to reach 60 m safely. Until then you will be 30 m below your safe depth there.

Below your safe depth your battery drains much faster and your Vitality drops slowly. Plug in a power cable from your boat, or carry batteries and Charge Injectors.

Uses the cross-checked rule (B): 10 m with no points, plus 1 m per Pressure level, up to 110 m at level 100. Plan the rest of your enhancer points in the Enhancer Planner.

How Safe Depth and Pressure Work

Your safe dive depth starts at 10 m. Each level of the Pressure enhancer adds 1 m, and 100 levels, the most any enhancer takes, bring it to 110 m.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Enhancers revision 5942, a post-Update 5.5 Pressure card on video, and Steam threads from November 2025 to October 2026. Sources: Community wiki: Enhancers (revision 5942) · NoFastTravelling video, around September 2026 (29:27): Pressure enhancer card · Steam discussion: are the better flashlights worth it (November 28, 2025) · Steam discussion: Norfolk Grave and underwater play (September 8, 2026) · Steam discussion: diving at Winston Grave (November 15, 2025, replies to December 2025) · Steam discussion: ship ideas and the 110 m safe depth (October 3, 2026)

Pressure is on the ENHANCERS tab beside SKILLS in the menu.

Cross-checked (B). Two post-Update 5.5 videos from September 2026. Sources: NoFastTravelling video, around September 2026 (29:27): Pressure enhancer card · UnkemptGamer video, around September 23, 2026 (29:37): ENHANCERS tab

Going below your safe depth does not kill you outright. Your battery drains much faster and your Vitality drops slowly, so how long you can stay down depends on the power you carry.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Mechanics revision 7239 and Steam threads from November and December 2025. Sources: Community wiki: Mechanics (revision 7239) · Steam discussion: depth pressure at Norfolk Grave (November 21, 2025) · Steam discussion: diving below max depth (November 15, 2025) · Steam discussion: pressure limit (December 24, 2025) · Steam discussion: diving at Winston Grave (November 15, 2025, replies to December 2025) · Steam discussion: diving help and the Ctrl key (November 7, 2025)

Dive and Swim Controls

On a keyboard, hold Crouch (Left Ctrl) to dive and Jump (Space) to rise. Both are quicker than swimming forward while looking down or up.

Cross-checked (B). Steam threads from November 2025 to September 2026, after Update 5.5. Sources: Steam discussion: diving help and the Ctrl key (November 7, 2025) · Steam discussion: crouch to descend faster (November 15, 2025) · Steam discussion: swimming up (November 26, 2025) · Steam discussion: reaching an underwater compartment (July 12, 2026) · Steam discussion: entrance at South Echo (September 3, 2026)

Update 03 improved underwater controls and swimming.

Official (A). Update 03 announcement, March 18, 2026. Sources: Official Steam announcement: Update 03 Curiosity Wakes (March 18, 2026)

How to Dive Below 110 m

Several dive sites go deeper than 110 m, so even full Pressure leaves you below your safe depth there.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki revisions from September and October 2026, the game 0.8.5 location data and Steam threads. Sources: Community wiki: Dover Grave (revision 7155) · Community wiki: Winston Grave (revision 7275) · Community location data: Brighton Grave (game 0.8.5) · Community location data: Hampton Grave (game 0.8.5) · Steam discussion: reaching deep seed vaults (December 5, 2025) · Steam discussion: underwater caves deeper than 110 m (February 22, 2026)

To stay down longer, plug a power cable from your boat into yourself before you dive, or carry a charged battery backpack and consumable batteries.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Dover and Winston Grave pages and Steam threads from November 2025. Sources: Community wiki: Dover Grave (revision 7155) · Community wiki: Winston Grave (revision 7275) · Steam discussion: water pressure and the related enhancer (November 15, 2025) · Steam discussion: Pressure needed for Norfolk Grave (November 17, 2025) · Steam discussion: depth pressure at Norfolk Grave (November 21, 2025) · Steam discussion: diving help and the Ctrl key (November 7, 2025) · Steam discussion: diving balance and bringing ship power down (November 9, 2025)

Charge Injectors, unlocked at Tier 4, turn battery power into Vitality. Carry several on deep dives and recharge your battery afterwards.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Charge Injector revision 4360, the game 0.8.5 item data and Steam threads from February and September 2026. Sources: Community wiki: Charge Injector (revision 4360) · Community wiki: Mechanics (revision 7239) · Steam discussion: Norfolk Grave and underwater play (September 8, 2026) · Steam discussion: underwater caves deeper than 110 m (February 22, 2026) · Community wiki: Crafting table (revision 7364) · Community item listing with unlock levels (game 0.8.5)

Some deep sites have air pockets you can surface into, and some have a Heal Station.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Grave pages from September and October 2026 and Steam threads from November and December 2025. Sources: Community wiki: York Grave (revision 6796) · Community wiki: Winston Grave (revision 7275) · Community wiki: Dover Grave (revision 7155) · Steam discussion: reaching deep seed vaults (December 5, 2025) · Steam discussion: diving below max depth (November 15, 2025) · Steam discussion: depth pressure at Norfolk Grave (November 21, 2025)

How Deep Are the Graves?

Norfolk Grave is the shallowest Grave, at roughly 40 m. Salem, York, Dover, Winston and Brighton Grave all go deeper than 100 m.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Grave pages and the game 0.8.5 location data agree on this order. Sources: Community wiki: Norfolk Grave (revision 6841) · Community wiki: Salem Grave (revision 7159) · Community wiki: York Grave (revision 6796) · Community wiki: Dover Grave (revision 7155) · Community wiki: Winston Grave (revision 7275) · Community wiki: Brighton Grave (revision 7085) · Community location data: Norfolk Grave (game 0.8.5) · Community location data: Salem Grave (game 0.8.5) · Community location data: York Grave (game 0.8.5) · Community location data: Dover Grave (game 0.8.5) · Community location data: Winston Grave (game 0.8.5) · Community location data: Brighton Grave (game 0.8.5)

Sources measure different points (C). The game 0.8.5 location data gives the depth of each site's map marker; the wiki gives the deepest structures players reached. Neither number is a cross-checked depth for the whole site, so the calculator does not use them.
Grave	Map marker (game 0.8.5 data)	Deepest structures (wiki)
Norfolk Grave	38 m	45 m
Lincoln Grave	80 m	Not listed
York Grave	117 m	137 m
Dover Grave	123 m	140 m
Winston Grave	128 m	140 m
Salem Grave	130 m	106 m
Hampton Grave	134 m	Not listed
Brighton Grave	157 m	175 m

Wiki revisions from September and October 2026 and the game 0.8.5 location data. Each depth links to its source page.

Underwater cave depths are in the underwater caves guide; find each Grave on the interactive map.

TideRipper and Lights

Update 5.0 added TideRipper Hand Jets as a new way to move through water.

Official (A). Update 5.0 announcement, June 24, 2026. Sources: Official Steam announcement: Update 5.0 New Horizons (June 24, 2026)

Once you unlock a TideRipper, it is in your Tools menu rather than the build menu. There is also a Twin Jet version.

Cross-checked (B). Steam threads from June to August 2026. Sources: Steam discussion: TideRipper not in the build menu (June 18, 2026) · Steam discussion: finding the TideRipper Hand Jet (July 1, 2026) · Steam discussion: TideRipper Twin Jet (June 24, 2026)

You start with the Torch. Brighter lights unlock at Tier 6 (Lancer), Tier 14 (Nebula, which lights all around you) and Tier 18 (Eclipse, a long narrow beam), and they draw far more power.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki item pages, the game 0.8.5 item data and Steam threads from November 2025 and June 2026. Sources: Community wiki: Mechanics (revision 7239) · Community wiki: Crafting table (revision 7364) · Community item listing with unlock levels (game 0.8.5) · Community wiki: Lancer (revision 2613) · Community wiki: Nebula (revision 2610) · Community wiki: Eclipse (revision 2672) · Steam discussion: are the better flashlights worth it (November 28, 2025) · Steam discussion: TideRipper light versus the Eclipse (June 26, 2026)

The Eclipse's beam kills light-sensitive enemies such as leech swarms.

Cross-checked (B). Wiki Eclipse revision 2672 and Steam threads from December 2025 and June 2026. Sources: Community wiki: Eclipse (revision 2672) · Steam discussion: TideRipper light versus the Eclipse (June 26, 2026) · Steam discussion: diving at Winston Grave (November 15, 2025, replies to December 2025)

A light you craft is not put on your action bar for you. Open Tools (T) and assign it to a slot, or right-click it in your inventory and choose Add to Action Bar.

Cross-checked (B). Steam threads from November 2025 to August 2026. Sources: Steam discussion: flashlight hotkey after crafting a new light (November 20, 2025) · Steam discussion: flashlight not working (March 31, 2026) · Steam discussion: Lancer flashlight hotkey (June 29, 2026)

Sinking and Can't Swim Up?

A known bug sometimes stops the game treating you as being in water: you sink fast and cannot swim back up. Players get out by loading an earlier save, so save before you leave the boat.

Cross-checked (B). Separate Steam threads from March and July 2026, with reports into August 2026. Sources: Steam discussion: can't swim anymore (March 20, 2026) · Steam discussion: falling into the void (July 4, 2026)

Other fixes for stuck quests and broken saves are in the troubleshooting guide.

Player reports, not yet verified (C)

Each of these has only one source, or may be out of date. Reports from November 2025 to September 2026.

Players say that on an Xbox controller you click the left stick (L3) to dive and hold A to rise.
Sources: Steam discussion: swim controls on keyboard and controller (December 4, 2025, replies January 16, 2026)
One player says Shift speeds up swimming forward but not rising, so swim up at an angle while holding Shift, W and Space.
Sources: Steam discussion: crouch to descend faster (November 15, 2025)
For Norfolk Grave, one player put 20 to 30 points into Pressure; another says you can reach it with none if you bring batteries.
Sources: Steam discussion: Pressure needed for Norfolk Grave (November 17, 2025) · Steam discussion: depth pressure at Norfolk Grave (November 21, 2025)
Some players think the sinking bug happens more often when you jump into the water holding a tool or weapon.
Sources: Steam discussion: can't swim anymore (March 20, 2026) · Steam discussion: falling into the void (July 4, 2026)
Players report that spent enhancer points cannot be reset, so they keep a few unspent until they know how deep they need to go.
Sources: Steam discussion: no respec (November 12, 2025, reply June 25, 2026) · Steam discussion: a device for resetting points (September 12, 2026)
One player says the icon beside your health bar that turns orange, then red, underwater is the pressure warning.
Sources: Steam discussion: Norfolk Grave and underwater play (September 8, 2026)
One player says the TideRipper's light uses less power than the Eclipse, but it does not kill leech swarms.
Sources: Steam discussion: TideRipper light versus the Eclipse (June 26, 2026)
Players fixed a flashlight that gave no light by taking it off the action bar and adding it back, or by saving and reloading.
Sources: Steam discussion: flashlight not working (March 31, 2026)
Players report heavy stutter near underwater seed pods, at any depth.
Sources: Steam discussion: stutter near underwater seed pods (November 28, 2025)

Diving FAQ

What is the max dive depth in The Last Caretaker?

110 m, with 100 levels in the Pressure enhancer. You start at 10 m and each level adds 1 m. You can go deeper, but you lose battery and Vitality while you are below your safe depth.

How do you dive deeper?

Put points into Pressure on the ENHANCERS tab: each point adds 1 m of safe depth. To go past it, plug in a power cable from your boat and carry batteries and Charge Injectors.

What happens below your safe depth?

You don't die straight away. Your battery drains much faster and your Vitality drops slowly.

How do you dive down and swim up?

On a keyboard, hold Crouch (Left Ctrl) to dive and Jump (Space) to rise.

Where is the TideRipper after you unlock it?

In your Tools menu, not the build menu.

Why can't I swim back up?

If you sink fast and cannot swim at all, it is a known bug. Players get out by loading an earlier save.

All sources