There is never a total absence of visual reference. Tiny particles are always floating around you. Use them. Make use of the available options, there is never a situation where there are no options. You just need to find them.
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If 6-10 feet is your max Vis, you will have to adapt the frequency of checking for a new point.
Best option is to get your general direction from your compass and find 2 or preferably 3 objects that are as much in line of the direction you are going, constantly looking for more objects further away. These objects can be as small as just details in the bottom. Every now and then verify your compass for direction.
Bottom line is that you need to look where you want to go to get there. Closing your eyes or staring at a compass will make you swim circles.
I regularly dive in Vis that low. Been doing it for 17 years.
Well, the 'swimming in a circle' thing is obvious hyperbole. But it's quite easy to veer off course if you keep staring at the needle, because it's extremely easy to NOTSorry I don't understand. How is it possible to veer off course if you stare at the needle
keep the needle on course 100% of the time
I dive in muck on a regular basis and teach students they MUST watch the compass 100% of the time when actually doing navigation skills.
Thanks man. I'm just working on my AOW right now; I have my OW. I'll be up there the weekend of the 17th-19th, but if I can swing it, I might try to come up a day early and/or stay a day late to do some more diving. We shall see how the work/school schedule goes.
Thanks. That thing is really cool. What sold me was the slate/compass combo, which gave me the option to keep data very handy, and write up whatever I needed underwater. I really like your board, and I will be making up one of these for sure.
My instructor told me the exact same thing. I trolled around for a while and couldn't find a single one. Apparently they are THE compass, and if anyone has one, they are not likely to part with it.
What you are saying compares quite nicely to land nav, which I am pretty familiar. Basically, you just go from point to point which is pretty easy. Where I am diving, visibility may be 6-10 feet sometimes, and that style of nav just won't work. Unfortunately, in certain conditions, following the compass and swimming along are the only ways to go.
In that case, what you're teaching goes against everything that's known about compass navigation, both topside and underwater. There's a very good reason that the standard procedure is to take a sighting along the lubber line at an object at some distance instead of trundling along with your nose to the needle. Particularly if there's a bit of current pulling you off course.
That may well be, I've never dived in a freshwater quarry, so I wouldn't know. My local diving is in the sea, with zero to moderate current and viz in the range from 2m to - at the best, and then only during fall and winter - 10-15m.Things are a bit different in local freshwater quarries with no current.
if you're in current LARGE corrections and more frequent checks are required to compensate; it ain't land nav, the wind can't take me of course doing land nav.
That may well be, I've never dived in a freshwater quarry, so I wouldn't know. My local diving is in the sea, with zero to moderate current and viz in the range from 2m to - at the best, and then only during fall and winter - 10-15m.
---------- Post added October 11th, 2014 at 09:07 AM ----------
Which is why I prefer to aim for some kind of feature (stone, kelp plant, whatever) out there at the edge if viz rather than follow my compass needle. That way, current won't affect my course as much and there'll be less cumulative error from being swept sideways.
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Sorry I don't understand. How is it possible to veer off course if you stare at the needle, keep the compass level and keep the needle on course 100% of the time? I have never swam in a circle while keeping the needle on course. I for one don't understand how it would be physically possible to swim in a circle, all while keeping the needle on course. A person would have to start swimming sidways, backwards and then sideways, then forward again in order to make a circle while pointing on course the entire time. This is all assuming there's no current.
Maybe I'm missing something, but I don't know.....
I dive in muck on a regular basis and teach students they MUST watch the compass 100% of the time when actually doing navigation skills. If they veer off course it's because they aren't holding the compass level and it's not freely turning OR they aren't paying attention to the compass and properly turning in the correct direction to get back on course. Good compass navagation in the muck requires rock solid buoyancy skills and 100% attention on the compass reading.
Yes, I have seen more than one student swim in circles, but the compass wasn't indicating they were on course while doing it.