Compass or not

[ScubaSixString]

Hello everyone. Though I've been reading ScubaBoard for a while this is my first post so try not to flame me.

I started diving about a year ago and have been working my way into the sport. I just got my BC/Reg back in November and am moving towards the computer purchase. After having been abandoned by my dive charter on my first night dive in substantial swells off of Ft. Lauderdale during AOW (someone thought they had DCS and another forgot his weightbelt and rocketed up, all 3 required oxygen) I have reconsidered my initial notion that compasses are good and well for class but not particularly necessary in real life. How do you all feel? Should one be a standard part of my gear check list, especially if I am looking to do some biggies like the Spiegel Grove in March? I don't think I want to get stuck in the dark water when I am too far out to see the shore lights. I would appreciate your opinions and thanks in advance.

A compass can't hurt, unless it gets tangled in something. And if you ever find yourself in dark water, it can be vital. But as with everything, it depends on the type of diving you do.

I did a shore dive in fairly clear water (10-15 ft viz) around here and when it was time to turn around and head back, i thought i had ( i left my compass where it would do the most good.... in my closet at home). When i ran low on air (hose leak) and surfaced, I was headed away from shore instead of towards it.

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

I always carry a compass. Vis isn't always to great out here and there's a viscious current to the North. Know plenty of divers that don't use them.

 

[m3830431]

Compasses are cheap insurance. Don't dive without one.

 

[Diveral]

The little wrist-band mounted compass below is a very handy little thing. Not going to pass a navigation course with it but it will keep you headed in the right direction and is small and handy enough to take on every dive. I have used a similar one on the band of my dive watch for a very long time. I have a nice bigger retractable that I use for low visibility, night, and complicated dives but I like that little compass for most of my dives.

AL

 

[Diver0001]

Should one be a standard part of my gear check list, especially if I am looking to do some biggies like the Spiegel Grove in March?

To me you're asking two questions here.

1) Yes a compass is essential in 99% of your diving.

2) No you can't use it to find your way on the Spiegel Grove.

The problem with metal wrecks is that thousands of tonnes of steel creates its own magnetic field and it renders your compass essentially useless.

There are, however, other ways to navigate around a wreck.

So yes, for your own safety, please buy a compass. But for this particular dive you probably won't use it.

R..

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

It's absolutely crucial to my diving. I usually shore dive with a buddy in relatively low vis. So, it's my/our responsibility to get back to point A. I couldn't do it without a compass.

I didn't wear one in Coz when I was just drifting along following the DM. If that's the only diving you do (sounds like not), then you don't need one I guess.

I have a wrist mount Suunto SK7 and highly recommend it. You can tilt it up to 30 degrees and it still spins. Not too expensive either at like $50 or so.

BTW, welcome to scubaoard!

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I did a shore dive in fairly clear water (10-15 ft viz) around here

Clear??? Y'all have it bad up there if 10-15 ft is clear

Here we call it do-able

 

[Charlie99]

2) No you can't use it to find your way on the Spiegel Grove.

The problem with metal wrecks is that thousands of tonnes of steel creates its own magnetic field and it renders your compass essentially useless.

I still bring my compass on wreck dives. While they may not be very accurate around the wreck, they still help point you in the right direction if you go off into the sand to look at something and get disoriented.

 

[Mark Vlahos]

A compass is a standard part of my open water gear.

Mark Vlahos

 

[Pyrofish]

I find mine very useful on half of my dives. Especially off of a private boat where we're just going to numbers on a map. I was in the keys last year, diving a reef called the Gap. We had OK vis at 15', bad for the keys, but do-able. My buddies were still trying to get down and it took a good 3 or 4 minutes before they met me on the bottom. One was having problems clearing. Unfortunately, we had dropped in on sand and could see no sign of a reef anywhere. In that 3 or 4 minutes, I had lost my bearings looking around waiting for them. Fortunately, I knew the reef had to be to the south in that location, so I pulled out my handy-dandy compass and we headed south. Within a few kick cycles we were gliding over glorious reef. My buddy, who doesn't use a compass, just wanted to go against the current which would have taken us East, and we would have remained 60' off the edge of the reef for our entire dive.

Since you live in Florida, if you do any lobstering from a private boat, you might find the compass extremely useful for figuring out your dive plan once down. You almost never know where you're going to go until you can actually see the bottom. The reef's ledges could be run in any direction and curve around anywhere. The compass will help you get back to the boat or at least close the distance of you surface swim.

I love my compass, it's an essential part of my gear
Jason