Diving Cozumel next month and I have a question about my Luna

[LowDrag]

I just bought a new Luna a few months ago and then recently one for my wife that we are taking to Cozumel next month. My question is about the compass and whether I need to do anything with the declination setting or not?

Thanks

 

[Craig66]

I cannot answer you about the luna and the compass declination however I can tell you that there will be little too no need for a compass in Cozumel. You go with the current irrespective of which way you want to go. Just find your happy spot and enjoy the ride. When the bottle is empty, ascend and repeat !!!

 

[dberry]

I'm really curious about the answer to this question... I used to always set my declination when orienteering (or even hiking) with an accurate map and "real" compass, but never considered an underwater compass (and no map) all that precise; more useful for relative rather than absolute headings. But I'm an underwater newb, so I'm looking to learn.

 

[rongoodman]

I don't see any point in worrying about it since you won't be working with a map.

 

[LowDrag]

We are completing our AOW there and part of it is Navigation. This why I am asking, because I don't want to try to navigate with a compass that could be off by any percentage of degrees.

 

[dberry]

As I recall, the main skill for AOW navigation involved traveling a square - that is a fixed number of kicks along a heading, then turn 90deg, same number of kicks, 90deg turn, and repeat twice more until you end up at the starting point (hopefully.) Absolute heading relative to TRUE north wasn't part of it. It's entirely different than working with a map and compass on land (trivial by comparison.)

For me, keeping a consistent kick speed and effort so I'd travel the same distance with each kick was the trickiest part. YMMV, but I don't think declination error can play any role at all. Unless each leg of your square is 1000 miles or so

And if there are currents your leeway (side-slippage) is going to be a bigger issue than a few degrees absolute error on the compass.

Have fun!

 

[BRT]

I always have a compass and consider it safety gear. I always take notice of which way shore is. North, South, East or West. Close enough. If I am shore diving I look a little closer but not much.

 

[HeatCker]

i think dberry correctly nailed the answer
declination shouldn't be an issue for diving
if your compass seems off you could try recalibrating it, if it has that feature

 

[LowDrag]

YEah it doesn't have that feature. Thanks everyone!

 

[Hatul]

Rongoodman nailed it. Unless you're working with a map or need to know precisely the true north, you don't need to compensate for declination.