do i really need my compass for a few cruise dives?

[mwpowell]

thanks for the response. i will pull it from my console and work on making a bungee for it, and i will stash it in my pocket.

Are you trying to get rid of the console entirely, or just want to make it smaller by taking out the compass? Seems like a lot of trouble for 4-6 dives. I would just dive it as is, and have fun.

Mike

 

[fdog]

Hmm. I always enter the water with a compass. Haven't been lost yet, either.

Carrying around the little thing is worth it.

All the best, James

 

[bertschb]

Depends on where you're diving. I don't bring a compass to Cozumel. If you get lost on a Coz dive you shouldn't be diving. For other tropical dives, it depends on the location and dive site. I would never leave my compass behind here in the Northwest. Good vis here is 30 feet. Lees than 10' is common. I've done LOTS of dives with less than 5'. Compass is required unless you don't mind really long surface swims (or worse).

 

[Randy43068]

I want to get it off my console to save a little space, do I really need to have my compass on my console while Im down there this winter? Itll just be 4 or 6 dives.

I'd take it. One never knows when it'll be needed. The simple compass could prevent a routine dive from becoming an incident. That dive may be YOUR dive.

R.

 

[Beppe]

I think it's an integral part of diving gear, that ensures you have a safer dive. Get a wrist mount one. Suunto has a great compass.

I totaly agree.You may need it, you never know what it's going to happen.Besides,it's not such a bulky item,I cannot see the problem in carrying one; you can get one of those retractable lines and attach it to your B.C.

 

[miketsp]

Five things that experience has taught me never to dive without:
Compass
Safety sausage
Spool
Dive alert.
Torch (small secondary in BC pocket).


Even when wreck diving, often I want to see something just off the wreck and vis can change quickly. So automatically I set my compass to give me a course back to the wreck, or run a line.

 

[scubadobadoo]

Usually cruise ship diving is as easy as being cattle. Just follow along and don't get out of line during your 30 minute/$90 dollar dive. That said, I took a weekend cruise to Nassau last year in January and a winter storm was blowing through and it left visibilty below 10 feet on a shallow reef with a strong current and cold winds. The crew refused to dive with the group because it was too cold. You never know what mother nature will deal you.

It was a sunny, calm day when that tsunami hit...

I think I just convinced myself to always bring my compass from now on. Have a good cruise and be safe!

 

[mdsd]

:scubadive

my compass is at the end of my contents package along with my computer, one glance provides depth, pressure and direction

sidenote: did you notice in open water (the movie) that the divers never checked their compass, that's cause they didn't have one, check it out, they had no idea which way to swim, they didn't pay attention on the boat ride, so they couldn't use natural nav either

 

[baitedstorm]

You don't need no stinking compass.

Just sense the magnetic energy and navigate by that.
I also recommend estimating your depth by how your ears feel.
What pressure gauge? You'll know when the air's gone.

Go minimalist: Tank & Mask only.

theskull

I'm gonna have to go with this one too!

Your compass is as important as your BCD, don't leave home without it.

 

[Sideband]

I don't bother taking it.
jwh

I think I found the reason you are called "Lostboy".

I don't understand the bit about "freeing up space" on your console. What are you freeing up space for? Is there something else you want to put there? To me, that's like wearing thinner booties to free up space on your feet. I can understand moving something TO your console to free up space in a pocket or to get something off of your wrist but not the other way around.

Joe