How did you learn to navigate underwater?

[CaseyJr]

Where can I go on-line for beginner-oriented nav info? (I recognize a problem with my learning style is that I have adult ADD -- it is VERY difficult for me to learn something new if I'm given several steps of a procedure and expected to comprehend, remember, then carry out those steps -- I have to assimilate each step before moving on the next one -- also, I need lots of hands on, lots of repetition, and a patient instructor! The good thing is that once I "get" something, I've got it good. Is there a topic about learning styles somewhere on this board?)

When we did our OW cert. I was literally the only one who just couldn't "get it" (and this was practicing in the parking lot, before we even took the compass into the water). In the water it wasn't much different (plus I was buddied with a young girl who had not grasped the concept of slow down and go at your buddy's speed), but I will say that even though we didn't didn't get our inital bearing right (drifted after taking the bearing, I think) and ended up in the wrong place, the instructors said that our bubbles were in a 100% straight line the whole time! Yeah! It's a start!

I have since been practing on land and that's helping.

 

[dkktsunami]

I taught myself to use a compass in a dark water lake where it was a necessary tool. In the center of the lake is a submerged scuba platform with a surface marker. I practiced going back and forth noting the time to swim the distance with the objective being to get close then swim a square search pattern. Once I was comfortable doing this I located other bottom features using the platform as a center base.

On a clear water ocean dive, in addition to the compass, you will use depth, wild life, shadows, bottom structure, current direction, etc to enhance your navigation. Get comfortable with the compass then expand your horizons.

 

[ScubaSteve]

.......On a clear water ocean dive, in addition to the compass, you will use depth, wild life, shadows, bottom structure, current direction, etc to enhance your navigation. Get comfortable with the compass then expand your horizons.

Please be careful. First of all Wild life is on the move. Secondly, shadows cahnge with the location of the sun (or disappear if it goes behind a large cloud) Thirdly, currents do change from time to time - even on the same dive. These are all maybe good things to be aware of, but IMHO you should never rely solely on them.

 

[fisheater]

An example of a dive where I used a combo of natural and compass nav:

On Sunday, all my buddies were ab diving and I was the only one to tank dive. I'm still new to diving, but I'm comfortable and don't panic, so I decided to try a shallow solo dive.

At a new-to-me beach site, I studied the contour of the cove (basic u shape) and asked my ab diving buddies what the approx. depths were along the kelp beds on each side. I came up with a dive plan, which was to head straight out the cove to 30 fsw and then turn left and go to the rocky bottom and follow that back to shore.

I descended into a "green out," as the viz was about a foot. At the bottom, I took a compass bearing and started along the sandy bottom. My compass heading was confirmed by the facts that I was perpendicular to the sand ripples, the surge was head on and -as I continued on - my depth was slowly increasing. Thus, I knew my direction was right.

When I hit 30 fsw, I took another compass bearing, this time turning to my left so as to line up the "west" indicator on the compass card with the "north" on the ring. (That way, I didn't have to change the original bearing indicator, so I could use it for later reference if needed.) I confirmed my direction by noting that I was now running parallel to the sand ripples.

When I got to the rocks and the kelp bed, I took my time sightseeing and staring down lingcod and drooling over abundant, large abalones (that were a bit too deep for most ab divers), while following the rock/sand interface into shallower water.

When I got to about 10 fsw, I knew that I was back near my entry point.

All of this with viz so bad I could barely see past my outstretched arms.

The "secret" is to get comfortable with your compass, pay attention to your surroundings and have a mental map of what the divesite looks like and where you are within it.

 

[=C=]

"the peek of shame"

Thats a winner!

...and as for all this navigation talk... Buy an quality wrist mount compass or a comp with an integrated electronic compass. Pratice with it... I shoot my return and mark it with the bezel. Thats usually all I need to know in a lake. From my return I can plot an "X" underwater so I can dive a box or a "U."

Things like this really arent very useful:

and to answer your main question google gave me This Link for Nav

 

[Garrobo]

I gave up on navigating. I only dive with a DM who will be able to get me back to the boat. In the rare instance I don't dive with a DM whoever I buddy up with needs to tell me that he/she has no problem getting us back. Lots easier, no stress.

 

[ScubaSteve]

I gave up on navigating. I only dive with a DM who will be able to get me back to the boat. In the rare instance I don't dive with a DM whoever I buddy up with needs to tell me that he/she has no problem getting us back. Lots easier, no stress.

IMHO, navigation is a skill that every diver should know earlier rather than later in their dive career. Murphy's law says that something can always go wrong and the last thing a diver would want is to get lost simply because they chose not to learn to navigate. I agree with the logic of diving with a trusted "leader" but I would suggest that you take some time to understand and learn navigation just in case. When you need it as a skill, you REALLY need it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[--tom--]

& there is nothing in the rule books that says you can take notes on a slate. Sometimes I will have several headings listed as a course. Critical depths (where you might change or the depth of the anchor) anything that might help. I know I am smart enough to remember it all, but the reassurance helps. You can make notes in your logbook afterwards. This forces you to rethink the dive and find places for refinement.

The postings have covered all of the generic mechanical methods, but your locale has nuances that are geographically significant. In California I am affected by waves, surge & limited visibility. Not so much in the Florida keys; there it is current, etc. So don't beat yourself up over it. I think the best advice from a navigation workshop was, "If you think you are lost, don't swim so far that you can't swim back."

& don't forget the great quote: "I can't say I was ever lost, but I was bewildered once for three days." — Daniel Boone

 

[DiverLS]

I used to be the "lady with the pink tank" that was known as the one getting lost all the time. I prefer boat diving.

Then I dived with a diver I hadn't dived with in about three years and she got her DM while working in Thailand. (Yep - I'm still jealous) She showed me the "doggie out, doggie in" style of compass reading. When you start your dive on the surface, plan the angle of the dive perpendicular the anchor. Then once you descend along the anchor, get the depth of the anchor and set the compass with the double prong facing you and the single point where you want to go. So you swim in sort of a line to the point, doggie out of the house. Then when you return, sight the line on the compass to the double prong, doggie back in the house. Since you are perpendicular to the anchor and know it's depth, I rarely get lost.

But since I bought my steel 100, it's a challenge again.

 

[ScubaSteve]

.........But since I bought my steel 100, it's a challenge again.

How can a tank affect your ability to navigate?