Navigation course

[ZoSo]

how many dives are needed for the PADI Navigation course? Thanks.

 

[Don Wray]

There are 3 dives in the navigation specialty.

 

[DBailey]

There is a minimum of three open water training dives. If you are doing the course in a low viz situation with a challenging "course" the count on a couple of air fills.

 

[Garrobo]

When I took it as part of PADI AOW it was out and back, a rectangle and a square using a compass and visual confirmation. Took about a half hour. Navigation is relative to visibility and currents and familiarizing yourself with the local environment so don't depend on your compass at all times.

 

[dwhthediver]

When I took it as part of PADI AOW it was out and back, a rectangle and a square using a compass and visual confirmation. Took about a half hour. Navigation is relative to visibility and currents and familiarizing yourself with the local environment so don't depend on your compass at all times.

Ahhhh, but doing the first navigation dive as part of your AOW doesn't get you the navigation certification. There are 3 dives required for the nav cert, you do dive one as part of your AOW, and then if you want the cert, you do dives 2 and 3. And yes, dive one has a couple basic compass skills, and a natural navigation requirement. Dives 2 and 3 are much more fun, with doing a course with all coordinates given to you to start, finishing where you started, and dive 3 where you find your next coordinates by achieving the waypoints, and ending back where you started.
Dave
PADI MSDT 233329

 

[TMHeimer]

After finishing the Nav Course I asked what's next. The instructor said "Nothing-That's navigation".

 

[fisheater]

After finishing the Nav Course I asked what's next. The instructor said "Nothing-That's navigation".

The true answer would be something akin to "each dive you do from now on is another navigation problem and exam. Failure means getting lost."

 

[Garrobo]

Most of my dives are with a DM who lives in the area and knows the reefs and wrecks by heart. If I'm not diving with a DM I try to make sure that the guy or gal I'm buddied up with has enough navigational abilities and confidence to get us back to the boat. On the few occassions where I had to lead another diver I made sure that I familiarize myself with the terrain immediately surrounding the boat and anchor line and don't go very far in any direction whereas I would lose my bearings. Usually follow a reef/sand line or a seperation line in the reef structure then back. So far I only lost one guy who was trying to take some pictures in limited visibility. I prefer diving with a DM. Less stress and I can concentrate on buoyancy and breathing and looking for sters.

 

[Steve50]

After finishing the Nav Course I asked what's next. The instructor said "Nothing-That's navigation".

I like - "search and recovery" - now that you know how to do the math, let's solve some physics problems with it.

 

[fisheater]

Most of my dives are with a DM who lives in the area and knows the reefs and wrecks by heart. If I'm not diving with a DM I try to make sure that the guy or gal I'm buddied up with has enough navigational abilities and confidence to get us back to the boat. On the few occassions where I had to lead another diver I made sure that I familiarize myself with the terrain immediately surrounding the boat and anchor line and don't go very far in any direction whereas I would lose my bearings. Usually follow a reef/sand line or a seperation line in the reef structure then back. So far I only lost one guy who was trying to take some pictures in limited visibility. I prefer diving with a DM. Less stress and I can concentrate on buoyancy and breathing and looking for sters.

You'd sure better hope that your dive buddy/ DM never has an issue that requires you to get them back to the boat. How good of a buddy are you for them if you always rely upon them?

Navigation is a critical skill to be a good buddy.