Navigation to Boat, How Quickly I get Lost

[salub2007]

Sorry took Post Down...
Great input though..
Salub2000

 

[ivobj]

Everybody makes mistakes every now and then, important is to learn from them in controlled environment not to repeat when there can be more serious consequences...

Keep in mind that when navigating by compass in the current you most probably will be drifting sideways, even though the bearing is correct, you must compensate for that.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

In addition I don't understand why the instructor allowed you to hunt lobsters during the nav portion of an advanced class and was not in the water with you in those conditions. And allowing two admittedly newer divers to separate while conducting the exercise. The navigation dive is also a chance to reinforce not disregard buddy skills. Each person has a role and until the diver is accomplished in the discipline it should not be a practice to do it in such conditions while doing other things. The lobster hunting pretty much seems to have screwed this up pretty well. How many course changes did you make? What headings did you swim? How far on each leg? What measure of distance did you use? What did you use to keep track of all of your info? Did you utilize natural features as well? If not I question the effectiveness of this dive in teaching you actual useful navigation skills. I also seriously question the instructor for allowing this to happen.

 

[salub2007]

It was the buddy I dove with's idea to hunt lobster, which was against the instuctor's wishes. Being a lobster permit holder myself, i went along with the idea, somewhat reluctantly. The conditions on the first dive were awesome, navigation was easy, and the lobster plentiful. There was no need to use compass with the obvious natural features. The instructor was the boat's mate because he wanted to see us using a buddy as reference, not an instructor. So if we got into a jam, which we sort of did on the 2nd dive, we would have to get out of it ourselves, using good basic scuba skills. So again , first dive no problems finding boat with buddy, very distinct natural markers. Second dive was much different. The bottom was slate rock which looked all the same as you went along, very few natural features, very few lobsters. We aborted the lobstering when we noticed how much navigation we were having to do to not get lost. We were in a protected cove, so there really was no place for us to get completely lost from the boat. As the tide was coming in though, there was a moderate current which made compass readings, along with placing headings and distinguishing natural features more difficult than the first dive. We changed course 3 times, and each time were very close to the boat, but not right on it. At any point during our dive, we could have surfced and easily had a short surface swim to the dive boat. All I am saying is navigation takes a long time to master, and I am not one who has gotten there yet. I am sure even the pro's get turned around once in a while, so keep learning, and always practice. Thanks
salub2000