Navigation Woes

[shotthebreeze]

Ok,

So on the last day of my checkout dives I was taught how to use a compass and navigate in a straight line. During my first 3 checkout dives, I recall swimming in a square pattern starting and ending at the mooring line. Now, I realise that all you have to do to swim in a square, you just quarter your compass because you have two more turns to make than if you were to swim in a line. Now my question is, how do you know how far you've swam and when to make that turn if you don't plan on swimming in a straight line? I mean, there's tons of cool stuff to see in other places. I would assume you could time it if you kept a regular cadence, but we were stopping and going, swimming off track and down into caverns, taunting sea creatures, etc. Perhaps my instructor knew the area like the back of his hand, which I don't doubt, but then again maybe I'm totally stupid and there's a simple, logical way to navigate without swimming on a line. Any help would be appreciated for the newbie.

 

[h2odragon1]

navigation diving is more than looking at the compass, as you stated. to know your distance, you will need to count your kick cycles. first have a buddy take a measured line from your position, then, keeping both ends fixed swim from one end of the line, counting your kick cycles. thiss will give you an idea as to how far you swim with each cycle. walking generally produces about 3-4 ft per ea. walk cycle,(each time one foot returns to its down position). this kick cycle info will help you determine the distance you have swam.
try it! you'll like it.

stay wet and dive safely

 

[scubapatton]

Swimming on a line is just to get you acquainted with the compass and how to adjust angles. You are correct in noting their are tons of things to see outside of a rigid box. Using natural navigation and familiarity with the area is how your instructor got you out and back.

As you use the angles, right them down on a slate. Then as you come across the coral or reef, re-check your angle. You should be running along the similar course as you were before you got side-tracked. When you see a neat reef in another area, check your heading and write down the new heading. With practice, you will find you can make a rough box and still get to about where you wanted to be. Make sure you check depth gauges as well so you can see when you are going deeper/shallower. You can also read the ripples in the bottom sand if possible to help with direction vs the shoreline. These things become more refined as you practice, as you dive, and if interested, if you take a Navigation course.

As far as marking time, you can use arm lengths, kick cycles, time. That is basically in decreasing accuracy (arm lengths is the most accurate of the three).

Hope this helps.

 

[meesier42]

landmark navigation, I started with relatively small areas, Identifing 1 prominant landmark, never letting it leave me, weather that be 10 ft or 10 yards away, always making sure that I could find it again and return to it. Then with practice I became more confient with locating my landmark I was able to contect the dots (ie mark B bears 180 from mark A) and get farther and farther from the boat and still find my way back.

Also you learn to include information like bottom slope, wave/surge direction, current direction, and direction of the sun to orient you in the water.

Basically, start small and go slow, navigation is a skill developed over many dives, think 30-50 not 5-10. I see that you don't have many dives under your belt and you really need to worry about breathing, bouyancy control, and emergency procedures for a while first. With these basic skills you will gain confidence and awareness and navigation won't be such a chore.

 

[RonFrank]

Navigation is tough. I use the out and back method on most reefs, and this can be done in stages. So I go to a spot, and make sure I know how to get back to the boat. Then I may go to a second spot, but I return to the first, and so on.

My other approach is the snorkeling method! I just cruise around the reef doing what ever the heck we want, and 45 minutes into the dive, I do a boat check, get a heading, and start back!

 

[Harshal]

We were taught to count the kicks, I don't know how much it works have never tried in for practical reason.

 

[shotthebreeze]

My other approach is the snorkeling method! I just cruise around the reef doing what ever the heck we want, and 45 minutes into the dive, I do a boat check, get a heading, and start back!

So do you surface, get a heading and then decend again?

 

[Cacia]

landmark navigation, I started with relatively small areas, Identifing 1 prominant landmark, never letting it leave me, weather that be 10 ft or 10 yards away, always making sure that I could find it again and return to it. Then with practice I became more confient with locating my landmark I was able to contect the dots (ie mark B bears 180 from mark A) and get farther and farther from the boat and still find my way back.

Also you learn to include information like bottom slope, wave/surge direction, current direction, and direction of the sun to orient you in the water.

Basically, start small and go slow, navigation is a skill developed over many dives, think 30-50 not 5-10. I see that you don't have many dives under your belt and you really need to worry about breathing, bouyancy control, and emergency procedures for a while first. With these basic skills you will gain confidence and awareness and navigation won't be such a chore.

I have noticed the best navigators think this way, by compiling the on going big picture. I have noticed something a bit peculiar: Pilots who I would think would be the BEST due to their experience with instuments are often not as good as I would expect. I think it's because they are SO dependant on instruments they maybe overlook the topographical less tangible *signs* that are at least 50% to a good "natural" navigator. I wish I was better, I have to work so hard at it....then there is the camera afliction. Netdoc was talking the other day about all the sounds underwater and how we often do not tune in enough. Even distant boat traffic and subtle sounds you might only *hear* subliminally begin to help if you are open to it.
My biggest navigation breakthrough was focusing less on the compass. Sometimes I will stop and look backwards to see a reef or contour from the other direction, letting it imprint a bit as a contour /shape., as it will appear on my return.

My other approach is the snorkeling method! I just cruise around the reef doing what ever the heck we want, and 45 minutes into the dive, I do a boat check, get a heading, and start back!

lol...the old "I hope nobody sees this.."

 

[meesier42]

We were taught to count the kicks, I don't know how much it works have never tried in for practical reason.

well I have used fin kicks to get me places, ie point A to point B. but that is very rare if you are out doing recreational diving and your just cruising around the reef and you'll quickly forget where you are.

I am one of those people that has to really concentrate on navigation and I have learned to be reasonably good at it, but it was a long process of getting lost many times and having to surface, regain my bearings and start over. But I have learned to identify the more subtle clues, for example boat anchors sand Patch, 60 ft of water, land is to the north and deep water south, main line of the reef runs E/W, and there is a slight current running west. this way when I get "lost" I can use any of these clues (or combination of) to give me a direction back to the boat and hopefully I will find one of my landmarks that I was looking for along the way.

Another thing to thing about, when you try to identify a landmark, look at it from the side that will take you home, as things look very different from opposite sides.

 

[boulderjohn]

In the situation you describe, navigating a square is, as you suggest, not a good option. Ron Frank gave you a quick explanation of a good method to explore an area like that, but perhaps you would like more details.

This assumes you have decent visibility.

Drop down from the boat and look around to decide where you want to go first. Look for a landmark in the distance and take a heading on it. Head toward it, exploring along the way. Look at the fishies and the coral. When you get there, decide if you have gone far enough in that direction or if you want to go further. If you want to go further, find another landmark in the same direction.

Whenever you decide to turn around, use your reciprocal heading to get started in the right direction. If you can pick up a couple of landmarks in a straight line on your heading, that makes it even easier. (Your compass and two landmarks in in that direction give you a straight line.) Again, don't be glued to your compass or kick cycles. Just keep going to landmarks and sighting new ones when you get to them.

Eventually you will spot the boat mooring. Pick out a new direction and repeat. Repeat as often as needed to get around everywhere. You should be able to explore an area you have never seen before, without staring at your compass and without counting your kicks, and still return to the boat.

If you have a buddy with you who does not know what you are doing, it will seem like you are just wandering about aimlessly and then somehow knew where to find the boat at the end of the dive.