Quick Question Random bubbles from mask and first post cert dive

[BabyDuck]

the noise could absolutely be a boat, and likely is. i just want to point out another noise you may hear that confused me my first several dives.

as you shift positions, the air bubble in your bcd can move and you can hear a water rushing or 'bloop, bloop' sort of noise. just so you know!

 

[Skittl1321]

Come up signal boat and they come to you but I will add a compass.

I'm new- so this is a real question to those advocating for a compass. If I go diving off a boat, and didn't navigate out with the compass (and thus can't follow a heading back), what is the compass going to do as a piece of safety equipment? I mean can it really help for me to know "oh, Florida's to the East, better go that way or I'll end up in the Bahamas" if I'm truly lost?

 

[uncfnp]

So far (4 dives) I have only done boat drift dives. Come up signal boat and they come to you but I will add a compass.


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Even on those drift dives a compass is a good idea. We have gone down expecting the current to be going on way and it had reversed. If you don't know the reef well, you may not recognize this without a compass. It also helps me differential the west or east edge of the reef and find the reef again if I take a wrong turn. I don't like to depend on the direction of the current for my compass headings.

---------- Post added July 15th, 2013 at 09:17 PM ----------

I'm new- so this is a real question to those advocating for a compass. If I go diving off a boat, and didn't navigate out with the compass (and thus can't follow a heading back), what is the compass going to do as a piece of safety equipment? I mean can it really help for me to know "oh, Florida's to the East, better go that way or I'll end up in the Bahamas" if I'm truly lost?

Two points. If you have a compass, use it and know the heading you took out from the boat. But if you didn't, hopefully you did listen to the dive briefing and know the dive plan and as such, which way to head back to the boat.

 

[Jon_R]

I'm new- so this is a real question to those advocating for a compass. If I go diving off a boat, and didn't navigate out with the compass (and thus can't follow a heading back), what is the compass going to do as a piece of safety equipment? I mean can it really help for me to know "oh, Florida's to the East, better go that way or I'll end up in the Bahamas" if I'm truly lost?

I would like to have had one just so I had a feel for where I was going. The current was strong so could not do much about it and the boat does not stay put but I will add it to my gear. Probably a wrist one on a retention strap.


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[Skittl1321]

[Two points. If you have a compass, use it and know the heading you took out from the boat. But if you didn't, hopefully you did listen to the dive briefing and know the dive plan and as such, which way to head back to the boat.[\QUOTE]

sorry, let me clarify, I was thinking drift diving where the boat follows you. Thus there is nowhere to return to.

In this scenario, if the boat loses you, can a compass do anything for you, or is it just something extra to carry.

 

[uncfnp]

So far (4 dives) I have only done boat drift dives. Come up signal boat and they come to you but I will add a compass.


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Let me see if I can give a good example from a recent drift dive in WPB why a compass is a good idea even if the boat is following you.


It was a three wreck dive. The boat dropped us off at the first wreck, we drifted past, next wreck is at 60 degrees from the first wreck. You make that wreck but next wreck is at 120 degrees to the second. How do you find the other wrecks without a compass?

A reef example. You follow the reef till it ends. You still have air and dive time. You know the next reef line is at 30 degrees. You have a compass. Yeah! You find the reef and continue.

Doing drift dives do you strictly need a compass for the boat to find you? No, especially if you have a dive flag. But is it a good idea so you can navigate your dive. Yes.