Underwater orientation

[Sas]

If one has not been show the proper skills in use while diving, practicing the text only skills in this thread will be pretty challenging. I find it funny that my advising proper instruction on post 14 was the first to mention proper instruction. My bad as well on post #8. :depressed:

I found a Navigation course to be not very helpful at all. To use a compass is not rocket surgery... what most people need is actually diving where they are forced to navigate...

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Well I did say "a Navigation Course from an Instructor who knows how to teach Navigation." That is what I meant about proper skills. IMHO, for the vast majority of dives, compass use is not that big a part of navigation. Situational awareness is what many of the best posts above have been stressing, not compassing.

 

[Sas]

Well I did say "a Navigation Course from an Instructor who knows how to teach Navigation." That is what I meant about proper skills. IMHO, for the vast majority of dives, compass use is not that big a part of navigation. Situational awareness is what many of the best posts above have been stressing, not compassing.

I don't think courses teach people to have situational awareness. They can teach skills to develop this but in general you will learn situational awareness and navigation a lot better by doing dives beyond a course.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Sas, how many Navigation students have you taught? There is a participant to this thread who is on the record saying they do not believe buoyancy control can be taught, but I think each of your number of students is the same.

Well I have a large slate, so I could describe how the angle of the suns rays indicate the direction we are heading at different times during the dive, and I could mention the significant physical features I am seeing, as well as point out the changes in depth, differences in sand pattern or change in vegetation. If I just point to the surface during the dive, would you know I was watching the wind chop, which is pretty directionally constant at many of our local dive sites? You would after I wrote that on the slate. A good instructor can show and teach a student what situational awareness is comprised of, the individual students will have varying degrees of comprehension and application. Even some of the SB faithful will never get situational awareness, but those that have the ability to get it could very well get it quicker with a competent Instructor.

After said competent instruction, even some non training but still guided dives could be instructional and good practice, by watching how the guide navigates the dive and trying to also know where one is.

 

[Sas]

Sas, how many Navigation students have you taught?

None.

Well I have a large slate, so I could describe how the angle of the suns rays indicate the direction we are heading at different times during the dive, and I could mention the significant physical features I am seeing, as well as point out the changes in depth, differences in sand pattern or change in vegetation. If I just point to the surface during the dive, would you know I was watching the wind chop, which is pretty directionally constant at many of our local dive sites? You would after I wrote that on the slate. A good instructor can show and teach a student what situational awareness is comprised of, the individual students will have varying degrees of comprehension and application. Even some of the SB faithful will never get situational awareness, but those that have the ability to get it could very well get it quicker with a competent Instructor.

All stuff you can learn by reading about it or someone experienced telling you then practicing. As I said already a course or an experienced friend can teach the basis of situational awareness but in general it is better to have to do this in real diving situations.

After said competent instruction, even some non training but still guided dives could be instructional and good practice, by watching how the guide navigates the dive and trying to also know where one is.

Sure. But I personally was taught lots of helpful things about navigation but I never needed it so I didn't bother using those skills... until I was forced to.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I don't think courses teach people to have situational awareness. They can teach skills to develop this but in general you will learn situational awareness and navigation a lot better by doing dives beyond a course.

That is pretty much true of any skill ... a class can only teach you what you need to learn and some methods for learning it.

The actual learning takes place by doing ... and rarely is that accomplished within the constraints of a class.

Skills develop through use and repetition ... but you first have to know what the skill is, what you need to do to develop it, and why it matters ... that's what a good instructor can teach you ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Sas]

That is pretty much true of any skill ... a class can only teach you what you need to learn and some methods for learning it.

The actual learning takes place by doing ... and rarely is that accomplished within the constraints of a class.

Skills develop through use and repetition ... but you first have to know what the skill is, what you need to do to develop it, and why it matters ... that's what a good instructor can teach you ...

Sure I agree. Just I have rarely seen any Navigation class run well at all so I imagine one would have to look pretty hard to find a decent class. They all seem to be squares and triangles from shore with a main focus on compass navigation.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Just I have rarely seen any Navigation class run well at all so I imagine one would have to look pretty hard to find a decent class. They all seem to be squares and triangles from shore with a main focus on compass navigation.

How many Navigation Courses have you actually seen? Did you go into the water on any other than the one you took to see what went on under water? Just because you are possibly surrounded by bad instruction does not mean the rest of the world is the same.

 

[Sas]

How many Navigation Courses have you actually seen? Did you go into the water on any other than the one you took to see what went on under water? Just because you are possibly surrounded by bad instruction does not mean the rest of the world is the same.

I've lost count how many I've seen. Fair enough if you think it is done better elsewhere. Perhaps you could give a breakdown of exactly what you think should be in a good Nav class?

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

One does not teach a class, one teaches a student. Often the first step is to find the right motivation (in the case of badge collectors), but other students are already motivated. Some students already have good static compass skills, but the non-static ocean environs are what need to be emphasized. The type of sites the student will go on to practice at also might focus the instruction differently. Pretty much any Agencies Navigation Course Instructor Manual and Student Manual together have most of the proper information, but there is an art to imbedding the information into individual humans. It's not the what, it's the how.