Underwater navigation course

[quarkuud]

I'm thinking of doing an underwater navigation course in a couple of weeks so I won't be quite so lost underwater. Has anyone taken this? Is it useful?

I can read a compass fine, but I'm not good at estimating distance or swimming straight.

[SkuaSeptember]

I'd say that if you're not good at estimating distance or following a straight course, the UW Nav. course would be of great benefit.
Topics covered should be estimating distance by time, air consumption, kick cycles and arm spans. Also, you will work on compass navigation and natural navigation as well as a combination of the two. you will then run a number of different patterns using various methods and hopefully under varied conditions.

[whse56]

Sounds like a good course. Do they cover how to compensate for swimming through cross currents and maintaining course?

[fisheater]

That's the first specialty I'm planning on taking.

Around here, the viz is never that great, so you won't see which way back to the beach / boat without surfacing.

So. Compass it is. Unless you WANT to be at the mercy of your buddy.

[SkuaSeptember]

Originally Posted by whse56

Sounds like a good course. Do they cover how to compensate for swimming through cross currents and maintaining course?

They certainly should. Think along the line of waypoints.

[quarkuud]

Awesome, that sounds like just what I need. I'll try to take the next one.

[cummings66]

It's worth the effort to learn and it could someday save your life.

[KGNickl]

I'm going to be taking it as part of the PADI Advanced Open water certification in a month or so on vacation. I figure would most likely not pay $150+ for it alone, but as part of an entire certification it works out to be a lot less. I'm not too exited about it (exited about boat, deep, and photo), but it will still expand my skills and ad to my experience. That I can't complain about. I say go for it!

[quarkuud]

The AOW underwater navigation thing is just one dive. It's not terrible or anything, but the diving around here is sort of medium visibility swimming from one rock formation to another and it just hasn't been enough for me. The course will add two more dives and some bookwork as well and sounds like it might cover exactly what I need.

Unfortunately, the one I was going to take this month has been cancelled, so I will have to wait until April.

[thor]

I took it as part of my AOW, and I found it to be one of the most useful, and challenging courses I have taken. I always carry a compass now. In fact I was recently on a drift dive and got separated from the group. If I didn't have a compass, and the knowledge of how to use it, I am not sure if I would have been able to find the boat.