Navigation and Compass

[Xanthro]

With poor visibility it's very hard to swim a straight line even while staring at the compass, add any current in there and it's really really hard.

What you can do is deliberatly aim to one side. Say there's a rock 200 feet away, instead of aiming directly at the rock, aim 20 feet to the right or left. Then when you've gone the distance you need, you should only have to look in one direction.

Example, anchor line is 200 feet away at 32 feet. I'd aim 20 or so feet to the left, more if current was present, once I hit the 32 foot contour line, I'd start swimming to my right, the anchor would be exactly 20 feet away if my aim was perfect. It wouldn't be, but the anchor should be to my right on the contour line.

Xanthro

 

[Desa]

Remember also that magnetic compasses are only acurate + or - 3 degrees. So even "experts" can/will be wrong once in a while. I do the same thing as Kracken and that is, I use mine on a retractor on my right shoulder.

If you are going to leave it in the console, instead of getting a longer hose, try pulling your console up over your left shoulder instead of under your arm. This also works really well.

Using the offset method is the most reliable thing to do especially in low vis. Allthough I must laugh at your "near zero vis at 4 or 5 feet". A lot of the diving we do is total blackout and you couldn't see the compass unless it was a heads up display inside your mask.LOL.

But seriously, sounds like you are doing fine, just keep up the practice.

 

[spthomas]

Thanks all for the advice. Although I've been diving since 1979 and have hundreds of dives, I've been very fortunate to be in blue water most of that time. I'm just now learning the "joys" of freshwater diving. Cold, dark, muddy...oh well, it's still wet! And I've worked with students before on nav dives, and I thought I was pretty good at it. Of course, 100' vis makes it all so much easier!

=Steve=

 

[Desa]

Yep, I been there. I learned to dive in the late 70's in New Port Richey, FL. Thought I knew alot about it until I moved to Indiana in the 80's and learned what navigational skills really mean.