How often do you use your compass?

[gert7to3]

Boat dive or shore dive I orient myself with the compass, every time. Underwater it is very easy to become disoriented.

 

[modustollens]

When the boat stops, I look at it. Before I jump in, I look at at. I often draw a picture of the dive site on my slate with north indicated. I will look at the compass when I finish my descent. I will look at the compass and dive site map a few times during the dive too and try to form memories - though I always check my intuitions against the compass.

Same goes for shore dives - back bearing is known well before I head into the water.

MT

 

[TMHeimer]

I use it almost every dive. There are a few shore sites that really don't need any compass use. My shore dives are pretty shallow and "benign." I usually just go by general direction such as "out and to the right is ESE". I rarely go in a straight line as I am a searching shell collector. I know that generally going W or NW will get me back to shore close enough. I'm skilled in all the other compass techniques, but rarely have use for them.

 

[Searcaigh]

Frequently but not all the time. Some of the local sites I know intimately and have no need for the compass, but if I dive a new site I will want to know beforehand some information that will help me navigate back to the boat or shore.

 

[cb5150]

I bring it on every dive and use it on most dives. Much like equalizing, I start at the surface. I take headings for which direction is the shore, which direction is the current running, what direction is a landmark I'm trying to get to, etc,etc.

 

[bbarnett51]

I treat every dive like it's a solo dive. So even if I'm being "guided" I still keep my bearings. Been let down by to many guides and buddies.

 

[Diver0001]

I'm a new diver and I always have my compass with me, but I have never needed to use or have a chance to use. Most of my dives are drift dives from boat so I just follows the person who carry the marker buoy.

Just curios, do you carry your compass with you when you dive, and how often do you use it?

I carry it on every dive and I use it on every dive.

That said, our water is fairly turbid and knowing which way the shore is can avoid you surfacing in a shipping lane... so it's kind of relevant.

R..

 

[tracydr]

Every dive. I'm really working on using my compass more and relying on other sites less, since other sites may or may not be accurate.

---------- Post added April 26th, 2013 at 07:42 AM ----------

Does anyone write down headings on a slate or wet notes?

 

[Scuba.com]

I'm a new diver and I always have my compass with me, but I have never needed to use or have a chance to use. Most of my dives are drift dives from boat so I just follows the person who carry the marker buoy.

Just curios, do you carry your compass with you when you dive, and how often do you use it?

Even when drift diving, a compass can come in handy. When the Divemaster or captain tells you it’s a North current, but really it’s heading at 30 degrees, and you have to head due west to hit a specific target, how could you possibly do that without a compass? A compass is a great navigational tool for all kinds of diving and on every dive. So, I use a compass on every dive.

Does anyone write down headings on a slate or wet notes?

When diving a wreck, I use a slate to write down the position and depth of the tie in, and the direction the wreck is laying.

 

[mdb]

I use my trusty Suunto on most every dive, Azimuth out and back azimuth return. Since I solo dive most of the time the compass is always used.
When diving abroad, on a boat, or with a dive guide, I still like tracking the dive with my own compass.