How often do you use your compass?

[Sieg@VU]

As others have said, no one should be under the impression that the compass is not important because their dives are been led by a guide. You should always have a reasonable idea of where you are and how to get back. It's just a matter of time before you find yourself in a situation that requires you to rely on your own navigation skills.....and only you control the outcome.

Compass skills are often ignored after passing OW, and that is a big mistake IMHO. Many students manage to get through the compass requirements in OW, but in retrospect are often unsure how or why they passed. My recommendation for all is to take an UW Navigation specialty to really become "one" with the compass and also to develop a keen awareness of natural navigation. Then practice and put those skills into practical use. I don't mean staring into the compass during the entire dive, but rather to develop confidence, self-reliance, and always have a reasonable idea of where you are and how to get back....even when on a dive that is being led. You just never know!

 

[Texasguy]

I think compass skills are taught in AOW. I don't remember learning compass during my PADI OW.

 

[corvettejoe]

I rarely use mine, but then I do a lot of cave diving where it's kind of useless.

The places I do use it though...

Shore diving - when we get way out and the lines in the sand start to diminish (which tell you if you're swimming to/from shore) then I'll use it. At night we use it when out lobstering on the reefs and or in more rocky areas with no sand to tell us direction. We use it on the scooters for sure, but have to hold your hand away from them as the motors will screw with the compass reading.

Boat diving - I only wear one if I'm on my own or leading a group. If there is a DM/Guide leading me, I just follow him. He's got the flag, so regardless of where we are, that's what the boat is following. The less gear I need to strap on the better. About the only time I've really had to use it is if we get dropped on the wrong spot and need to head to/from the shore to find the ledge we're diving on.

We've also used it to help triangulate our entry/exit points when shore diving. We fix a heading and go for it. When we're done, someone surfaces to find our bearing on the shore, gets a heading, rejoins us and we head back using that person's headings.

It's a tool like anything else. Sometimes you need it, sometimes you dont.

 

[Quero]

I think compass skills are taught in AOW. I don't remember learning compass during my PADI OW.

Compass skills are taught and evaluated in both PADI OW and AOW. In OW it's just a straight one-way snorkel on the surface, and an out and back (reciprocal) underwater, so it sometimes doesn't make a huge impression on the diver. In AOW, of course, it's a little more involved, but still not extremely complex.

 

[Insta-Gator]

I use my compass on every dive. If nothing else I take a bearing of "out to sea" so I know the bearing of "back to land"

 

[oldschool]

As often as possible. Most of my diving is in fairly low viz local lakes. On every dive, whether I need it or not, I'll practice my nav skills.

 

[Crass3000]

On pretty much every dive. I always take a reading on shore so that I know which direction it is using the reciprocal if I'm diving in unfamiliar waters. Just makes it easier to find your place of entry using landmarks, depth reading, etc.

 

[Doc Harry]

I use a compass on every dive. I am constantly referring to my compass and I build a mental map of where I am located in reference to the shore or mooring line. I never dive without a compass.

 

[CT-Rich]

I consider navigating part of the fun of diving. I pride my self on avoiding pop-ups to see where I am on a dive. In our area, 20' visibility is considered an exceptional day. So going to the surface is kind of seeing what is behind door Number 2 on a game show.... Some times it is a great prize, surfacing within a couple of yard from the intended exit. Other times it is an unfortunate booby prize followed by an extended swim involving a reflection on how you f****d up and missed the exit or ended up way the heck over there. The reflective surface swims have gotten fewer and fewer over time.

A compass is an integral part every dive, I look at charts and aerial photography part of the game not a choir to be avoided.

---------- Post added August 29th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ----------

This is pretty cool, underwater orienteering as a competitive sport. It sounds pretty cool and I like the way they rig their gear. Looks really fun (too much work for this old fart, but I love the idea). The gear looks like a lot of fun for those with good core strength...
Underwater orienteering - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[video=youtube;L4ajjyvDV_k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L4ajjyvDV_k[/video]

 

[Frosty]

I think compass skills are taught in AOW. I don't remember learning compass during my PADI OW.

If you weren't then your instructor need a swift kicking.
Navigation through padi is three step
OW you learn to go out on a heading and then back on reciprical -out n back
Advanced the basics are to do a square pattern back to your start point then you get "lost" and have to find your way back to the boat.
In rescue diver course you need to be able to do the box pattern and a U pattern using your compass to search for a "victim"