Was my Nav course necessary?

[Bob DBF]

Does that book cover diving in currents?

It is an example, and since it is about underwater navigation, I believe it would. I have a different book and it was not even near the top of the Google list, but it did discuss currents, as did the PADI nav book I got later, or the New Science...... book I used to learn SCUBA in '62.


Bob

 

[richboslice]

LOL, I hope you don't have to.....but I'd like think that is one of things a MSD knows how to do. You don't know when you might need it, and then it is too late to learn it.

I didn't need it either, until I got out of quarries and into the ocean.

I wish the SDI nav course had went into detail about dealing with currents. Of course it is difficult to calculate exactly how the current will affect your course without having data on the current and also your own swim speed.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

When I became an instructor I looked at the course offerings from a number of agencies. For the most part the UW Nav class, by the book, to minimum standards, sucked big time in every agency I Iooked at. Now to be fair I only have the standards for 9 different agencies in my library. PADI, SSI, SDI, NAUI, YMCA, CMAS, SEI, PDIC, and BSAC.
What did not suck was the option to go beyond those standards in all of those agencies as well. Some will not allow the instructor to test on additions to the course but some will. The problem is none actually required the instructor to go beyond them if they did not want to. Most don't.
This is why UW Nav is like the bastard step child of courses in many cases and why so few take it. Couple that with the follow the guide/DM/Instructor mentality so often conveyed and it's no wonder it is not popular.
Other than Rescue, UW Nav is the first course I recommend after OW.
If done well, it builds buddy skills, communication skills, buoyancy and trim skills, teaches how to handle a reel and line as well as using a compass and natural nav, and is highly effective in building confidence and skills as a diver overall.
That's why I wrote my own nav class and it's the one I teach. It's the one an SEI instructor will get if they ask SEI HQ for a Nav class.
When SEI evolved from the YMCA some of the courses were put on the shelf so to speak because they had not been issued a cert from in a long time. The YMCA Nav class materials were horrible and the standards laughable for it. No wonder no one took it.
UW Nav is one of those classes not emphasized enough because also some instructors suck at it.
It's a shame because being able to navigate under water is a CORE skills and one of the traits of a SKILLED AND COMPETENT DIVER!
I'm pretty good at it. Yet I still work on nav skills in some way on every dive.
You also get out of it, as a student, what you put in to it. If the instructor seems to gloss over something call them on it! Jump their ass and make them teach you the class. You paid for it, you hired them as an employee to teach you something, get your money's worth.
To get a Master Diver card from any agency that offers one and not know how to navigate underwater effectively is something to not be very proud of.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I wish the SDI nav course had went into detail about dealing with currents. Of course it is difficult to calculate exactly how the current will affect your course without having data on the current and also your own swim speed.

That's why on the first dive of my class we do that. Unless you know how fast you swim and how far the rest of the class pretty much going to be worthless. Judging current speed and compensating for it is part of the SDI class, if the instructor wants to include it and actually knows how to do it.

 

[lowviz]

...//... It's a shame because being able to navigate under water is a CORE skills and one of the traits of a SKILLED AND COMPETENT DIVER! ...//...

Jim, I don't see it that way at all. Let's discuss a bit without getting defensive (me or you). I see compass nav as a valuable fall-back skill when something goes wrong with your primary means of maintaining direction. You can read maintaining direction as "getting back home on the gas you allocated for that task."

First, nobody can swim a straight line without constant correction. I know that I can't. Proved it to you too in your most excellent rescue class via the underwater blind swim. So maintaining direction means that you have to constantly observe your compass. This becomes a pervasive task that really adds to your total task load. When I do this in the back bays even in a light and changing current, I find that I become a slave to my compass and don't enjoy the dive at all. Totally occupies my mind or I begin to drift and lose any sense of heading vs. bearing. I would never, ever trust nav skills in the open ocean in typical low visibility conditions to a compass. Running a line, however, is truly a core skill. If your lines fails you, go to the compass for a SWAG on how to get back home.

Feel free to beat me up on this.

 

[jonhall]

So maintaining direction means that you have to constantly observe your compass. This becomes a pervasive task that really adds to your total task load. When I do this in the back bays even in a light and changing current, I find that I become a slave to my compass and don't enjoy the dive at all. Totally occupies my mind or I begin to drift and lose any sense of heading vs. bearing. I would never, ever trust nav skills in the open ocean in typical low visibility conditions to a compass.

Not having taken Nav to this point but having some experience using a compass on land, I too find it very difficult underwater to enjoy a dive when focusing on the compass. Have only really tried using my compass a few times on shallower shore dives. Biggest problem for me seemed to be keeping compass level which seems pretty important to get a proper reading. I find myself focusing so much on the compass, if there would have been a wall in front of me I would have run into it - DAM! Think it will just take some practice.

 

[redacted]

If you have mastered land navigation, the transition to UW nav is not that difficult. Unfortunately, there are not as many good maps but compass nav using a succession of way points works quite well in good vis with some UW features. If vis is bad or features are lacking, following a heading is really not that difficult. it is a lot like horseshoes. You don't have to throw ringers. You just have to be close.

 

[Steve_C]

If all you have is your compass, life is tough. Given any viz at all you use the compass to sight on a target in the desired direction. The further ahead the better. Then you swim to that target and repeat. This compensates for any kicking, cross current etc. and you can enjoy your dive. For most divers when it can be done this much more effective then staring at your compass.

If you have to swim up off the bottom as occurred with me in the Keys once things change. Leading a threesome, I took a wrong turn toward the end of the dive with an instabuddy who then ran low on air as we headed back on the correct heading after I popped up to see where the boat was. (I and other buddy had plenty left). A stiff cross current had picked up. So we did our safety stop hanging on the reef and then went up on top. We were even with the boat but a ways off. So I took a heading up ahead of the boat and swam on the surface with me looking up frequently to see how we were doing. We hit the boat. I got there first and went over and got the tag line and brought over for the other two divers.

As to how we go off? I was running figure eights returning to sight of the boat.. Did this several times. On the last leg a sea turtle swam over and parked next to a pretty piece of coral. I swam over the short distance and took several pictures. All happy with my good fortune I turned and started back but went up the wrong sand channel. Lesson learned. (Maybe)

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Saw awap's posts after sending in mine.

 

[richboslice]

Nope, and I cant really say I have had to deal with it on my dives.

well you won't learn it from the SDI course, if you're curious

 

[Doby45]

well you won't learn it from the SDI course, if you're curious

I didn't when I shadowed the SDI course. Thank God I have found my way back to shores and boats a number of times at sea with currents present. It is a minor Christmas miracle.