Underwater navigation course
It is easy to get lost underwater. The signs we rely on above water are missing, visibility is often poor, and at the same time a diver has to keep track of depth, time and air. There are also very few maps of the underwater world. The Underwater Navigator course teaches you to find your way accurately underwater and get back to where you started, even in limited visibility.
The course is for new and experienced divers alike. When you know how to navigate, you dive more calmly and surface where you planned to.
What you learn
- Natural navigation: using bottom contours, plants, light and shadows, sand ripples and currents.
- Compass navigation: holding the compass correctly and following a heading.
- Measuring distance underwater by kick cycles, time and swimming rhythm.
- Swimming square, triangle and out-and-back patterns.
- Planning a route, returning to your starting point and finding a given object.
How the course runs
Theory
Principles of navigation, natural references, how a compass works and how to use it, equipment and safety rules. You try the compass exercises on the surface first.
Training dives
- First dive: natural navigation, measuring distance and basic compass work.
- Second dive: square, triangle and out-and-back patterns, combining the compass with natural references.
- Third dive (PADI course): more complex routes, returning to specific objects and navigating on your own.
Assessment
Your instructor assesses your skills on each dive, answers your questions and gives you tips on what to work on next. When you finish you receive an international PADI Underwater Navigator or SDI Underwater Navigation Diver certificate.
What comes next
Navigation skills help on every dive, especially on night dives and wreck dives.
Frequently asked questions
Is the course suitable for beginners?
Yes. An Open Water Diver or equivalent certificate and basic diving skills are enough.
How many dives are in the course?
The SDI Underwater Navigation Diver course has two dives, PADI Underwater Navigator has three.
Where do the dives take place?
In Lithuanian lakes or at the seaside.
Why learn navigation?
Knowing how to navigate makes your dives calmer and safer: you surface where you planned, use less air looking for the way and can lead the dive with your buddy yourself.