Find Your Way Home – SSI Navigation

Stop following the fins in front of you. There is a big difference between diving and leading a dive. If you usually rely on a Divemaster or your buddy to know where the boat is, you are missing out on the confidence that comes with true underwater independence. The SSI Navigation specialty teaches you how to combine compass work with natural clues to navigate complex dive sites and return to your exit point with precision.

Getting lost underwater isn't just embarrassing; it can be dangerous and stressful. This course gives you the tools to know exactly where you are, where you are going, and how to get back—every single time.

Why Take a Navigation Course?

• Ditch the Anxiety: Eliminate the fear of losing the anchor line or surfacing far away from the boat.

• Be a Better Buddy: Stop being a passenger on your own dive. Take charge and lead your buddy team with confidence.

• Conserve Air: Swimming in circles wastes energy and gas. Efficient navigation means you spend more time seeing the reef and less time looking for it.

• Find the Good Stuff: Learn how to mark and relocate specific points of interest, like a cleaning station or a lobster hole, so you can find them again on the next dive.

What You Will Learn

Navigation is an art that blends technology with observation.

• Compass Mastery: How to set a heading, swim a reciprocal (return) course, and navigate square and triangular patterns without surfacing.

• Natural Navigation: Learn to read the environment—using sand ripples, depth contours, light angles, and currents to orient yourself without looking at a compass.

• Distance Estimation: Techniques for measuring distance underwater using kick cycles and elapsed time.

• Multi-Level Navigation: How to navigate safely when changing depths throughout the dive.

Expand Your Range

Ready to lead the pack? Navigation is the cornerstone of advanced diving. It is a critical prerequisite for Search & Recovery and is an essential skill for anyone aspiring to become a Dive Guide or Divemaster.