How to Use a SCUBA Compass

In even the clearest water, you can rarely see more than a few dozen feet and it is easy to lose your sense of direction. In silty, dark water, visibility is highly restricted and navigation is a challenge. Being able to use a compass correctly during a dive makes it much easier to find your way without resorting to surfacing, which can be hazardous as well as annoying.

Instructions

    • 1

      Learn the parts of the SCUBA compass. If you have used an ordinary compass before, perhaps on a hiking trip, this will be straightforward. The main difference between dive compasses and others is merely that they are water-resistant and pressure-resistant. The key parts to remember are the needle, which always points north; the lubber line -- the red line across the compass -- which you can adjust; and the bezel, the ring around the compass.

    • 2

      Attach the compass to your wrist or kit before the dive.

    • 3

      Set the lubber line on the compass parallel to the coast or your destination and hold it while you turn the bezel until the needle points to zero.

    • 4

      Hold the compass level and directly in front of you when you need to check it during the dive.

    • 5

      Turn until the needle swings around to zero. You now have the same orientation as you had when you set the compass and can see your orientation in respect to the coastline or your destination.

    • 6

      Determine your coordinates from the direction of north. For example, if you are facing north, the west is to your left, the east to your right and the south behind you.