Underwater Navigator
Learn to navigate the underwater worldDescription
Be the scuba diver everyone wants to follow because you know where you are and where you’re going. The PADI Underwater Navigator course fine-tunes your observation skills and teaches you to more accurately use your compass underwater. If you like challenges with big rewards, take this course and have fun finding your way.
If you’re a PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver who is at least 10 years old, you can enroll in the PADI Underwater Navigator Specialty course.
Academic
You’ll learn to use natural clues to navigate and also practice:
- Methods to estimate distance underwater.
- Compass navigation while making multiple turns
- Marking or relocating a submerged object or position from the surface.
- Underwater map making.
The first dive of this PADI Specialty Diver course may credit as an Adventure Dive toward your Advanced Open Water Diver certification – ask your instructor about earning credit. You may be able to get college credit for the Underwater Navigator course – ask your instructor.
Prerequisites & Requirements
- Age Requirement: 10 years or older
- Course Prerequisites: PADI (Junior) Open Water Diver (or qualifying entry-level certification)
- Time Commitment: Approximately 2-4 hours
Equipment
Besides your basic scuba equipment, you’ll need a compass and underwater slate. Your PADI Instructor or local dive center staff may suggest other gear to help you stay oriented, such as marker buoys or lines and reels.
