Underwater Navigator

PADI Underwater Navigation: learn to find your way underwater and always return to your starting point

Have you ever come out of a dive without being sure where you were? It happens to almost every diver at the start. On the dock we put it like this: the one who knows how to navigate is the one everyone wants to follow. With this course, that can be you.

The specialty PADI Underwater Navigator teaches you to move safely around the reef, with and without a compass, and to return to the exact spot you left from. You do not need to be an expert or have a good “sense of direction”: it can be learned, and we practice it together, step by step.

What you will learn

• Navigation patterns: how to plan a simple route (square, triangle, out and back) and follow it without losing your heading.
• Natural navigation: read the bottom, the current, the light and the features of the reef to find your way without a compass.
• Compass navigation: use it with confidence, hold your heading and correct it when you drift.
• Measuring distances underwater: estimate how far you have gone with your own kick cycles.
• Marking and returning to a point: how to locate or relocate an object or a submerged position from the surface.
• Underwater mapping: sketch the dive site and find it again later.

How the course works, step by step

We start with a calm knowledge session , where we go over the techniques at an easy pace and answer all your questions. Then we do two dives where you apply them in the water with an instructor beside you. No one leaves you on your own or asks you to do something you have not practiced first. If something does not work the first time, we repeat it calmly: it is the simplest way to learn to navigate, and we all started that way.

You will need a bit of patience and the desire to learn. We provide the rest: the support equipment, the boat and guidance on every dive.

Duration and price

The course takes 2 to 3 days, with two dives and the knowledge session. From $700.000 COP per person. The date you choose when booking is the start date; after that we arrange the following days with you and the team.

What do you get when you finish?

You are certified as PADI Underwater Navigator. But what you notice most is something else, and you will feel it on your next dive: you stop depending on someone else to guide you, you plan your dives better and you enjoy them more because you always know where you are.

Also, this specialty counts as one of the dives of the Advanced Open Watercourse, and it pairs very well with Deep diver to complete that certification.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to know how to use a compass?
No. You learn from scratch, and we start with the simplest things before moving on to the compass.

Is it hard?
It is not a physical or risky course. It is more about observing, counting and thinking a little. If you are comfortable diving, you can do it.

Is it useful if I already find my way well?
Yes. You will learn techniques to measure distances, mark points and plan routes that improve your safety and your dive buddy’s.

What do I do next?
You can continue with Nitrox for longer dives, or keep building experience with our fun dives, to get to know the reefs and walls of San Andrés.

Reserve your spot

Pick your date above and we will see you at Blue Life, a family dive center in San Andrés since 1995. Questions? Message us on WhatsApp at +57 317 434 4015 and we will reply ourselves.