Course overview

Master finding your way underwater with the PADI Underwater Navigator specialty in the Seychelles, honing compass and natural navigation on Mahe's boulder reefs and coral gardens. Over three dives you learn to navigate accurately around granite formations like the Coral Garden, an invaluable skill where reef structure and current shape every dive. You finish able to lead a dive and return reliably to your start point.

What you’ll learn

• Navigate accurately using a compass and reciprocal headings
• Use natural references such as reef contours, sand ripples and depth
• Estimate distance by kick cycles and timed swims
• Navigate patterns including squares and triangles
• Mark and relocate an underwater point of interest
• Lead a navigation dive and orient your buddy team

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10
• PADI Open Water Diver (or qualifying certification)
• Basic buoyancy control
• Diver medical clearance signed by a physician

What's included · What's not

Probability of sightings · month-by-month

What you're likely to see each month, based on historic operator logs.

Day-by-day itinerary

1. Day1
   Compass & natural navigation

   Theory plus three dives on the Coral Garden and nearby reefs practising compass headings, natural references and pattern navigation, then certify.

Verified through iDive

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Frequently asked questions