Course overview

The SSI Navigation Specialty trains you to orient yourself underwater using natural references and a compass, a skill that pays off on Koh Lanta's larger reef systems. At Koh Haa, where the lagoon and caverns wrap around varied topography, confident navigation lets you explore and return to your exit point without relying on the guide. You finish able to run patterns, estimate distances and lead your buddy team.

What you’ll learn

• Navigate using natural references like reef lines, depth and ripple patterns
• Set and hold accurate compass headings
• Estimate underwater distance by kick cycles and timing
• Execute reciprocal and square navigation patterns
• Sketch a simple underwater map of a site
• Locate a submerged target and return to the start point

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10
• SSI Open Water Diver or equivalent certification
• Comfortable with basic buoyancy control
• Diver medical questionnaire (physician sign-off if any condition applies)

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
   Theory & navigation dives

   Work through natural and compass navigation, then complete the training dives at Koh Haa practising headings, patterns, distance estimation and mapping.

Verified through iDive

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Frequently asked questions