Course overview

Build reliable orientation skills with the SSI Navigation specialty in Raja Ampat, where currents and sprawling reefs make confident navigation a genuine safety asset. Using natural references and the compass on sites such as Yenbuba Jetty and the reefs around Mansuar Island, you learn to plan, follow and relocate routes underwater.

What you’ll learn

• Navigate using natural underwater features
• Set and follow compass headings and patterns
• Estimate distance with kick cycles and timing
• Relocate and mark underwater points of interest
• Stay oriented in current and lower visibility
• Plan navigation legs as a buddy team

Prerequisites

• Minimum age 10 and up
• SSI Open Water Diver or equivalent certification
• 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
   Natural navigation

   Complete the SSI academics and practise natural navigation on a reef near Mansuar.
2. Day2
   Compass and certification

   Run compass patterns and distance estimation, then complete the dives to certify.

Verified through iDive

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Frequently asked questions