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Sharpen your underwater compass skills with a PADI Underwater Navigator specialty taught from Catalina Divers Supply in Avalon. In a single, focused day you’ll translate classroom navigation theory into three practical dives among kelp forests and volcanic reef features.
Sharpen your underwater compass skills with a PADI Underwater Navigator specialty taught from Catalina Divers Supply in Avalon. In a single, focused day you’ll translate classroom navigation theory into three practical dives among kelp forests and volcanic reef features.
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Operated by Catalina Divers Supply · Avalon, California
On the east side of Santa Catalina Island lies Avalon, California, a compact harbor town whose clear kelp forests and rocky reefs make it one of Southern California’s most rewarding training grounds for underwater navigation. Catalina Divers Supply runs a focused PADI Underwater Navigator course here that turns competent open-water divers into dependable leaders on any boat roster. The course compresses classroom theory into hands-on, surface briefings at Catalina Divers Supply before you head to shallow reefs and kelp lanes to practice bearing, kick cycles, and natural navigation cues. Students refine compass work, learn to fix positions against reef features, and log waypoints on an underwater slate. The curriculum requires completion of e-learning or a manual and three navigation dives, and is open to divers aged ten and up with PADI Open Water certification. That practical emphasis—three coached dives under a local guide—translates immediately into safer, more confident dives in Catalina’s sometimes complex currents and visibility shifts. What sets this course apart is place. Avalon’s submerged landscape includes ancient volcanic rockwork, extensive bull kelp gardens, and rocky outcrops that host garibaldi, kelp bass, and seasonal giant sea bass. The marine preserve around Avalon moderates boat traffic and preserves visibility, so navigation skills have natural anchors: reef pinnacles, kelp canopies, and sandy channels. Learning to read these elements turns a technical skill into a way to better scout dive sites, find underwater photography angles, and lead buddy teams through limited-visibility conditions. For travel planners, the class is compact—a six-hour commitment that can fit between sunrise boat shuttles and an evening harbor stroll. Bring a compass, slate, and a thirst for precision; Catalina Divers Supply lists an underwater slate and compass as required equipment. The shop’s local knowledge makes it a practical base for repeating exercises on nearby sites and for follow-up refresher dives as visibility and conditions change by season. This course is a strong next step after Open Water certification for divers who want to guide, assist in search-and-recovery, or simply stop getting lost under the surface. It’s also an efficient way for return visitors to learn more about Catalina’s geology and marine life on a skill-focused outing. Whether aiming to lead dives, improve photo composition by returning reliably to framing points, or simply gain confidence in currents and kelp passages, the Underwater Navigation Specialty at Catalina Divers Supply is a concentrated, place-based class that pays dividends every time you slip beneath Avalon’s waves. Students often return from these focused sessions with immediate practical gains—sharper compass headings, steadier buddy protocols, and a clearer sense of using Catalina’s kelp formations and reef contours as dependable navigation references during drift dives, night dives, and when visibility drops below twenty feet at times.
moderate.
6 Hours.
Comfortable basic scuba fitness; able to perform multiple shallow dives and carry standard SCUBA gear.
You must be a PADI Open Water Diver (or Junior Open Water) and complete the e-learning or manual before the in-water sessions.
The specialty includes three in-water navigation dives as part of the six-hour course structure.
Minimum age for participation is 10 years old.
Yes—Catalina Divers Supply lists an underwater slate and compass as required equipment; bringing your own is recommended.
Upon successful completion of the course and dives, PADI will certify you in the Underwater Navigator specialty as long as e-learning/manual requirements are met.
Instructors adapt drills to conditions; low visibility becomes part of the training and enhances your ability to navigate under realistic constraints.
Avalon has been a recreational diving destination since the early 20th century and sits adjacent to protected marine areas established to conserve local reefs.
The area is within a marine preserve—follow low-impact dive practices, avoid touching kelp or reef, and use neutrally-buoyant techniques to minimize disturbance.
6 Hours • Ages 10+ • Become the Scuba Diver Everyone Wants to Follow
Book with Catalina Divers Supply