navigation2

[northstar51]

hello:
when i asked my question re land navigation i forgot i was asking a seal. what i am wondering is how in any way is underwater navigation different than land navigation? is it harder? easier? the same? what type of equipment is used to navigate underwater? ( i am a landlubber) thanx in advance for your input...

[mark]

UNDERWATER NAVIGATION IS INFINITELY HARDER THAN LAND NAV. SEALS ARE VERY GOOD AT UNDERWATER NAV - BUT IT TAKES ABOUT 5 YEARS OF TRAINING TO GET REALLY GOOD AT IT. MOST SEALS ARE MARGINAL AT LAND NAV - COMPARED TO GREEN BEENIES. EQUIPMENT IS YOUR FINS (BECAUSE YOU MUST COUNT YOUR KICKS INSTEAD OF YOUR FOOTSTEPS), A DEPTH GAUGE (BECAUASE YOU MUST SWIM ON A CONSTANT PLANE OR YOU WILL NOT HIT YOUR DISTANCE LEGS, A BUBBLE COMPASS AND A STOPWATCH (USUALLY THE G-SHOCK WATCH). THESE ARE THE MANUAL TOOLS OF THE TRADE BUILT INTO A SINGLE "ATTACK BOARD". THE GPS WILL BE THE TOOL OF THE FUTURE - BUT IT IS BEST TO KNOW HOW TO DO IT WITH THE TRADITIONAL TOOLS SO THAT WHEN (NOT IF) YOUR TECHNO GIZMO BREAKS, YOU CAN STILL FIND YOUR WAY.

Mark (Bud/s 170, ST-3, SDVT-1, NRST-1)