Depth
0m
18m
Home/ Courses/ Navigation Diver
Safe Zone · Specialty · 2 Days

Navigate with Confidence.
Find Your Way Back Every Time.

The SSI Navigation Diver specialty builds the one skill that separates competent divers from capable ones. Compass work, natural reference points, and systematic pattern swimming across four open water dives at some of Malta's most distinctive sites.

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Certified by SSI
Course Price
€367
€265 course fee + €102 SSI eLearning
✓SSI eLearning licence: €102
✓Course fee inc. full equipment: €265
✓4 open water dives
✓Compass provided
✓SSI Navigation Diver certification
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10
Min Age
OW
Prerequisite
4
Open Water Dives
2
Duration (Days)
18m
Max Depth
Incl.
Compass Provided
Course Overview

Know exactly where you are. Know exactly how to get back.

Underwater navigation is one of the core practical skills that divers use on every single dive. The SSI Navigation Diver specialty teaches you to read a compass accurately at depth, use the underwater environment as a reference system, and swim precise patterns to cover a search area or return to your exit point.

Malta's dive sites make this training immediately practical. The rocky ledges, wall drops, and cave systems at sites like Cirkewwa, Scott's Craig, and the Inland Sea offer clear natural reference points for landmark navigation. Boat traffic in the Mediterranean also makes confident underwater orientation a genuine safety skill, not just a syllabus checkbox.

  • Navigate accurately using a compass at depth
  • Read natural underwater features: ledges, walls, bottom topography
  • Swim square, triangle, and U-pattern search routes
  • Estimate distance underwater using kick cycles and time
  • Return to your entry or exit point reliably in low-visibility conditions
  • Use this certification as a prerequisite toward SSI dive leadership training
SSI

SSI Navigation Diver

diveshack Malta, SSI Diamond ITC

Level Specialty
Certification SSI Navigation Diver
Valid Worldwide, lifetime
Min Age 10
Prerequisite Open Water Diver
Max Depth 18m
Counts toward SSI Leadership path
Marine Life

What You Might See

A sample of the species you might actually see at this course's depth. Click any card to read the full species guide.

What You Will Cover

Two days. Four dives. One very transferable skill set.

The Navigation Diver course combines SSI eLearning theory with four structured open water dives. Each session builds directly on the last, moving from compass basics through to multi-point pattern navigation in open water.

Day 1: Theory

Compass Fundamentals and Natural Navigation

  • SSI eLearning: dive navigation theory
  • How a diving compass works and how to hold it correctly
  • Taking and swimming a heading
  • Reciprocal bearings: how to reverse your course
  • Natural navigation: using bottom topography, rock formations, and light as reference
  • Distance estimation: kick cycles and elapsed time
Day 1: Dives 1 and 2

Compass Navigation in Open Water

  • Dive 1: straight-line compass heading and reciprocal return
  • Dive 2: square pattern using 90-degree turns and kick-cycle distance
  • Buoyancy and navigation combined: holding course without fixating on the compass
  • Natural landmark identification on a local Malta dive site
  • Debrief: accuracy check and corrections
Day 2: Dives 3 and 4

Pattern Swimming and Site Navigation

  • Dive 3: triangle and U-pattern search routes
  • Dive 4: full site navigation exercise, returning to a fixed exit point
  • Combining compass and natural navigation in the same dive
  • Multi-point navigation: navigating to two or more waypoints in sequence
  • Final assessment and SSI Navigation Diver certification
Malta Context

Why Navigation Matters Here

  • Rocky terrain at Cirkewwa: natural wall navigation reference
  • Scott's Craig: archways and ledges for landmark identification
  • Mediterranean boat traffic: surface bearing and buddy awareness
  • Underwater visibility in Malta: 20m plus on most days, ideal for pattern practice
  • Marine life: grouper, bream, moray eels, and octopus along navigation routes
Pricing

Choose your option

Most Popular
Navigation Diver
€367

€265 course fee + €102 SSI eLearning. Full equipment included.

  • ✓SSI eLearning licence (€102)
  • ✓Course fee inc. full equipment (€265)
  • ✓4 open water dives
  • ✓Compass provided
  • ✓SSI Navigation Diver certification
  • ✓Max 4 students per instructor
Book This
Private Instruction
€632

€530 course fee + €102 SSI eLearning. One-on-one instructor throughout.

  • ✓SSI eLearning licence (€102)
  • ✓Full course fee (€530)
  • ✓Dedicated one-on-one instructor
  • ✓Flexible scheduling, any day
  • ✓Compass provided
Enquire

All prices include VAT · See cancellation policy in FAQ

FAQ

Common questions

No. A compass is included in all course options, at every pricing level. If you own your own wrist or console compass and prefer to use it, that is absolutely fine. Your instructor will check it is set up correctly before the first dive.
You need an SSI Open Water Diver certification, or an equivalent qualification from another recognised agency such as PADI or CMAS. Minimum age is 10 years.
We run Navigation Diver dives at sites chosen for their clear bottom topography and defined reference points. Cirkewwa and Scott's Craig are frequently used due to their rock formations and varied terrain. Final site selection depends on sea conditions on the day of your course.
The SSI eLearning licence (€102) gives you access to the full SSI Navigation Diver digital learning program via the SSI app or web platform. It covers dive navigation theory, compass mechanics, pattern swimming techniques, and natural navigation principles. You complete it at your own pace before the in-water sessions begin.
Yes. The SSI Navigation Diver specialty counts as one of the required specialties on the SSI leadership pathway. If you are working toward SSI Divemaster or beyond, completing this course is a practical step in that direction.
Cancellations made more than 7 days before the course start date receive a full refund. Cancellations within 7 days are non-refundable, but you can reschedule once at no charge. Cancellations due to weather or sea conditions on the day are always rescheduled at no cost to you.

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Usually within a few hours. We confirm your dates, answer questions, and send full joining instructions.

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