Diving beyond cert?

[rick00001967]

Straight from PADI's website FAQ.

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interesting that it says you "should" take aow to dive beyond 60 feet. not that you have to.

 

[Wheeler925]

In broad strokes, I agree with the sentiments in this thread: you should incrementally gain experience with deeper depths, a little bit at a time, as you are ready for it. Deeper depths have much more serious concerns with respect to gas consumption and deco limits. And different people define limits differently -- make sure you are complying with local laws, and don't lie to your dive operator.

One thing I have not seen mentioned in this thread yet is cold water exposure. @Wheeler925, are you diving in a wetsuit or a drysuit? If you are diving in a wetsuit, please understand that deeper depths will feel much colder than shallower depths. In some locations there will be a temperature gradient, where the ambient temp is colder at depth. And in all cases, neoprene wetsuits compress as you go deep, and as they compress they keep you warm less effectively. So you may find yourself feeling much colder at, say, 80 feet than at 50 feet.

If you are using a drysuit, then you don't have this problem, because you can compensate for the increased pressure by squirting more air into your suit. For me, I find that 55F is OK for an 8mm wetsuit with a hood, if I stay relatively shallow (say under 60 feet). But deeper than 60 feet, or 50F and below is drysuit territory for me. YMMV on the exact temperate range, but my point is that deeper divers are colder, plan accordingly.

Cheers

It'll be wetsuit diving. Honestly I expect my cold threshold to be the most limiting factor as far as comfort goes. I've experienced about 50F and was OK but wouldn't want to sit there for too long. I'm also getting my drysuit cert when I get my AOW as well, cause I'd rather be warmer.

 

[tursiops]

interesting that it says you "should" take aow to dive beyond 60 feet. not that you have to.

That is because you don't have to.

 

[DivingLane]

My kids and I were open water certified here in San Diego in March. Cold, surgy, beach/wave entrance, mixed low visibility. We did our first post-OW class dives in Cozumel in warm, light current, high vis. Our DM took us to 78' on one dive. Wasn't worried in the least, but he gave us a good pre-dive plan update, and we didn't stay that deep for long, and was constantly checking our gas levels

 

[Jai Bar]

One thing is inadvertently going beyond cert, the other is intentionally doing so. Some countries it is forbidden by law, others it is just the training agencies standards. In some countries it can be a nightmare if something happens and needs to be solved in court or with insurance companies...

Now, I am neither a lawyer nor have I read all agencies' standards, but I am pretty confident none will tell you it is ok or encourage you to do so.

Sure, you dive beyond cert nothing may happen to you: no lightning strike as punishment from Poseidon or anything of the such.

On the other hand, what is the rush? Do your AOW, dive a few dozen dives and if you like diving- then expand your horizons, maybe master diver or beyond.

No dive is worth risking your life (or your buddy's, by the way), and the main problem with your question is that as a novice diver you may think that you already know everything you need to know but most likely it isn't so.

Dive according to your cert, get experienced, learn, live to dive many years.

 

[inquis]

Not understanding your statement that he would be certified to 130'.

This is much like getting a driver's license in a small, rural town means you can drive in big city, rush hour traffic if you want to. It's simply prudent to gradually increase your proficiency/experience beyond the conditions in which you learned.

That said, there is a growing trend where some boats require additional certification (e.g., AOW). They're simply saying, "I want independent confirmation that you have safely dived beyond 60 ft. and that you have a practical appreciation for how fast gas disappears when deeper (among other things)." Their boat, their rules.

 

[arew+4]

Ideally you creep up on it, you don't turn competitive lap times your first time around the track. If you been to 50 or 60 feet no problems, try 70 to 80, if that's all good, next time try 90 to 100, watch your air it's going to go 50% faster at 90 than it does at 60. Pay attention to your mental state, expect to feel some minor confusion at first, you may not, but it is better to expect it than be caught unaware. Sometimes people get "gloomy doomy" feelings at depth, if you do keep breathing don't panic, ascend slowly til it passes.

 

[rick00001967]

That is because you don't have to.

yes i get that. i just thought it was interesting in the context of the discussion. thx

 

[inquis]

watch your air it's going to go 50% faster at 90 than it does at 60.

It's actually 32%, but I agree with the general sentiment.

 

[Bestjetsfan]

Go with someone that is truly experienced in that depth and stick with them. Follow their plan and learn. You need to remember had consumption will go up since you're deeper. It takes longer to go to the surface. It is often darker at that depth so plan on taking 2 lights (1 primary, 1 backup). Enjoy what they have to show you and learn from it.

This is my thought, except so long as you have good viz, I'm not sure that you need two lights. I do not dive often because no one in my family dives, but I was certified almost 40 years ago. In those days, the NAUI OW standard was no more than 100 feet and once, when a dive master made a boo boo, we were 120 feet down off the south wall in Grand Cayman. No adverse effects but I would not recommend it. If you really understand the physics - Charles Law, Boyles Law, pv=K and all that, and you had a good instructor and you are VERY comfortable, I would go to about 80. If you have ever panicked or are not 1000% sure of yourself, DO not take a chance. Remember the saying - their are old divers and bold divers but no old bold divers.