Advanced Open Water Certification

[maranda1389]

I am wanting to get Advanced Open Water Certified but I have NO desire to go 100ft what-so-ever. I didn't even like going 60ft down much less 100ft. What skills do you do in Advanced Open Water classes? Is it possible to do the course without going 100ft. down?

 

[knotical]

Depends on the agency. For PADI, the deep dive of the Advanced Open Water Course is to be conducted in 60-100 ft. Suggest you chat with an instructor about your concern. Maybe it's not yet time to do the Advanced course.

 

[ktomlinson]

I wouldnt do AOW until you needed to, for now I would say go diving and get more comfortable so that when you do take AOW the deep part will be just a fun dive.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

NAUI mandates a deep dive to a minimum of 70 feet for AOW (we call it Advanced Scuba Diver).


... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[maranda1389]

I wouldnt do AOW until you needed to, for now I would say go diving and get more comfortable so that when you do take AOW the deep part will be just a fun dive.

I was wanting to take it in hopes that I would feel a little more prepared and expirienced. Any other ideas of how to do this if I don't take the AOW class?

 

[TSandM]

If I wanted AOW training but not to go deep, I'd simply arrange to do the various non-deep specialties, like night and nav and PPB.

But reading your other post, I wouldn't advise AOW for you at all until you have worked through the anxiety issues. Go back to square one; perhaps do some very shallow and uncomplicated dives with a DM or experienced buddy, until you have figured out what you need to learn or do to reach a more relaxed state underwater. Proceeding to FURTHER training when you have not mastered what you are already supposed to know is a recipe for worsening stress.

 

[Notso_Ken]

I was wanting to take it in hopes that I would feel a little more prepared and expirienced. Any other ideas of how to do this if I don't take the AOW class?

Get out and dive different places. Experience new things, new dive environments. The best way to feel more experienced is to BE more experienced.

Keep a map showing all the places you've dove, and endeavour to add more locations on the map.


Ken

 

[diver 85]

62 will do it probably......

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I was wanting to take it in hopes that I would feel a little more prepared and expirienced. Any other ideas of how to do this if I don't take the AOW class?

Maranda, what are you trying to prepare for? If it's just a matter of feeling more comfortable in the water, finding a more experienced diver and going diving will do more for you than a class. Wait until you're comfortable with your OW skills before moving on to the next class ... you'll get more out of it.

You're in the Portland area, I notice. My suggestion is to go hook up with some of your fellow divers through a local dive shop or the local online dive club and establish some dive buddy relationships. There are several excellent divers down your way who I know would be happy to mentor new divers. And in the Vancouver (WA) area there's a dive shop called Seven Seas Scuba that has a very active and accepting dive community.

In fact, I'll be down that way in January for a free seminar on gas management. I'd encourage you to try to make it ... the hardest part about being a new diver is finding reliable dive buddies, and networking through forums, dive clubs and local dive shops is the best way to do that.

Save classes for when you really need to learn what those classes offer ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Agree with Bob here. There is no reason to take more classes with more advanced dives until you have the basics down pat. And I agree with Lynne. You should not be taking an advanced class until your other issues are resolved. There is a marketing ploy that taking AOW right after OW is a good idea because it's 5 more dives with an instructor. If your basic skills are not down that is all it is - a marketing ploy.

An advanced class should give you more skills that will use your basics as a foundation. I do one class that I recommend to students who have decent basic skills but still need a little work on buoyancy, trim, buddy skills, and developing good judgment. That class is the UW Nav class I wrote. It does not need to be done deep and places heavy emphasis on buoyancy, trim, communication, and buddy procedures.

For some of my students the progression is OW, 10 dives, UW Nav, another 10 dives, Rescue, another 10 dives then AOW. If done this way I still do the Nav dive as it is required but will change it to a more complicated course and a few extra skills. I require the 10 dives between my courses to allow the diver time to actually practice the skills they have learned before loading them up with new ones.