Ops requiring AOW certs?

[tilikum]

So the bottom line here is to just get your AOW.

Absolutely not

 

[shoredivr]

Depends upon where you dive. I have never needed it. Seems to be a very US centric issue?

The deeper wrecks in Tobermory, Kingston and St Lawrence Ontario require it in my experience. Vancouver Island deep wrecks and sites. Also Australia and Iceland.

 

[shoredivr]

Absolutely not

You're not joining me on the Arabia or Forest City wrecks then?

 

[Clayton122]

Noticed the warning on another thread regarding some dive operators in Florida (and other places?) are requiring an advanced open water certification for certain dives regardless of the divers background or experience.

Which regions have you encountered this?

Relevant because I don't carry my "medium" level cert cards.

Vicariously relevant to my mother, OW since the 1970s, who doesn't see the need for an AOW cert and has yet to need one anywhere she's diving... Not sure it's worth it to her to buy a c card to gain access to some dive ops who only look at certifications if it isn't a common experience to be carded.

If it's truely an insurance liability issue I can understand but I'm surprised.

Regards,
Cameron

I ran across this recently. I just had my OW cert. I wanted to dive the St George wreck down in Dominican Republic while I was there in February. The dive shop would not book the dive for me because the wreck sits at 110 feet.

Personally, while I was disappointed, it was also nice to see someone actually working to protect both the divers, and themselves.

 

[northernone]

The deeper wrecks in Tobermory, Kingston and St Lawrence Ontario require it in my experience. Vancouver Island deep wrecks and sites. Also Australia and Iceland.

I'll pass that on to mamma! Might tip her over to seeing the value of an AOW.

 

[george_austin]

I show them my California drivers license and begin my inspection of their vessel

 

[Ready4Launch]

I signed up for a dive at Couples Swept Away in Negril Jamaica the other week. The guy told me I couldn't go on the morning dive, because it was Advanced and I'm only OW. I wasn't going to ask or bother, because diving was really not a top priority while I was there. I had it in my mind that maybe it was just a dive near 60' or something. I found out later that they did a wreck dive in 100' that morning, and I was happy that the guy at the counter had that standard. The next day I saw his standards on display again when he called up and ripped somebody up and down for sending out people that weren't trained for their tasks at the resort.

 

[george_austin]

It's been my experience that when at some kind of resort or charter service , the first dive is a check out and this can be done at the dock before the boat even starts the engines. - if the DM is satisfied that you're not some recently certified newcomer - that you can easily assemble your kit - that you didn't forget to turn your air on or put on your weight belt. - that your buoyancy control is satisfactory, that you can remove and replace your reg and mask - after that it's ON! - I'm glad I've never run into any of these other types that just out and out refuse passage based on what's in my wallet as far as c cards go because I only carry the bare minimum. Just the NAUI BOW. I do have my PADI AI number memorized so I suppose they could go online and verify

 

[stretchthepenn]

True. Although I am not a DM, instructor, or boat captain, I am pretty sure they can tell within a couple of minutes of talking to divers and watching them set up their gear whether or not they have their act together. If I can do that, I would like to think the dive professionals can do it even better. I doubt much BS gets past you.

A few years ago, somewhere in South Florida, I and a bunch of other divers had just finished lugging our crap onto a boat. We hadn't yet set anything up when the DM/trip leader gathered all us divers and went over the rules and prerequisites for the dives we were going to do. As part of his routine, the DM went around the circle and asked everybody, "When was your last dive?" I hadn't been in the water for about five months, a number that I couldn't remember off the top of my head, so I answered his question honestly: "I don't remember."

Never before or since have I seen anyone go quite that shade of white, and so quickly. It almost looked as if the DM had soiled himself.

 

[TMHeimer]

I guess one of the reasons my log book has never been viewed is I usually say my last dive was last week (which is true most times of the year).