Taking advanced OW, Can I get an adventure card too?

[Subcooled]

Yea it is for PADI, I know certs do not make you a better diver but I would want to collect as many as I can to put in a folder for my personal pride.

As many cert cards as possible? If that is what you want, then I have some suggestions:

• nitrox courses (any agency) are nice and usefull once you have your buoyancy under control.
• PADI equipment specialist, no diving required. I have the card. Some people say it's useful.
• first aid courses: DAN Basic life support + first aid / O2 / advanced O2 / neurological assesment / hazardous marine life - and PADI EFR. These give you five to six cert cards and make you a valued dive buddy. Go get them all. Really, get them. You could dive like a god, but unless you can save my life...
  
• SSI Science of diving, a very decent course (unless you took CMAS or NAUI courses that cover science already).
• do not limit yourself to one agency only: For example, I have both PADI AOWD and RD and CMAS */**/*** and them some. Get them all. You could take CMAS courses, NAUI courses, SSI courses etc. Try something (non-commercial) club based like CMAS.
• if you have the money, GUE courses are exceptionally good (haven't taken any but read the books), but unfortunately you won't get that many cert cards

It's actually quite fun to measure cert cards by the weight
- don't know if the weight correlates with skill, though

 

[TMHeimer]

My Mexican friend always shows his c-card wallet when crossing the border into the US. They are so impressed they let him drive through.

We were driving South of Puerto Penasco (Sonora) in '03 and came to a check point-- I think that was where you need more specific paperwork to drive deeper into Mexico past the 60 mile or so limit S. of Arizona. We showed them our auto insurance and they let us go.

 

[mc42]

Nothing wrong with learning, especially some useful specialties like Nitrox, or getting at least to Rescue Diver (extra first aid cert card with that if you don't have first aid; and if you spend a little more time, you can also get an Emergency O2 Provider card, possibly the easiest specialty card to get). Just pick your specialties, shops and instructors well to maximize your return (skills, fun, and experience) on investment.

If you do GUE Fundamentals, you can get a Recreational pass card first, then later upgrade and get a Technical pass card just like I did. Two cards from one course!

Also, if you're a card collector, there's no better way than becoming an instructor with specialties. You get one for every specialty you can teach, which are often things you've already received a certification for, like drysuit or nitrox. I got 7 cards from PADI in one day!

FYI, my card stack is 5/8" high, so it doesn't really feel that impressive. It's not like covering a wall with diplomas or anything.

 

[KDAD]

Each speciality will give you one and if you have completed 5 then you will earn the Master Scuba Diver card as well. There is a certificate for MSD and also a badge!

Not sure if you are referring also to the jacket patch you can also wear to really flaunt your certs. Maybe some day I will get one. Or maybe one of those rec/tech passes that sound so good.

When my daughter is older we will do the rec pass together.

 

[Centrals]

Not sure if you are referring also to the jacket patch you can also wear to really flaunt your certs. Maybe some day I will get one. Or maybe one of those rec/tech passes that sound so good.

When my daughter is older we will do the rec pass together.

It is but never used it. It was FREE 23yrs ago but I believe you have to pay for the MSD card now.

 

[TMHeimer]

It is but never used it. It was FREE 23yrs ago but I believe you have to pay for the MSD card now.

PADI MSD was $41US when I got it in 2007. Think it's about $60 now.

 

[Centrals]

PADI MSD was $41US when I got it in 2007. Think it's about $60 now.

Wow!
Paid for 5 speciality courses and then have to pay extra for the card! What a rip off!!!
And the card does not even show which courses had completed!!!! No use whatsoever.

 

[tursiops]

It is but never used it. It was FREE 23yrs ago but I believe you have to pay for the MSD card now.

It may have been free to you, but most likely the instructor who signed it had to pay for it.
It is not uncommon for an instructor who has given a number of specialty courses to a student to throw in the MSD card as a bonus.
I do not charge any students I issue the card to, and I'm not unusual.
The card has been around since at least the early 1990s, but (I can't check, I don't have any of my old PADI Price Lists) I'm pretty sure there was always a charge for it.

 

[Centrals]

It may have been free to you, but most likely the instructor who signed it had to pay for it.
It is not uncommon for an instructor who has given a number of specialty courses to a student to throw in the MSD card as a bonus.
I do not charge any students I issue the card to, and I'm not unusual.
The card has been around since at least the early 1990s, but (I can't check, I don't have any of my old PADI Price Lists) I'm pretty sure there was always a charge for it.

I did the five speciality courses with 3 different instructors in THREE different countries between 96-97.
After completion of the 5th course I applied through the operator and honestly do not believe anyone would pay that for me.

 

[tursiops]

I did the five speciality courses with 3 different instructors in THREE different countries between 96-97.
After completion of the 5th course I applied through the operator and honestly do not believe anyone would pay that for me.

It is easier to believe someone else paid than to believe PADI gave you a card for free.