A little imput, please!

[Mama Dee]

Ok guys, help me out - need some imput from experienced divers. I'm brand spanking new to SCUBA as well as the board - just posted my "Hello" a few minutes ago.
Here's my issue: Recently OW certified, want to further my education, and went straight to my instructor with the following question: "What should I do now?" His answer was as follows: "If I was you, I would take AOW and NITROX next!" Great, sign me up!! Now- all I have heard from the divers hanging around the shop is how GREAT & AWESOME Nitrox is - you are simply crazy if you don't get certified. OK......but, I just finished reading the article "Training - Magic Gas?" from the newest SCUBA Diving magazine, and honestly, I'm not so sure I get what all the fuss is about ! Please fill me in, I'm new, and well aware of the fact that as of now, I'm uneducated in the SCUBA world.

 

[H2Andy]

nitrox is nice for extending your bottom time in the 50 to 100 foot range. that's it.
it's not a magic gas or anything, but it does what it does well.

there is some anecdotal evidence that people aren't as tired after nitrox dives than
after air dives, but there's some debate as to that.

if you use nitrox but plan your dives as if though you were using air, you increase
your safety margin (less nitrogen goes into your system under pressure).

the nitrox class has a nice way of cementing your understanding of the tables,
partial pressure, and other gas-related issues.

it's a good class to take.

after AOW and Nitrox, i would dive for a little bit, and then take Rescue. that is
the best class out there for recreational divers.

 

[Jason Ooi]

After OW you can continue education to next level AOW and speciality courses, Nitrox is best for dive less SIT...

 

[S. starfish]

The AOW course is a good move for many reasons, not the least of which is that many charter ops (at least around here) won't take you on board unless you have it.

Like h2andy said Nitrox is great for extending your bottom time at deeper depths. For example, if you are diving EANx36 (That's air with 36% oxygen instead of the regular 21%) you have a NDL of 55 minutes at 80ft, 25 minutes more than if you're diving regular air. This is especially useful if you're sites where the interesting things are a bit deeper or if you're doing a dive where you have no choice but to dive a square profile, like wreck diving off a boat.

 

[Walter]

Nitrox is worth taking as you are able to shorten your surface intervals and lengthen your bottom time. AOW is a joke. Look around, do some research and find a real advanced class in your area. If you live in southern California, I highly recommend LA County's Advanced Diver Program. Get in some dives without an instructor and build your experience.

 

[ShakaZulu]

Where are you from, if you are diving in cold water, you don't really want the extra bottom time do you?

It's safer to dive nitrox.........on air tables.

 

[SwimsWithSharks]

I dive nitrox when I can. A little less nitrogen exposure for the same dives. And, I am one of those that feels less fatigued on nitrox especially if I am diving multiple dives for multiple days.

AOW can differ depending on which agency you go through. I am not familar with the Los Angeles program but have some experience with PADI and SSI. SSI requires a bit more experience before you get your AOW. Either way, you will have the opportunity to experience diving under different conditions which can only be beneficial.

As others have said, I think Sress & Rescue or Rescue is one of the most valuable courses a diver can take.

Continuing education is good, IMO, but you will also do well by just getting out and diving. Heck, that is what it is all about....not collecting cards....but having fun.

 

[ChrisA]

if you use nitrox but plan your dives as if though you were using air, you increase
your safety margin (less nitrogen goes into your system under pressure).

Didn't PADI just recently change this? I think they no longer teach this. Reason being that there is no statistical basis for it in observed accident rates

Even in theory I don't think it should be called "safer" because the reduced risk of DCS is offset by the risks associated with O2. But theory dosn't matter A claim of "safer" should be based on accident statistics and it turns out that nitrox is as safe as air.

Nitrox is best used to extend bottom times but I don't know if it would help for a new diver. I always say that Nitrox is useless if you typically run out of air before you run out of NDL so you should wait until NDL is limiting your bottom time. Why fix a problem you don't have? New divers typically run out of air quickly and also they should not be diving below 60 feet until they pick up some added experience and training. What's the point of Nitrox if you breath down a tank in 30 minutes and don't go below 60 feet? So wait until you are comfortable att 80 feet and you are coming out of the water with plenty of air still in the tank.

The best use of Nitrox is doing repetitive dives on a live aboard diveboat.

Back to the question about what should a new diver do. My answer is "dive". It is surprizing how few new divers actually dive. Find a dive club of a couple clubs and dive as much as you can preferably you should dive with experianced divers Take some classes too but there is not substitute for diving frequently

 

[diverdown247]

I feel that by far, the most important class after OW that a diver can take is Rescue or Stress/Rescue depending on the dive company you're using. That said, go for AOW then Rescue. You'll have a better understanding on safety issues and first aid for diving injuries that way.

If you're planning on pursuing Master Diver or working with students, id: Divemaster, Dive Control Specialist, or Instructor you will need this course anyway.

My reasoning for suggesting Rescue is this: if you take a specialty course such as Nitrox, Deep Diver, Boat Diver, Search and Recovery, etc. or even diving with others, you could come across advanced injuries that you won't have the training to treat as an OW diver. You could be the difference between life or death and that's where training pays off.

 

[RICHinNC]

While I agree that AOW leaves a bit to be desired in reality, however, there are a number of operations around my area that will not let you dive the deeper wrecks without an AOW card.

So yes Virginia....there is...in a way...scuba police.