Additional training- conventional wisdom?

[DaveO]

Is there conventional wisdom about furthering my diving education?

I'm PADI AOW now, and want to move on. I'd like to get wreck certified, and expand to technical diving, for instance. Is there a proper "order" to take classes such as rescue diver, nitrox, etc? Or do I take these classes as they are offered?

Your thoughts and comments appreciated!

 

[The Chairman]

But I would suggest NitrOx first, and then move on to Rescue after that. Do the specialty courses that interest you... wreck survey, advance wreck, etc... and get a few hundred dives in before trying out technical. There is just a bunch of ocean to explore that is non-technical in nature. Take your time and really enjoy the OW experience before you move on.

 

[DaveO]

Thanks, NetDoc, for your response. I'm trying to strike a balance between "relaxed enjoyment" and "learn all I can to make up for lost time".

 

[Wendy]

I would go ahead and take the nitrox course and rescue isn't a bad idea. Its always good to know that my buddy can help me if things get bad.

You might want to think about taking the DIR-F course just to tune up your skills (don't know if they need tuning, just a suggestion). And also a cavern course is a good idea. Both cavern and DIR-F will help you develop skills that will benefit you in open water.

 

[nickjb]

Take the Rescue and Nitrox courses. These will help whatever diving you are doing. Then get plenty of diving in. Try to dive with experienced divers and learn from them too.

 

[Walter]

Didn't you get enough math in your advanced class?

 

[O-ring]

The order I did them in was: OW, Nitrox, AOW, Wreck, DIR Fundamentals, Rescue.

Not sure what is the "best" order, but doing nitrox soon makes the most sense to me since you live right by me and I know where you will be diving. The diving in VA Beach and North Carolina is all deep (inshore wrecks are around 60-80 and offshore wrecks are around 100-130) and you will get significantly better bottom times with nitrox.

As for the technical stuff, what is your timeframe for it and what do you want to do? Our group is slowly moving that way, but we have had a lot of problems lately with differing levels of commitment and time. Some of us dive once a month or once every 2 months while some of us dive every weekend. The level of time (and don't forget money) commitment you can make will have a huge bearing on what your time horizon is for getting into this type of stuff. Nobody wants to rush it, but what seems like rushing to someone who dives 10 times a year is not rushing to someone who dives 100-200 times per year.

We should talk offline...maybe setup a local meeting where we just sit around and kick this stuff around instead of spending all our time underwater

 

[DaveO]

Hey, O-Ring, I figured I'd throw this question out to the general population, and then ping the local guys for the instructor recommendations we talked about.

I'm finding myself fascinated by wrecks, and I'd like to pursue wreck certification. I need and want to gain more fundamentals experience, tho, so I have a basis and context to apply new information.

You're right, a group discussion in person would be informative and probably a lot of fun, too.

 

[O-ring]

I share your passion with wrecks. I don't know if it is the archaeologist in me or the history buff, but whatever it is I can't get enough of wrecks either.

You're right, a group discussion in person would be informative and probably a lot of fun, too.

We used to have a pretty good monthly forum for this stuff in the Nova Tech group. Since Todd has quit diving, Nova Tech has sponsored a couple of talks (Andy from Andy's Drysuits and Dr. Bruce Wienke who developed RGBM) but the group has definitely declined. I will stick a copy of this over in the Bottom Feeders area so the others can comment too and send a copy out to the regulars at the local sites because a few of them are not on scubaboard.

Anyway, I think getting a group together makes a lot of sense... We could do it at local restaurants maybe once a month or so and setup topics beforehand. Our first meeting can be about training and technical diving. I would like to get everyone together too since everyone's agenda seems a little different and I need a like minded buddy to go any further in my own diving anyway. Which weeknights are good for you?

 

[DaveO]

... so I'll respond over in the Mid Atlantic Bottom Feeders forum, since it has more relevance there.