AOW class in two weeks time...

[Lexy]

Have fun and listen to you instructor

 

[Detonate]

Yeah, don't be one of the bungholes with attitudes that think taking an advanced class actually makes them an advanced diver.

Someone with 20 dives and an advanced card will know more about Night diving, Deep diving, and Navigation than someone with 100+ dives following a DM around in Cozumel on Deep and Night Dives.

The advanced class may be a "taste", but there is a definate knowledge transfer.

I did my first night and deep dive in Cozumel before I had ever taken an advanced class, and I wish I would have had the knowledge before hand.

 

[RonFrank]

Someone with 20 dives and an advanced card will know more about Night diving, Deep diving, and Navigation than someone with 100+ dives following a DM around in Cozumel on Deep and Night Dives.

The advanced class may be a "taste", but there is a definate knowledge transfer.

I did my first night and deep dive in Cozumel before I had ever taken an advanced class, and I wish I would have had the knowledge before hand.

While experience is KEY, IMO training is ALSO key.

Amazing how many believe that someone with 50 dives with little training is going to be a much better diver than someone with 25 and Rescue.

This depends of course on UW comfort, individual learning curve, and how much attention and TIME one spends on the training.

 

[RonFrank]

Starting my AOW class in two weeks time. Any advice?

Amazing how many people walk into classes without really learning the materials. Read the book, read it again, then read it again. If you want to get the most out of training act as if EVERYTHING in the book will be on a test, and you plan on aceing that test.

Practice the NAV portion on land. I thought I had it down, but I did not really have it down until I had done it a couple times on land. That 15 minutes with my buddy spent between dives during our SI proved extremely valuable, and we both breezed throught he Nav portion once UW.

Unfortunatley class size and the other divers will likely impact the enjoyment, and education more than one would like to think. A buddy that tagged along during our AOW that had completed AOW said his basically stunk due to a large class size (12 I believe) and the fact most were not prepared. As PADI teachers will work hard to give everyone the opportunity to pass, if you have some lazy students, they will eat up time, and everyone else just hangs at depth waiting. Hardly productive.

I was lucky, and we had two students in my AOW class. We spent extended time doing skills, and we also spent a lot of time just having fun.

 

[YCW]

Yeah, don't be one of the bungholes with attitudes that think taking an advanced class actually makes them an advanced diver.

The more I learned, the more inadequete I feel...

Unfortunatley class size and the other divers will likely impact the enjoyment, and education more than one would like to think.

There will be 3 students in my class. I prefer smaller class as well.

Thanks for all the great advice!

 

[kent_1848]

Amazing how many believe that someone with 50 dives with little training is going to be a much better diver than someone with 25 and Rescue.

Yes, that is absolutely true, I would rather dive with Rescue diver given the choice, but as far as AOW, I could care less. Maybe I've just had a bad experience with people who have taken the class and treat it like they just recieved their SCUBA MBA. I can't stand someone who tells me they are an "Advanced diver" but has such poor buoyancy control that they are constantly hitting the reef or shooting to the surface.

 

[kent_1848]

The more I learned, the more inadequete I feel...

Excellent attitude to go into this with. You are definately not one of the bungholes I also agree with the previous post about practicing your navigation on land. You wouldn't believe all the people who have a compass, but don't really know how it works, other than it always points N. Also, practice with headings that aren't just N,S,E,& W.

 

[Rondo]

I still think the AOW book is the best literature that PADI has turned out.

It's actaully a fun book to read with lots of advice on different dive circumstances and types of diving.

I still enjoy using it for reference.

 

[JMcD]

You wouldn't believe all the people who have a compass, but don't really know how it works, other than it always points N.

Not to be a smart *** but gee... that pretty much IS how IT works.... Guess it is what you DO with it that counts..... (just kidding... no flames please)

While experience is KEY, IMO training is ALSO key.

Amazing how many believe that someone with 50 dives with little training is going to be a much better diver than someone with 25 and Rescue.

While I'm still learning diving, I really appreciate what you are saying. Continuous practice of any skill poorly on a repeated basis simply reinforces poor performance and teaches a bad habit. The concept is transferrable to anything we do. Improvement comes from being able to get feedback on what is not being completed as well as it could be. I continuously find out that "I don't know what I don't know". Diving is simply one other adventure where I'll be trying my best to balance practice with trained guidance ... I'll never be perfect, but hopefully improve.