AOW course expensive in Palm Beach?

[oly5050user]

Fast forward 6 months... I believe we're going to be seeing another post saying, "I got nothing from my advanced class!" Kairoos, you've already established that you believe you have little to learn, aren't ready to actually learn, and don't value what you might learn. I'm sure you can purchase a card, probably cheap, and not bother with all this silly teaching and learning thing...

As anything else in this world you get what you put into it. You can have the worlds best adv instr but if you do not listen AND apply what you learn you will get nothing out of it..But if you do the course with proper attitude and willingness to learn and apply what you learned you could get a lot out of the course,even with the worlds worst instr.

 

[Kairoos]

Fast forward 6 months... I believe we're going to be seeing another post saying, "I got nothing from my advanced class!" Kairoos, you've already established that you believe you have little to learn, aren't ready to actually learn, and don't value what you might learn. I'm sure you can purchase a card, probably cheap, and not bother with all this silly teaching and learning thing...

Well let's be honest here. What are 5 guided dives going to do? I'm going to magically be an advanced diver now? Woo! Thanks PADI!

There may be something to get out of this course, but not $400 worth in value, that's for sure. I'd rather spend $400 and just go out and dive.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Well let's be honest here. What are 5 guided dives going to do? I'm going to magically be an advanced diver now? Woo! Thanks PADI!

There may be something to get out of this course, but not $400 worth in value, that's for sure. I'd rather spend $400 and just go out and dive.

I am a person who discounts a bunch of courses that I see as a waste of time (underwater buoyancy, boat, computer), so I can understand your point of view, but if that is your opinion on the cost of advanced than what the hell do you think of tech training!

You might think that tech training is super advanced, but, to an open water diver, the skills you "should" be learning in an advanced class are the same jump in magnitude as an experienced divers training into the beginning of tech. Unless you have an experienced dive buddy (I would hope tech certified, but doesn't necessarily have to be) who can adequately show you SMB deployment, line reel navigation, line tie offs, blind line follows, good natural navigation techniques, different pony bottle techniques, mask off drills, fin techniques, and light signals during night dive you should not be discounting the advanced course.

And if you do have a buddy that can show you all these things. Great. Then your advanced card can be filled with other specialties you can't do with other buddies like Rescue, Search/Recovery, and Nitrox. Maybe something like equipment or science of diving would be good.

 

[oly5050user]

The 2 core dives should at a minimum give you an idea on how to figure out your air consumption at different depths, different ways to measure distance, improve navigational skills, experience buoyancy changes on deep dive .
Skills I listed are just some of the skills for the 2 core dives, navigation / deep. Still have 3 elective dives . If you think it's just 5 guided dives,you either need to apply yourself or find a different instructor who knows what they are doing.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

We all know it's a game. But, if you want to get off the bench, you gotta pay your dues - literally, in cash.

I was in your situation almost 20 years ago. I wanted to do the dives, but dive ops started requiring AOW. So after getting turned away on a couple dives, I begrudgingly took the AOW course. I applied myself and actually enjoyed the class and the dives. Best of all, I really liked not being hassled about AOW anymore.

As far as the cost, the spread from highest to lowest is only $100. Focus on finding an instructor that goes easy on the BS, rather than worrying about the cost. You'll enjoy the course more that way or, should I say hate it less.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Actually I think CptTightPants21, oly5050user, DeepSeaExplorer have said it all.

The question you need to ask yourself is am I willing to Pay to Play? Are you missing any dives that you would want to do because you do not have AOW?

I have been diving since the early 80's - the only certification I had was OW - recently I got my Solo Cert but that was to appease my wife but I was surprised how much I thought I knew and the course actually taught me. I have dove in less than 6 inch viz, heavy surf, NE conditions, South Carolina conditions, tropical destinations down to 110 feet and never once wished I had AOW. All the diving I have done has prepared me for the various conditions that I have attempted.

But now - I have a son that is Jr OW and soon to be OW certified. This thread has actually me thinking now might be the time for both of us to get AOW. Not because I think I need it but because I want to "Play". I am now thinking he and I should get AOW certs so if and when we have an opportunity to dive - we are not left on the bench. If it wasn't for my son - I would not feel this way. But I don't want to sit and force him to sit out an opportunity should it arise and we are told sorry - you have the experience but not the piece of paper...

Kind of like college - it does not make you smarter unless you apply yourself - but it does make it easier to find a job with that piece of paper than without it... After that first job the paper is meaningless but it got you in the door - what you do after that is up to you and your talents...

 

[AdivingBel]

Well let's be honest here. What are 5 guided dives going to do? I'm going to magically be an advanced diver now? Woo! Thanks PADI!

There may be something to get out of this course, but not $400 worth in value, that's for sure. I'd rather spend $400 and just go out and dive.

When I did AOW I lucked into a bouyancy/trim guru. We went through all the AOW "motions" but he really concentrated on bouyancy, trim, and finning techniques. I came out of the class way ahead of where I started. I had already been on deep reef walls, on several wrecks, knew the basics of compass and navigation techniques and yet still came out ahead. If your instructor is any good, he doesn't want to waste his time either. He'll have to hit all the AOW "points," but have a discussion with him prior to the class and let him know some of the skills YOU would like to work on and maybe you come out of it with more than just a card. The card/class itself is worth the cost in "hassle savings" if you're planning to do dive travel, but you may be able to make it a WIN-WIN. Good luck.

 

[Kairoos]

I am a person who discounts a bunch of courses that I see as a waste of time (underwater buoyancy, boat, computer), so I can understand your point of view, but if that is your opinion on the cost of advanced than what the hell do you think of tech training!

You might think that tech training is super advanced, but, to an open water diver, the skills you "should" be learning in an advanced class are the same jump in magnitude as an experienced divers training into the beginning of tech. Unless you have an experienced dive buddy (I would hope tech certified, but doesn't necessarily have to be) who can adequately show you SMB deployment, line reel navigation, line tie offs, blind line follows, good natural navigation techniques, different pony bottle techniques, mask off drills, fin techniques, and light signals during night dive you should not be discounting the advanced course.

And if you do have a buddy that can show you all these things. Great. Then your advanced card can be filled with other specialties you can't do with other buddies like Rescue, Search/Recovery, and Nitrox. Maybe something like equipment or science of diving would be good.

I haven't even looked into training for tec diving! I'm sure it's expensive, but I'm around 20 dives so I have no desire to do that right now. I've got OW and Nitrox, and I'd like to do some deeper dives, eventually I'd like to do night dives, and I feel there's probably a good amount of skills that I could learn from taking a course specific to that, and not just 1 adventure night dive. I'd much rather pay for a course for night diving, or put $400 into a 19 CF pony which I plan to buy.

Just seems like a hassle to take another course for depth only, I've dove to 90 feet, I've seen people do stupid things at that depth, dove with someone who had 500 psi at 89 feet, while I was sitting comfortable with 1400 psi. I don't think I need a course to dive deeper, just some more experience, and I'd rather just dive!

I'm sure I'm going to end up getting AOW certified, probably after the holidays, but I have a strong feeling that I'm going to look at that AOW certification card and feel ripped off. I see so many divers that focus on certs instead of just getting experience and having AOW pushed onto me is sort of annoying. I don't want to be one of those people on the dive boat with 12 dives bragging how they'res signing up for a dive master program.

 

[Cisconius]

Well let's be honest here. What are 5 guided dives going to do? I'm going to magically be an advanced diver now? Woo! Thanks PADI!

There may be something to get out of this course, but not $400 worth in value, that's for sure. I'd rather spend $400 and just go out and dive.

I think you have your answer.

I learned a lot in my AOW, your miles may vary.

 

[uncfnp]

Well let's be honest here. What are 5 guided dives going to do? I'm going to magically be an advanced diver now? Woo! Thanks PADI!

There may be something to get out of this course, but not $400 worth in value, that's for sure. I'd rather spend $400 and just go out and dive.

I'm stunned. Just stunned. Please tell me the boats you plan to dive out of WPB with your attitude, newly minted OW and 0-24 dives so I can be sure to avoid them.