AOW dive in the Spiegel Grove after 12 logged dives

[MikeFerrara]

Hello All;

Well, I am back from the infamous SG dive. The current was very strong, we were all waving like flags but we made it to the deck of the SG...well all but one lady in the AOW class that had to go back. Of course the instructor went with her while we waited on the deck. By the time he came back we did not have much air left so after 10 min we started the ascend with 1000 psi. The current was so strong that we did not do a second dive, we had to move to another wreck. I loved the experience of the SG with current and all but definitely not a dive to take lightly in those conditions. I ll definitely go back in 20 or so more dive and this time without instructor....of course I ll let you know to get your feed back...

PS: I am AOW now

So, you got in a bounce dive and the instructor considered it successful and completed training. Is that about it? Was this a AOW training dive or just a dive for your nitrox class? What agency?

In the case of at least some agencies, both the AOW deep dive and an AOW wreck dive require in-water supervision so the instructor by leaving you may have violated standards...in a rather grievous way.

I really don't care how any one else dives but hearing about a circus like this being passed off as training just turns my stomach.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Ditto! All dives on traing need to be supervised at all times by either an instructor or DM at least. Especially one in the conditions you describe. How many students per instructor and was an assistant or DM even along? What would have happened if you had gotten blown off the site? Sounds like this was a get em in get em done dive. What exactly did you learn? You should also think twice about going back under similar conditions or any for that matter on this dive in 20 or so without a guide of some kind. Conditions on the grove can change in minutes.

 

[lamont]

By the time he came back we did not have much air left so after 10 min we started the ascend with 1000 psi.

next time you should take a bit more air as well, and keep a little more in reserve. you were only about 5 mins from draining your tank dry, which is shaving it close.

 

[Icarusflies]

The instructor left us on the deck of the SG where there was no current. We were 5 students including myself and we waited for around 7 minutes. It was part of the deep dive and as far as learning something I think we only learned a little experience. I loved the dive but I realize that it was beyond my abilities to do it safely. Another thing that you will love is the in the group of students I was the most experienced diver with 12 dives....the other students only had 10 or less....Hey, that was a potentially dangerous dive or what...

 

[loosebits]

The instructor left us on the deck of the SG where there was no current. We were 5 students including myself and we waited for around 7 minutes. It was part of the deep dive and as far as learning something I think we only learned a little experience. I loved the dive but I realize that it was beyond my abilities to do it safely. Another thing that you will love is the in the group of students I was the most experienced diver with 12 dives....the other students only had 10 or less....Hey, that was a potentially dangerous dive or what...

You know, it almost sounds like you're boasting for doing something stupid.

 

[MikeFerrara]

The instructor left us on the deck of the SG where there was no current. We were 5 students including myself and we waited for around 7 minutes. It was part of the deep dive and as far as learning something I think we only learned a little experience. I loved the dive but I realize that it was beyond my abilities to do it safely. Another thing that you will love is the in the group of students I was the most experienced diver with 12 dives....the other students only had 10 or less....Hey, that was a potentially dangerous dive or what...

I've been a PADI instructor and an IANTD instructor and, in either case leaving the students on an AOW deep dive would be a violation of standards.

The recreational agencies don't understand what's wrong with taking divers with so little experience who haven't yet learned to dive shallow on a deep dive. Some instructors will do it on a students 5th lifetime dive (the first right after OW) and that's operfectly within training standards. If I were you, I'd give the agency a call and ask them to at least enforce their own pathetically useless standards.

Do you still trust this instructor? I wouldn't.

 

[MikeFerrara]

You know, it almost sounds like you're boasting for doing something stupid.

Well, he listened to his instructor. Think about how many posts there were in this thread recommending that he go with his instructors suggestions. It's pretty much a lost cause.

 

[TheRedHead]

See you guys think OW is a poor class, and I think AOW is the absolute worst class PADI offers. I'm betting it is PADI because SSI AOW requires 4 complete specialties and 2 or 3 deep dives.

I did my PADI AOW deep dive here:

Cane Bay Wall drops from 40-3,200 ft. and includes vertical and slow sloping areas

and my instructor had never dived with me before. It would be a hell of a bad place to lose control of your bouyancy and sink.

 

[DivingCRNA]

The instructor left us on the deck of the SG where there was no current. We were 5 students including myself and we waited for around 7 minutes. It was part of the deep dive and as far as learning something I think we only learned a little experience. I loved the dive but I realize that it was beyond my abilities to do it safely. Another thing that you will love is the in the group of students I was the most experienced diver with 12 dives....the other students only had 10 or less....Hey, that was a potentially dangerous dive or what...

You were not the most experienced. You were all total newbs. At 75 dives I am almost barely past being a newb.

I do not think I would brag about this dive to anyone, if I were you. Time and experience will make you regret it.

 

[loosebits]

See you guys think OW is a poor class, and I think AOW is the absolute worst class PADI offers. I'm betting it is PADI because SSI AOW requires 4 complete specialties and 2 or 3 deep dives.

I did my PADI AOW deep dive here:

Cane Bay Wall drops from 40-3,200 ft. and includes vertical and slow sloping areas

and my instructor had never dived with me before. It would be a hell of a bad place to lose control of your bouyancy and sink.

I never planned on getting into what class was the absolute worst but simply that OW is a joke. AOW may be the punch line.