AOW for vacations/resorts?

[b1gcountry]

For me another important dive "skill" (it could be considered more of an "art," I guess) that was emphasized during Fundies is having divers (in many instances, strangers) work together as a team - above and below water.

I agree. I just break "teamwork" down into a combination of SA, and procedures. It just helps me to understand some things better to break them down like this. My own personal learning style.

Tom

 

[DIR-Atlanta]

However, the Danny incident was in Oz which has more stupid diving related rules than anywhere I have ever dived in the world. They made him do 5 minutes of basic open water skills to prove he could dive nitrox. He handed me his camera after we jumped off the boat so he could go do fin pivots for the DM. (Yes, fin pivots.)

I was trying to save Danny the embarrassment, but since the details have been posted ... (guess that is what friends are for, eh ).

The whole fin pivot thing is silly enough, but what's even funnier is that (according to Danny) the instructor had briefed them on what skills they would need to demonstrate, to which Danny apparently asked if he could demonstrate buoyancy control by hovering in lieu of fin pivots. The instructor apparently got all excited and said something like "No, no, no - that type of buoyancy control is MUCH TOO DIFFICULT. We want you to show your buoyancy control [sic] by doing fin pivots."

Like I said - not paid to think.

 

[Gombessa]

I just googled "fin pivot." I had never heard or seen it before.

You may have to bite the bullet and actually buy an AOW card (and yes, I mean "buy" literally)

I'm probably just dense, but does this mean I can walk into a shop and hand them a check in exchange for an AOW card? I assume they'll need me to convince them that I've done the right kinds of dives to qualify, right?

Then again, if I'm paying for it anyways, I'd love to get the benefit of doing the dives.

 

[TSandM]

If you want to get something out of an AOW class, take a road trip to Seattle and do it with Bob. His AOW will challenge somebody with a Fundies pass -- I know, because a Fundies grad I know took it, and said so!

 

[rjack321]

If you want to get something out of an AOW class, take a road trip to Seattle and do it with Bob. His AOW will challenge somebody with a Fundies pass -- I know, because a Fundies grad I know took it, and said so!

Danny in Bob's AOW would be fascinating

 

[RTodd]

I was trying to save Danny the embarrassment, but since the details have been posted ... (guess that is what friends are for, eh ).

The whole fin pivot thing is silly enough, but what's even funnier is that (according to Danny) the instructor had briefed them on what skills they would need to demonstrate, to which Danny apparently asked if he could demonstrate buoyancy control by hovering in lieu of fin pivots. The instructor apparently got all excited and said something like "No, no, no - that type of buoyancy control is MUCH TOO DIFFICULT. We want you to show your buoyancy control [sic] by doing fin pivots."

Like I said - not paid to think.

That is just a minor example of how bad diving is in Oz, particularly in Queensland. Despite being literally surrounded by fantastic diving, Oz is the worst place in the world to go diving. Some of the best parts of the reasonably accessible portions of the great barrier reef were directly 30 miles or so offshore of the beach I lived on and I couldn't be bothered to go diving more than once every month or two because dealing with the Aussie DMs that strictly interpret ever silly dive regulation imaginable just wasn't worth it.

I was once kicked off a boat because we had scooters and it might disturb migrating whales (which could potentially be within a few miles of the boat, we weren't diving with them). The boat had about 200 snorkelers/ divers on it to give you an idea of the size. They weren't amused when I asked how they kept the boat from disturbing the whales.

And there are better stories about that trip that I am not mentioning to protect the innocent. Danny doesn't qualify as innocent though. I think he spent a fortune trying to use a Sat phone to contact GUE HQ to no avail and to avoid the "skills demonstration."

 

[SparticleBrane]

This is funny -- we need more of these stories.

 

[TSandM]

Danny doesn't qualify as innocent though. I think he spent a fortune trying to use a Sat phone to contact GUE HQ to no avail and to avoid the "skills demonstration."

Oh, this just gets funnier and funnier!

 

[Reg Braithwaite]

..,he realized what he had done by handing me the camera rather than his wife...

Did he intend to hand you his wife?

(ducks!)

 

[pengwe]

I'm probably just dense, but does this mean I can walk into a shop and hand them a check in exchange for an AOW card? I assume they'll need me to convince them that I've done the right kinds of dives to qualify, right?

An instructor has to sign off that you actually did the required skills + dives, so technically no. Maybe if you were friendly with one.