AOW specialty dives, which ones are worth it?

[AndrewA]

I don't really think it matters all that much. If you have a good instructor you will get benefit from any dive.I believe that at all levels in diving the quality of instruction is the most importat. Also do something you will enjoy,afterall that's what its all about! For what its worth I did Deep, Nav., Wreck, Boat and Night.

 

[hypertech]

I did Peak Bouyancy, Nav, Search & Recovery, Deep, and Night.

We did Bouyancy as the first dive and the instructor used it to gauge our skill level. We made some minor weight and gear adjustments for trim that were helpful after that dive. The Search and Recovery is a fun one. We recovered a cinder block from the bottom of the lake and raised it with a lift bag. I remembered how much I suck at using a compass. Night was OK. We saw a few fish that weren't around during the day but I mostly remember the mosquitos at the surface trying to eat us alive and the first loon I ever saw too. Deep wasn't that interesting and it was freakin cold in a wetsuit. In MN even in the summer, we hit 40 degrees at the second thermocline. I have a drysuit now, but I didn't then and it was cold.

 

[BuoyantC]

I'm not sure who your instructor is here in Saipan, but most of the instructors sort of get into a routine and just tell you what dives or give you a limited choice. As previously stated, Deep and Nav. will be required. Unless you really don't want to do a night dive, it is great and well recommended. That leaves two more.

If your buoyancy is good and you're comfortable with the swim thrus such as at Laolao, you might skip that one also, otherwise it is worthwhile especially if you plan to do photography. Boat Dive is another common one since so much of the diving in this region involves boats. Most of the instructors have traveled and can really give good info about the different procedures

A couple instructors here use kayaks and it can count as a Boat Dive. One instructor here offers a specialty in Kayak Diving (great course). Fish ID is good if you are interested in really knowing what you are looking at and there are some really, really knowledgeable instructors here for this and photography. And the other dive that is very good is Search and Recovery. It really gives you some hands on skill experience.

Other dives such a the EAN dive is difficult here just because of the availability of Nitrox, and also you may as well take the whole class and get the cert. Also it really doesn't require dives. Hope this helps, and we'll probably see you out diving.

Regards
Dennis

 

[Buoyant1]

Peak buoyancy is always a good thing...you never can have enough of that IMHO! My course was pretty much set from the beginning, due to where we are diving. We also did night and search and recovery...we obviously couldn't do wreck or something as inane as "boat" in a quarry...Wreck for AOW is the first dive of the full wreck course and it's pretty decent if you can get it!

 

[ScubaSaipan]

I'm not sure who your instructor is here in Saipan, but most of the instructors sort of get into a routine and just tell you what dives or give you a limited choice. As previously stated, Deep and Nav. will be required. Unless you really don't want to do a night dive, it is great and well recommended. That leaves two more.

If your buoyancy is good and you're comfortable with the swim thrus such as at Laolao, you might skip that one also, otherwise it is worthwhile especially if you plan to do photography. Boat Dive is another common one since so much of the diving in this region involves boats. Most of the instructors have traveled and can really give good info about the different procedures

A couple instructors here use kayaks and it can count as a Boat Dive. One instructor here offers a specialty in Kayak Diving (great course). Fish ID is good if you are interested in really knowing what you are looking at and there are some really, really knowledgeable instructors here for this and photography. And the other dive that is very good is Search and Recovery. It really gives you some hands on skill experience.

Other dives such a the EAN dive is difficult here just because of the availability of Nitrox, and also you may as well take the whole class and get the cert. Also it really doesn't require dives. Hope this helps, and we'll probably see you out diving.

Regards
Dennis

Dennis, Thanks for the input. My instructor is Harry B. I really like the
Kayak idea, I'll see if Harry will do that. I did my Deep and Nav. today at the Grotto.

 

[saipandivermaster]

New dive shop in town saipandivers.com

 

[seaducer]

I did deep, night, wreck, search and recovery....

I would do a night dive if you have not done one as of yet, if you have then perhaps I would skip it. Search and recovery was a very interesting dive, perhaps the one I learned the most on, and have used the skills I practiced multiple times. That was a great dive.

I did not do PPB, but I think it would reduce the learning curve quite a bit, a good dive to make.

Beyond that, if there are any classes you think you want to take, dive that elective. For one it will give you an idea of what you will learn in the class, maybe you don't need/want that class. For another it might knock the cost of the class down since that dive counts towards the cert.

 

[RTee]

When I did AOW there were no electives: you did deep, navigation, night and search & recovery.

I still think those are four good skill building dives. Why search & recovery? Helps you deal with task loading.

Mine involved peak buoyancy, deep, night, navigation and boat

When my son did his AOW, I requested a combo Nitrox/AOW course from an instructor friend of mine...as deep (100 ft) and nitrox goes hand in hand. I got a great deal and he got first class one on one instruction.

 

[diverrex]

I don't really think it matters all that much. If you have a good instructor you will get benefit from any dive.I believe that at all levels in diving the quality of instruction is the most importat. Also do something you will enjoy,afterall that's what its all about! For what its worth I did Deep, Nav., Wreck, Boat and Night.

I second this thought, the quality of the instructor is more important than what dives you pick. I think just diving with a good dive instructor and watching them and learning anything and everything you can from them should be the goal regardless of the actual dive class topic. Good luck, have fun, keep diving.

I actually did PADI AOW and then later NAUI AOW just cause I wanted to take that instructor's class.

 

[DevonDiver]

As Jim said early in the thread, it all depends on the quality and specific interests of the instructor concerned. Any of the AOW dives can be hugely beneficial, or a complete waste of time, depending upon the motivation of the instructor concerned.

If the instructor has a deep interest in marine life and ecology, then the underwater naturalist course is likely to far exceed the basics contained in the PADI manual. If they only stick to the basics - either due to lack of motivation or weak depth of knowledge, then you wont get much out of that dive. The same is true for wreck, S&R, PPB.. or any dive.