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Basic Training + Planning
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OP -- (and yes, here we go again) -- the amount of information provided in the basic open water class needs to, what? That is the question that is debated over and over again -- WHAT is the purpose of the basic open water class?
There is, of necessity, a conflict between how much people can learn in "X" amount of time and how much people need to learn in "X" amount of time -- and despite the length of a course, there is always more information that could be needed at some time. It is the job of the agency and the individual instructor to make sure the proper amount of information is taught and taught in a way that it can be absorbed.
Do I teach "gas management" to an open water student? Maybe -- it depends on your definition. I do have them figure out their SAC rates during their open water dives; I do provide them with the information that as they do deeper, the gas they breathe gets more dense and thus their consumption increases; I do try to show them that gas availability is probably their limiting factor, NOT NDLs/deco status. But guess what, they are also trying to learn a whole bunch of other stuff too.
Honestly, I'm satisfied if they get the basic concept that their consumption will increase with depth and that they need to monitor their consumption during the dive. At the basic open water level, I really don't think there is much more that I can ask because their is just too much other stuff going on.
For what it's worth, I'm very glad PADI is at least looking at adding more gas management to its open water class.
There is, of necessity, a conflict between how much people can learn in "X" amount of time and how much people need to learn in "X" amount of time -- and despite the length of a course, there is always more information that could be needed at some time. It is the job of the agency and the individual instructor to make sure the proper amount of information is taught and taught in a way that it can be absorbed.
Do I teach "gas management" to an open water student? Maybe -- it depends on your definition. I do have them figure out their SAC rates during their open water dives; I do provide them with the information that as they do deeper, the gas they breathe gets more dense and thus their consumption increases; I do try to show them that gas availability is probably their limiting factor, NOT NDLs/deco status. But guess what, they are also trying to learn a whole bunch of other stuff too.
Honestly, I'm satisfied if they get the basic concept that their consumption will increase with depth and that they need to monitor their consumption during the dive. At the basic open water level, I really don't think there is much more that I can ask because their is just too much other stuff going on.
For what it's worth, I'm very glad PADI is at least looking at adding more gas management to its open water class.
DevonDiver
N/A
Basic and "very thorough" is a bit of a mis-match. The OW course is as simplified as it can be - in order to get people underwater in the minimum time, for the minimum cost. It's a monkey course, that you pay peanuts for...
Which is the minimum you need to know. Those protocols are sufficient to allow basic diving, at restricted depth, without unreasonable risk to the participant.
....and training.... lots of lots of training....
....and the respective commitment of finance and time associated with that...
There are training courses which offer further knowledge and skill. 'Continued education' is the term often used to describe the concept.
Divers can undertake an 'Intro to Tech/Tech Basics' at quite an early stage - and it does well to cover the sort of information you're looking for. It doesn't qualify you to 'do anything' though.... it's just knowledge/an introduction. A good way to pick up insights into technical diving mindset...and precision dive planning though. The 'Tec Sidemount' course also has great content - and is available at AOW level.
Frankly... yes it probably would. Because there'd always be someone who'd take that little knowledge and feel that it empowered them to push beyond sensible boundaries... IMHO, too much knowledge can be a bad thing - if not tempered by other factors.
That's why knowledge, training and experience are typically progressed in parallel.... allowing the diver to develop their understanding in line with their capabilities and the progressive challenges they entertain underwater.
The obvious solution to that desire would be an air-integrated dive computer. That allows the individual to progress a specific interest (as you state), without penalizing the rest of the world by causing a global increase in course duration/cost.. or, as mentioned, the individual can undertake further training to develop specific knowledge interests they have..
The Open Water course provides the bare minimum.... at the bare minimum cost, in the bare minimum timescale. Don't deceive yourself into thinking that is, in any way, designed to be a 'complete' diving course of education...
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Actually this is one of those rare occaisons where I have to disagree with Andy. The additonal knowledge of gas managment and actual emergency decompression procedures, not the extend your safety stop by 5 minutes BS or whatever it is now, has been part of the YMCA and now SEI course for over 50 years and there is no evidence whatsoever that it's dangerous.
In fact taught in conjunction with SAC rates and proper gas planning going into deco is more than an abstract concept. Seeing on the tables that going a few minutes beyond the NDL means you have as much as seventeen minutes of deco and that you'll be short air for ten minutes of that produces a diver that is safer in my opinion and experience. They pay more attention to their air. They watch their depth. They plan their dives more carefully.
It does take more time to teach it but for me it's worth it to produce a diver I want to dive with and will be proud to have my name on their card as the instructor.
In fact taught in conjunction with SAC rates and proper gas planning going into deco is more than an abstract concept. Seeing on the tables that going a few minutes beyond the NDL means you have as much as seventeen minutes of deco and that you'll be short air for ten minutes of that produces a diver that is safer in my opinion and experience. They pay more attention to their air. They watch their depth. They plan their dives more carefully.
It does take more time to teach it but for me it's worth it to produce a diver I want to dive with and will be proud to have my name on their card as the instructor.
DevonDiver
N/A
Jim, my answer was based upon the course undertaken by the OP and, as he suggested, wasn't a 'certification flame'. There is a reason why gas management/precision dive planning isn't taught on a PADI Open Water course - that reason is because the course is designed to be as cheap and quick as possible (with the words 'reasonable' safety associated). PADI provide modularized training, on the basis of preserving the cheap/quick concept whilst promoting the need for continued education. They really aren't shy about communicating the benefit of that continued education
They twin this concept with the provision of clear advice about severely limiting the scope of dives undertaken - IMHO a clear admission that the training provided is minimal - and that further training (continued education) and practical diving experience is expected if the diver were to progress to more challenging and/or higher risk dives.
There is a very valid debate about what components should be included at entry-level training. On that discussion, I believe we typically agree.
The biggest issue, as I see it, with the PADI approach is that conservatism has traditionally been ensured for novice divers through the use of table RDPs. That dive planning approach historically kept divers very far from DCS risk. It provided the diver with a very easy approach to avoid exceeding no-deco limits.... and inherent restrictions in the depth/bottom time relationship helped novice divers avoid the low/out-of-air scenario. Put simply, an RDP table gave divers a clear bottom-time duration (easy to track) and typically ended their dive before air supply became low.
The increasing prevalence of dive computer use - and PADI's option to train solely with dive computers for planning - has gone a long way to erasing those inherent safeguards. Dive computers provide varying no-deco limits at varied depths... making it easier to miscalculate or insufficiently monitor that limit...and go into decompression. Likewise, the extended bottom times offered by multi-level dive computer profiles significantly increase the likelihood that air can be depleted before the diver is 'directed' to end the dive by a no-deco limit.
Perhaps that change of approach, if nothing else, needs to prompt PADI to increase the levels of theoretical and practical training that they currently provide? Sadly, to date, they have done the opposite...and used the 'computer based training' approach as a means to decrease training given ("refer to computer manufacturer's directions").
Anyway... that's delving into the 'agency' issue...rather than providing an actual explanation of why such info isn't currently included on PADI's entry-level training
My first post answered why PADI don't teach these concepts on a course that has only 4 dives and can be completed in 3 days. It didn't address whether a scuba course should be 4-dives/3-days....or whether such a course could ever be considered 'complete' or appropriate to the task of reasonably or effectively training divers to "dive independently of professional supervision, with divers of an equal certification level".
But for as long as monkeys choose peanuts, I doubt PADI will give serious consideration to significantly extending the course parameters (or more honestly re-defining the end state they profess to achieve with it).
See I knew we were still in synch. I have to agree. I did my OW cert via PADI in 2004 before the switch to a computer course. But there must have been rumblings of thwem going down this road as the instructor really pushed me getting a comp. All the while extoling how it would be more accurate and allow me more bottom time. And like many new divers I see that believe that line, I ran with it. It was never explained to me how DANGEROUS diving a computer is early on. As long as I was not in the red I thought I was fine. Maybe the new classes are addressing this. But somehow I doubt that divers are being told that they should plan their dives with a measure of conservatism. And not to trust the computer to keep them out of trouble.
. I have to agree. I did my OW cert via PADI in 2004 before the switch to a computer course. But there must have been rumblings of thwem going down this road as the instructor really pushed me getting a comp. All the while extoling how it would be more accurate and allow me more bottom time. And like many new divers I see that believe that line, I ran with it. It was never explained to me how DANGEROUS diving a computer is early on. As long as I was not in the red I thought I was fine. Maybe the new classes are addressing this. But somehow I doubt that divers are being told that they should plan their dives with a measure of conservatism. And not to trust the computer to keep them out of trouble.Thanks for your replies guys (and ladies if you're here!).
Nah, my usernames are typically taken in games, forums and websites so I use this because it feels like a random jumble of numbers more. My names Zack and it's alphanumeric (26=z,1=a,3=c,11=k), I'm so original :blinking:
As per the course I do understand it's a basic course and the pressures the general consumer puts on courses and organizations to deliver not only cheap but quick courses/ services but isn't that largely what the "discovering scuba" course is? That's cheaper to my understanding and would give someone ample chance to try it out in a safe environment. Lets face it, I'm pretty sure the same look was on my face as it was the others I'm taking my certification with when we all took our first breathes underwater. We're all hooked and dedicated to learning now. Since Scuba is such a potentially dangerous thing I don't think people should be offered some hyper-short course necessarily, I fully understand what I've gotten myself into but from my perspective, not discouraging reckless people from jumping into something so harmful if they're not careful seems odd. Almost counter intuitive to a "good dive buddy". That brings up a super tough argument however in the sense that is it then the organizations fault because what they teach could be potentially safer, or is it the individuals fault for not absorbing what was being taught if you do offer that. Well, you can't MAKE people learn or be safe because that's nature I feel so I'll even hazard on the side of protecting the large part because honestly, much as I'd opt for a world of less idiots I'd rather not have to be the one pulling them from the drink in such a mortifying fashion so regularly. That would ruin things for me, I'd think.
Don't want to at all sound insulting so I feel the need to explain because that's not my intent at all: while I feel comfortable with my instructor and what they're teaching me and that they're trying to protect people from themselves I'm of the foolish opinion that if you make a program effort intensive, cost relative (diving was never seen to me as "cheap" if you wanted to make this a serious hobby) and also knowledge based for the basic level safety would increase tenfold even by scaring off people who aren't serious about it (hell, even for people being paired with a person who could be a bad buddy). ie. in my very course there's a lady who got the lessons as a gift from a family member and clearly has comfort issues doing drills (clearing, breathing under water)- that's more than acceptable and scuba should never be performed outside of your comfort levels but by directing people towards a course that introduces them to scuba through the quick run-and-dirty pool and safety talk I think a more initially advanced course may benefit people. Same token as well, I must agree with others about the breakdowns in that it allows for cost management of the individual, pacing and easy to manage chunks. I'm truly torn in of my logical side of things knowing the capabilities of the general person and their attitudes, and then people like me who want to know it all to be the safest as possible even with something called "basic". To me setting limits on where you dive or the depth because of dangerous added factors make sense for extended training, not something as simple as consumption and decompression- especially if you're unable to initially plan your dives right. I don't plan to dive anything but conservative, as best I'm trained to calculate, until I'm trained more to a different level of safe diving but until then- I'd still like to know what to do just in case of emergency, I class this as simple as knowing what an OOA call means and the importance of it. After all that's been said however, I'm glad PADI is looking at adding consumption or gas management. I think it would help. I plan on doing extended classes either this year or next as well in areas I'm interested in so that I can be safer and align myself to the typical "knowledge guru" that I'd like to become in this field as well.
A few questions however:
What does SAC mean? Is there a quick reference acronym guide? hah. Picking it up all as I go, I wish things were like when I was reading an advanced military novel years ago- and extended glossary of terms. In time I guess, heh.
Given my certification will only allow me to head to a depth of 60ft (not that there's "depth police" but going deeper without further training makes me feel apprehensive), are there any mid-level certifications? I think* that would be AOW but I'm unsure what that really covers, another homework assignment I feel. I'd say the deep water instruction interests me but as current* it doesn't. That sort of 100+ depth makes me feel very uneasy and that's all part to the mysterious unknown and lack of training. It will be the same sort of baby steps I feel I'm going to have to take to gain confidence even with my current certification. I'm not looking to become a junkie who feels depth is the only important aspect of diving because long-run, I'm in this for wrecks, fun and the scenery and experience; I do think it's important to be comfortable with it however.
All specialty through PADI are seen as separate courses, yes? I'm sure they very greatly on how they're done depending on the specialty if so.
Given I want to learn more about this are there any trusted resources regarding decompression theory/ safety and help for gas management?
Small disclaimer: I love everything I've been taught so far and mean it in no way to bash others- especially with tech diving, I know there's more- so much more. Even if I don't know it yet (I'm sure that makes little sense but as everyone can attest to when learning something new, you always make that leap of feeling ignorant after proudly learning "everything").
With the questions I'm asking? Hah- I'd hope DM's know a bit more than myself. I definitely will if/ when I manage to get to that stage
Nah, my usernames are typically taken in games, forums and websites so I use this because it feels like a random jumble of numbers more. My names Zack and it's alphanumeric (26=z,1=a,3=c,11=k), I'm so original :blinking:As per the course I do understand it's a basic course and the pressures the general consumer puts on courses and organizations to deliver not only cheap but quick courses/ services but isn't that largely what the "discovering scuba" course is? That's cheaper to my understanding and would give someone ample chance to try it out in a safe environment. Lets face it, I'm pretty sure the same look was on my face as it was the others I'm taking my certification with when we all took our first breathes underwater. We're all hooked and dedicated to learning now. Since Scuba is such a potentially dangerous thing I don't think people should be offered some hyper-short course necessarily, I fully understand what I've gotten myself into but from my perspective, not discouraging reckless people from jumping into something so harmful if they're not careful seems odd. Almost counter intuitive to a "good dive buddy". That brings up a super tough argument however in the sense that is it then the organizations fault because what they teach could be potentially safer, or is it the individuals fault for not absorbing what was being taught if you do offer that. Well, you can't MAKE people learn or be safe because that's nature I feel so I'll even hazard on the side of protecting the large part because honestly, much as I'd opt for a world of less idiots I'd rather not have to be the one pulling them from the drink in such a mortifying fashion so regularly. That would ruin things for me, I'd think.
Don't want to at all sound insulting so I feel the need to explain because that's not my intent at all: while I feel comfortable with my instructor and what they're teaching me and that they're trying to protect people from themselves I'm of the foolish opinion that if you make a program effort intensive, cost relative (diving was never seen to me as "cheap" if you wanted to make this a serious hobby) and also knowledge based for the basic level safety would increase tenfold even by scaring off people who aren't serious about it (hell, even for people being paired with a person who could be a bad buddy). ie. in my very course there's a lady who got the lessons as a gift from a family member and clearly has comfort issues doing drills (clearing, breathing under water)- that's more than acceptable and scuba should never be performed outside of your comfort levels but by directing people towards a course that introduces them to scuba through the quick run-and-dirty pool and safety talk I think a more initially advanced course may benefit people. Same token as well, I must agree with others about the breakdowns in that it allows for cost management of the individual, pacing and easy to manage chunks. I'm truly torn in of my logical side of things knowing the capabilities of the general person and their attitudes, and then people like me who want to know it all to be the safest as possible even with something called "basic". To me setting limits on where you dive or the depth because of dangerous added factors make sense for extended training, not something as simple as consumption and decompression- especially if you're unable to initially plan your dives right. I don't plan to dive anything but conservative, as best I'm trained to calculate, until I'm trained more to a different level of safe diving but until then- I'd still like to know what to do just in case of emergency, I class this as simple as knowing what an OOA call means and the importance of it. After all that's been said however, I'm glad PADI is looking at adding consumption or gas management. I think it would help. I plan on doing extended classes either this year or next as well in areas I'm interested in so that I can be safer and align myself to the typical "knowledge guru" that I'd like to become in this field as well.
A few questions however:
What does SAC mean? Is there a quick reference acronym guide? hah. Picking it up all as I go, I wish things were like when I was reading an advanced military novel years ago- and extended glossary of terms. In time I guess, heh.
Given my certification will only allow me to head to a depth of 60ft (not that there's "depth police" but going deeper without further training makes me feel apprehensive), are there any mid-level certifications? I think* that would be AOW but I'm unsure what that really covers, another homework assignment I feel. I'd say the deep water instruction interests me but as current* it doesn't. That sort of 100+ depth makes me feel very uneasy and that's all part to the mysterious unknown and lack of training. It will be the same sort of baby steps I feel I'm going to have to take to gain confidence even with my current certification. I'm not looking to become a junkie who feels depth is the only important aspect of diving because long-run, I'm in this for wrecks, fun and the scenery and experience; I do think it's important to be comfortable with it however.
All specialty through PADI are seen as separate courses, yes? I'm sure they very greatly on how they're done depending on the specialty if so.
Given I want to learn more about this are there any trusted resources regarding decompression theory/ safety and help for gas management?
Small disclaimer: I love everything I've been taught so far and mean it in no way to bash others- especially with tech diving, I know there's more- so much more. Even if I don't know it yet (I'm sure that makes little sense but as everyone can attest to when learning something new, you always make that leap of feeling ignorant after proudly learning "everything").
xyrandomyx
Contributor
Thanks for your replies guys (and ladies if you're here!).
With the questions I'm asking? Hah- I'd hope DM's know a bit more than myself. I definitely will if/ when I manage to get to that stage
As per the course I do understand it's a basic course and the pressures the general consumer puts on courses and organizations to deliver not only cheap but quick courses/ services but isn't that largely what the "discovering scuba" course is? That's cheaper to my understanding and would give someone ample chance to try it out in a safe environment. Lets face it, I'm pretty sure the same look was on my face as it was the others I'm taking my certification with when we all took our first breathes underwater. We're all hooked and dedicated to learning now. Since Scuba is such a potentially dangerous thing I don't think people should be offered some hyper-short course necessarily, I fully understand what I've gotten myself into but from my perspective, not discouraging reckless people from jumping into something so harmful if they're not careful seems odd. Almost counter intuitive to a "good dive buddy". That brings up a super tough argument however in the sense that is it then the organizations fault because what they teach could be potentially safer, or is it the individuals fault for not absorbing what was being taught if you do offer that. Well, you can't MAKE people learn or be safe because that's nature I feel so I'll even hazard on the side of protecting the large part because honestly, much as I'd opt for a world of less idiots I'd rather not have to be the one pulling them from the drink in such a mortifying fashion so regularly. That would ruin things for me, I'd think.
Don't want to at all sound insulting so I feel the need to explain because that's not my intent at all: while I feel comfortable with my instructor and what they're teaching me and that they're trying to protect people from themselves I'm of the foolish opinion that if you make a program effort intensive, cost relative (diving was never seen to me as "cheap" if you wanted to make this a serious hobby) and also knowledge based for the basic level safety would increase tenfold even by scaring off people who aren't serious about it (hell, even for people being paired with a person who could be a bad buddy). ie. in my very course there's a lady who got the lessons as a gift from a family member and clearly has comfort issues doing drills (clearing, breathing under water)- that's more than acceptable and scuba should never be performed outside of your comfort levels but by directing people towards a course that introduces them to scuba through the quick run-and-dirty pool and safety talk I think a more initially advanced course may benefit people. Same token as well, I must agree with others about the breakdowns in that it allows for cost management of the individual, pacing and easy to manage chunks. I'm truly torn in of my logical side of things knowing the capabilities of the general person and their attitudes, and then people like me who want to know it all to be the safest as possible even with something called "basic". To me setting limits on where you dive or the depth because of dangerous added factors make sense for extended training, not something as simple as consumption and decompression- especially if you're unable to initially plan your dives right. I don't plan to dive anything but conservative, as best I'm trained to calculate, until I'm trained more to a different level of safe diving but until then- I'd still like to know what to do just in case of emergency, I class this as simple as knowing what an OOA call means and the importance of it. After all that's been said however, I'm glad PADI is looking at adding consumption or gas management. I think it would help. I plan on doing extended classes either this year or next as well in areas I'm interested in so that I can be safer and align myself to the typical "knowledge guru" that I'd like to become in this field as well.
A few questions however:
What does SAC mean? Is there a quick reference acronym guide? hah. Picking it up all as I go, I wish things were like when I was reading an advanced military novel years ago- and extended glossary of terms. In time I guess, heh.
Given my certification will only allow me to head to a depth of 60ft (not that there's "depth police" but going deeper without further training makes me feel apprehensive), are there any mid-level certifications? I think* that would be AOW but I'm unsure what that really covers, another homework assignment I feel. I'd say the deep water instruction interests me but as current* it doesn't. That sort of 100+ depth makes me feel very uneasy and that's all part to the mysterious unknown and lack of training. It will be the same sort of baby steps I feel I'm going to have to take to gain confidence even with my current certification. I'm not looking to become a junkie who feels depth is the only important aspect of diving because long-run, I'm in this for wrecks, fun and the scenery and experience; I do think it's important to be comfortable with it however.
All specialty through PADI are seen as separate courses, yes? I'm sure they very greatly on how they're done depending on the specialty if so.
Given I want to learn more about this are there any trusted resources regarding decompression theory/ safety and help for gas management?
Small disclaimer: I love everything I've been taught so far and mean it in no way to bash others- especially with tech diving, I know there's more- so much more. Even if I don't know it yet (I'm sure that makes little sense but as everyone can attest to when learning something new, you always make that leap of feeling ignorant after proudly learning "everything").
This thread links to a list of scuba diving acronyms: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/basic-scuba-discussions/333976-scuba-diving-acronyms.html.
'SAC' stands for 'surface air consumption'. Since you consume air more quickly at greater depths, it makes sense to get some kind of 'baseline' for calculations -- that's what SAC is used for.
NWGratefulDiver's article on gas management has nice explanations: NWGratefulDiver.com.
You'd be surprised by how little DM's can know Zack!
You're over-thinking the course your on. Gas Management, SAC's, decompression. Are all part of diving but some divers can go their whole diving life without giving them a 2nd thought, an on your OW course I wouldn't either.
Dives based from the PADI OW course are not meant to be convoluted affairs there are designed to get you into the water and experience the underwaterworld (and all the other marketing). The aim of the course is to get you planning and conducting your own dives with another PADI OW diver. Think about that for a moment, 2 guys (girls!) with only 4 dives going off by themselves into the great blue unknown. At that moment the two of you are certified divers, but still learning (indeed most of still are), so all you need is a basic concept of dive planning upon which to build on. All you really need is:
Depth
Time
Turn Point (Air or Time) + 70 BAR (I don't do PSI) for ascents and stops.
For example:
200 BAR fill less 70 = 130
130/2 = 65
Turn Point (unless Time is reached first) 135
Simple but effective. Conduct a few dives with this simple model and then move on to more involved concepts. You'll learn more by doing than listening to advice on the internet
Follow this plan and you'll always come back with the requisite 50 bar in your tank as demanded by DM's everywhere.
You're over-thinking the course your on. Gas Management, SAC's, decompression. Are all part of diving but some divers can go their whole diving life without giving them a 2nd thought, an on your OW course I wouldn't either.
Dives based from the PADI OW course are not meant to be convoluted affairs there are designed to get you into the water and experience the underwaterworld (and all the other marketing). The aim of the course is to get you planning and conducting your own dives with another PADI OW diver. Think about that for a moment, 2 guys (girls!) with only 4 dives going off by themselves into the great blue unknown. At that moment the two of you are certified divers, but still learning (indeed most of still are), so all you need is a basic concept of dive planning upon which to build on. All you really need is:
Depth
Time
Turn Point (Air or Time) + 70 BAR (I don't do PSI) for ascents and stops.
For example:
200 BAR fill less 70 = 130
130/2 = 65
Turn Point (unless Time is reached first) 135
Simple but effective. Conduct a few dives with this simple model and then move on to more involved concepts. You'll learn more by doing than listening to advice on the internet
Follow this plan and you'll always come back with the requisite 50 bar in your tank as demanded by DM's everywhere.
DevonDiver
N/A
Surface Air Consumption. A calculation of your air consumption rate, based upon surface (1ata). You can then multiply it by any given depth/ata in order to predict how quickly your gas will be used, in relation to the gas you carry in your cylinder.
See my Gas Management notes..
It's a mis-assumption to believe that the AOW course "qualifies" you to a deeper depth. You do a single "Deep Adventure Dive" as part of the AOW. That has to be conducted below 18m/60ft and no deeper than 30m/100ft.
As mentioned, the 18m/60ft recommended depth limitation is for "newly certified Open Water Divers". (see PADI Open Water video excerpt below). Many dive operators consider that AOW takes you beyond being 'newly certified', especially given your exposure to a deeper dive, and thus set that qualification as a default prerequisite for sub-18m/60ft dives.
However, neither the AOW course or the 'Deep Adventure Dive' provide any specific skills or in-depth (pun intended) knowledge for deep diving. 30m/100ft is merely the "general limit for recreational divers". Nothing more...
You don't need a "mid-level certification".... you need to set your own personal depth limit, based upon your comfort zone and perceived competency. That limit may (should...) vary depending upon water conditions, weather, water visibility, your familiarity and comfort with the kit you use etc etc etc...
As always, the primary advice given by agencies always applies... "Dive conservatively and within your comfort zone".
An AOW certification doesn't mean you have to dive to 30m/100ft. Neither does it mean you should. Be cautious and prudent. Increase the challenge of your dives in line with the development of your confidence and ingrained skills. Dive to 18m/60ft until you are reasonably confident at that depth... and don't make silly mistakes etc. Then dive a little (~5m) deeper. Get confident at that depth. Add a little more depth... etc etc etc.
The great thing about restricting your depth is that it makes your dives forgiving. If you make a mistake >18m/60ft then it's probably not going to bite you in the butt. Make the same mistake after accumulating some bottom-time at 30m/100ft and you might pay a more severe penalty. Novice divers make mistakes... accept it. The place to make those mistakes is in the shallows. That way, you can learn from your mistakes and develop as a diver.... hopefully never making the same mistakes again. When that process of learning has been completed... then its time to go deeper..
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