Best way to prepare for PADI AOW?

[BORG]

Hi Guys,
I would like to know how to best prepare for the PADI AOW deep dives, since it's been years(80's) since I got my PADI OW and I am diving more this year and to stay current on my basic skills.
The deepest I've ever dove is around 50-55ft. at the Jetty's in Panama City, Fla.
When I am in the 70-100ft. depths for check out dives for AOW I don't want it to be such a shock for the first time.
I leave in the Atlanta area and have access to a very large lake with depths of 60+ft.
This is where I dive when I can't make it to Florida.

THANKS!

 

[letsgodiving]

There is no real difference between 60ft and 100ft, just shorter bottom time.

 

[Vtdiver2]

Just dive, get comfortable in the water, and work on your skills. AOW is just expanding on them, so getting the basic skills down to second nature will enable you to expand upon them easier. IMO, comfort in the water is by far the most important, otherwise your fear, however small it is, hinders everything you do.
Good luck and enjoy AOW,
C-Dawg

 

[Marek K]

Our 17-year-old son did his AOWD last month at Dahab. He's not real bold about new things in general. He'd done dives up to about 60 ft. with no problem, but was really freaked out about the deep dive.

Turned out the big thing for him, besides general apprehension about the unknown, was the fear of how dark he thought it was going to be.

He did it, and found you could see quite well at that depth (at least in the Red Sea!). He did a couple more dives after that to just over 100 ft, with no undue fears.

Read the chapter in your book, and learn about the issues that become more important at those depths. Primarily air management, and possible narcosis. The learning module, instruction, and dive are meant to introduce you deep diving -- no need to practice it on your own first.

Your instructor will work through the planning and execution issues with you; one of the exercises at that depth is to see whether narcosis is starting to affect you.

Where are you doing your AOWD? have fun, and let us know how you do.

I did my OWD in 1985, but did the AOWD right after that in 1986!

--Marek

 

[pickens_46929]

Get comfortable, practice good bouyancy skills and control, relax and have fun. Think of it more as a guided dive with some fun rather than a course. You get a taste of several different things such as deep, navigation, etc.

It'll wet your appetite for more undoubtedly!

 

[MikeFerrara]

Actually, good buoyancy control isn't required by PADI training standards for the AOW deep dive. It's a descent on a tactile reference, an underwater timed rask (usually done while kneeling) and an ascent. If you can breath, kneel and climb a rope to and from the bottom, I'd say you're all set.

 

[Hank49]

Actually, good buoyancy control isn't required by PADI training standards for the AOW deep dive. It's a descent on a tactile reference, an underwater timed rask (usually done while kneeling) and an ascent. If you can breath, kneel and climb a rope to and from the bottom, I'd say you're all set.

I swear Mike....you CAN be an ornery cuss when you want to be......

 

[Bubble Junky]

It's a descent on a tactile reference, an underwater timed rask (usually done while kneeling) and an ascent.

It's tactile or visual reference. And a safety stop. I try not to use a rope, especially for the ascent/safety stop.

 

[Buoyant1]

I swear Mike....you CAN be an ornery cuss when you want to be......

You're being TOO kind!

Deep is cool! I haven't done my AOW yet (but my buddies are begging me to just get it over with already) but I have been deep a lot.

From what I gather from my instructors....we drop to the 60ft platform, play with a lock and do some knots, play a little tic tac toe, and head to the "deep boat" in our local quarry...putz around there for a little while and make an ascent...I'm hoping to have that modified a tad, by having to do an ascent with an SMB, and possibly go a tad deeper since I've been to those places in our quarry...I also don't plan to KNEEL on the platform whilst doing the "look I'm not really narc'd" skills. (I don't touch bottom unless it's absolutely necessary..and there usually isn't a good reason) Now if my instructor wants me to, then I'll comply..but he's got the most WICKED buoyancy I've ever seen!

I'm only doing it because I want to Rescue..and PADI requires AOW for it...

 

[MikeFerrara]

I swear Mike....you CAN be an ornery cuss when you want to be......

My wife just read this and said I can be an ornery cuss even when I don't want to be. LOL