Cannot find a reason for AOW certification

[robwiles79]

Here is what I found with a quick Google search, however, this just what I was taught. Well, actually, I was taught that AOW divers can go to a depth of 120 ft., however, I might just be remembering that wrong. Again, I'm 15, and I've been on four dives. I'm just trying to clarify how deep you are able to go with the first rank of a diver. Thani you.

 

[scubadada]

If you haven't worked out what your bottom is before you get in the water, your dive buddy isn't the problem.

I rarely dive with a buddy, when I do, I feel an obligation to fulfill my responsibility. If my buddy exceeded the agreed upon depth, I would follow only so far. If we agreed on the depth beforehand, no problem whatsoever. I am not a technical diver, In my 1400 dives, I have planned and dived below traditional recreational limits 14 times.

 

[ams511]

@HantsDiver Whatever happened to plan your dive and dive your plan?

 

[HantsDiver]

Here is what I found with a quick Google search, however, this just what I was taught. Well, actually, I was taught that AOW divers can go to a depth of 120 ft., however, I might just be remembering that wrong. Again, I'm 15, and I've been on four dives. I'm just trying to clarify how deep you are able to go with the first rank of a diver. Thani you.

Outside of the internet your limit for open water is 18m. And after AOW 30m. Those limits are there for a good reason and make sense actually.

18m means you have 1 minute without gas to get to the surface if you have a total loss of gas. Which makes sense to me.

30m is where nitrogen narcosis starts to affect people so makes sense to me as well.

If I were you I'd stick with those limits and ignore some of the stuff you read on here.

 

[scubadada]

Here is what I found with a quick Google search, however, this just what I was taught. Well, actually, I was taught that AOW divers can go to a depth of 120 ft., however, I might just be remembering that wrong. Again, I'm 15, and I've been on four dives. I'm just trying to clarify how deep you are able to go with the first rank of a diver. Thani you.

It is commonly said that depth limits are 60 ft for OW, 100 ft for AOW, and 130 feet with Deep specialty. In reality, depth is dictated by your experience and training.

 

[boulderjohn]

It is commonly said that depth limits are 60 ft for OW, 100 ft for AOW, and 130 feet with Deep specialty. In reality, depth is dictated by your experience and training.

This is precisely correct. I will just say the same thing in slightly different wording that some might find helpful.

The PADI OW, AOW, and Deep Diving specialty TRAIN you to depths of 60 feet, 100 feet, and 130 feet. That final depth of 130 is considered to be the limit of recreational diving by PADI and most of the other agencies I know. (Some agencies use terms like "sport diving" instead of "recreational diving.")

You can extend the limits of your certification level through taking more advanced courses, or you can get there through experience, or you can get there through a combination of training and experience. Some operators prefer to see evidence of training for more advanced dives.

 

[boulderjohn]

@HantsDiver Whatever happened to plan your dive and dive your plan?

It seems to me he described a plan he intended to follow.

There are many ways to plan a dive. Some people believe there is only one way, and they believe that if someone plans a dive other than the one way they know, then the dive has not been planned.

 

[HantsDiver]

@HantsDiver Whatever happened to plan your dive and dive your plan?

For rec diving the plan is to dive until:

I get low on gas.

I reach my NDL

I get cold.

I get bored.

Someone I'm diving with does one of the following.

Why do I need to know what my NDL is before I get into the water?

 

[boulderjohn]

Why do I need to know what my NDL is before I get into the water?

You want to know that you can do the dive you are planning to do. Let's say you do a wreck dive to 100 feet for something close to the NDL, and you are planning a dive to 50 feet after that. You would like to stay an hour. You will need to have a surface interval that will allow it, or you will be disappointed by having to surface earlier than you wanted.

 

[Jerome O'Neil]

For purely recreational diving I don't bother to work out my bottom time before my first dive of the day. I jump in and follow my computer/gas limits. If either has a problem I just ascend.

Let's not take away the primary benefit and joy of recreational diving. Which is that it doesn't have to be an exercise in how hardcore we are - it's about chilling and having fun without the hassle.

I fully agree with you in that regard. But if you're going to get into water where there is no effective bottom, or where the bottom brings you close to NDL you should have some idea about your depth limits in place before you go in. That can be based on anything from comfort at depth to future planned dives that day. There is nothing recreational about discovering you can't do your second dive because your buddy decided to drop to 120fsw and you decided to follow him, and now you're off tables for the day. That's just a drag.