I've logged 300 dives or so over the last few years with over 150 of those dives between 110ft and 120ft. I dive with a lot of friends on their boats offshore and have only been on 30 chartered dives of the 300. I always have the most experienced diver on the trip sign my log book, many times he/she is a Dive Master, and sometimes an instructor rating. As far as Cert Cards, I only have my Open Water Certification and got my Nitrox just to get my LP120s filled.
Will most places take the logbook with signatures and diver/masterdiver numbers as a substitute for Advanced Open Water certification? I called a dive shop in the Carolinas today about a trip while my Fiance and I are visiting. I called to inquire about a wreck dive in 80ft of water, which required an AOW Cert. My fiance does have her Advanced Open Water but has logged only about 50 dives and is much less experienced than myself. Despite my experience level and my Fiance as a dive buddy, they told me I would have to either take their Advanced Open Water Class the day before the trip or pay $50 extra on my trip to have an extra dive master "babysit" us on the dive since BOTH of us did not have an advanced open water certification.
Is this the normal with dive shops? I thought this was a ridiculous attempt to just suck some cash out of my pocket. I'd much rather spend $50 in the dive shop for something I can use than pay $50 for something I certainly don't need on a simple 80ft wreck dive on a big charter boat.
