Considering Advanced OW Course

[av8er23]

I am considering taking an advanced OW course by the spring. I plan taking lots of courses in the future as I build my experience and feel that I am ready to do so. My first question is if I plan on getting cavern and going full cave one day is it a prerequisite to have an advanced OW course under your belt? Once I complete the advanced course what will that allow me to do that I cannot currently do as an OW diver? Please don't go into the spill about people just taking courses to hold the card. I plan on taking this course to further my knowledge and skills in the water. I am just curious about what difference it makes on paper when you go to dive with a charter boat ECT.

 

[jonahfab]

I'm not positive, but I do believe that if you want to take a cave diving course you would have to hold an advanced cert. I personally would encourage you to continue on with your aow because it is the best way for you to continue learning scuba. It is much better to learn the skills you need to safely dive in a controlled environment with an instructor then by trail and error. You might also find that it will keep you more interested in diving especially doing the times when you can't get in the water.

 

[mccabejc]

Please don't go into the spill about people just taking courses to hold the card...

SPIEL: "A lengthy or extravagant speech or argument usually intended to persuade."

SPILL: "To cause or allow (a substance) to run or fall out of a container."

(Remedial spelling instruction, no extra charge)

 

[brianstclair]

FWIW, I'm cavern certified with the NACD and not AOW. I'm pretty sure I've read on this board somewhere, maybe in multiple places, that some dive operations won't take you to some of the deeper reefs and/or wrecks if you're not AOW. Maybe someone else can confirm or deny that?

 

[av8er23]

FWIW, I'm cavern certified with the NACD and not AOW. I'm pretty sure I've read on this board somewhere, maybe in multiple places, that some dive operations won't take you to some of the deeper reefs and/or wrecks if you're not AOW. Maybe someone else can confirm or deny that?

That is true. Last year the dive operation that we were with made us take an instructor with us on the spiegle grove because we were not AOW.

That is my only experience were an AOW card would have been valuable.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Some dive operators will require an AOW cert to dive on certain sites and/or during certain conditions. I've found Cavern and Cave courses can be taken without AOW if you can show enough experience to convince the instructor you are ready for it.

I'm working towards my AOW right now just to open up certain dive sites. However, there is almost always a dive op that will get you to whatever site, despite certification level. I'm getting this over with first, so that when the Oriskany sinks(hopefully spring of '06), I won't have a problem with diving her. I'll probably take cavern around the same time or before I finish up AOW. Afterwards, friggin expensive classes for Adv Nitrox/Deco/IntroCave... ugh.

 

[divemoreworkless]

I am an Advanced OW diver, EANx certified, and getting ready to take my Stress Rescue course in a couple months to become a Master Diver. Like you, I love to build on my experience and education and have already obtained numerous Specialty course certifications.

To answer your Question#1: Depending on the cavern course you take, and diving caves at all for that matter, check first to see what prereqs are required to dive where you plan on going. Cave diving is a completely different world with excess risks involved and knowledge required. Some Florida caves, for example, will not allow you to dive them w/out first having a cave certification and so many logged dives under your belt. You may indeed be more comfortable and enjoy caving better with more dives under your belt, albeit from completing an Advanced OW course, etc. I have not yet logged any cave dives and would not do so until I completed a cave course. As a beginning diver many years ago, there is no way I would have felt comfortable caving w/out having logged a lot more dives, for whatever it is worth. Network with current cavers that have dived where you plan to dive and find out what they recommend, etc.


Question #2: Depending on what organization your Advanced OW course is obtained from, usually being an Advanced OW diver simply means you are more experienced and knowledgeable. There are indeed some dive sites that are recommended for Advanced divers and beyond, and certain dive operators will only take Advanced divers to certain sites, etc. When I dive the Carribean, for example, a couple of the dive operators I have used want to see my C-card, which states Advanced OW, and verify how many logged dives I have so they can take me and other divers with my skill level and comfort level to dive sites we might enjoy more so than, say, beginning divers. Again, some sites and/or night dives are not recommended for beginners but more for Advanced.

Hope this helps!!

 

[divemoreworkless]

This is absolutely correct: Many dive operators will only take Advanced OW divers and beyond to certain dive sites. This has been true where ever I have gone scuba diving around the globe.

 

[Vayu]

When you are AOW certified all the boat captains will know you are cool and let you dive in dangerous places.

-V

 

[drm]

Taking the adavanced OW course will help do exactly what your trying to do, improve your overall diving skills and knowledge. Yes, it will help you do more diving on the diving charters, but take the course to improve your skills and abilities. If you're interested in cavern or cave diving, the more diving you have under your belt and the better your buoyancy skills are, the more successful you'll be in cavern/cave diving. I would recommend at least 100 OW water dives before getting into cavern or cave diving. Master your skills, mental acuteness and awareness, and your diving knowledge should be your goal, which appears to why your looking into advanced OW. Good luck with your training.

David Miner
www.divingindepth.com