Delay AOW?

[AndyA]

This tread is very interesting, I can only tell you what I felt and what I did. I have 72 dives this year; I did my first OW class dive in April 2006. After completing my OW I did my dry suit specialty and completed my AOW. This allowed me two things,
1. To experience new wonders, with someone I trust with my life.
2. To gain experience with my equipment and technique’s, with someone I trust.

Next as our LDS schedules local and distant trips for training, the dive club members can tag along to add to our specialties and experience under the guidance of DM’s and Instructors.

I am now a Master Scuba diver working on my Divemaster. This is scenario was best for me, according to the DM and Instructors I learned quickly. This is not for everyone but to say “You must wait for AOW is not true”. It must be up the individual to determine what best suits their needs.

Andy
USMC

 

[DHMO Diver]

Ber Rabbit's and NWGratefulDiver's last comments about the "quality" of the student really draw attention to a part of the equation that is seldom brought up in these types of threads. Usually the discussion is alphabetic agency vs. instructor. I think that all parts of the [agency*instructor*student*practice=diver quality] equation are important; but the student is definitely not a minor player…Thanks for pointing that out.

I am a very new-old diver. I dove in the late 50s and early 60s and had what training I could get at the time (negligible). I'm probably lucky to be alive. My wife, daughter and I just completed an OW course (35th anniversary present from our daughter).

Over the years, I have taught a lot of things (army and college) and seen a lot of instructors teaching various subjects. I would rate our OW instructor as "outstanding". He was very methodical and clearly recognized that he was teaching people to survive in a hostile environment. He made sure that everyone that passed the class could perform the "skills:"; not everyone completed the course. The OW class consisted of a range of students from a young teenager, some college-age and an old *******, me.

The thing that I noticed, and that was reinforced by Ber and NW comments, was that a large percentage of the instructor's (and assistant's) time was spent with a small percentage of the class. Their time spent was inversely proportional to the amount of commitment on the part of the student. The student that actually studied the materials, asked questions, was on time for class and practiced the skills, completed the course with a much higher level of knowledge and skill than the student who expected to be 'spoon fed" (what book?). I would have no qualms about having the teenage "study-er" as a buddy; the "spooner" scares me.

As a friend says: " If you cringe when you think about a course of action… think about the course of action."

Gordon

 

[greg454]

Wow, AndyA. 72 dives in a year? That's amazing. Are you trying to become DM, instructor or it's just for fun?

 

[all4scuba05]

Wow, AndyA. 72 dives in a year? That's amazing. Are you trying to become DM, instructor or it's just for fun?

Even better...72 dives in six months. That's an average of 2.75 dives per week if diving every single week.
He's got me jealous....weather here sucks...wish I dove that much.

 

[mirrocraft]

i dont see nothin wrong with going for your advanced open water and drysuit do to different water temps in different areas as long as you under stand its just a card you still have to get more experiance

 

[all4scuba05]

Well some folks believe the experience you need is simply the ones with the instructor.

 

[HappyFunBoater]

Well some folks believe the experience you need is simply the ones with the instructor.

I don't believe anyone on this thread said that.

 

[all4scuba05]

You didn't notice anyone saying to go from OW straight into AOW?

 

[HappyFunBoater]

You didn't notice anyone saying to go from OW straight into AOW?

Ah, it looks like you didn't understand. No problem. That's why this board is here. Let me summarize the thread so far.

(a) More diving is good.
(b) More learning is good.
(c) Somewhat redundantly to (a) and (b), more experience is good.
(d) Experienced dive buddies are good.
(e) Instructors are good.
(f) Instructors that are diving with you can be considered dive buddies, and therefore by extension are good.

Also along the way we learned that there are two types of people:

(1) People capable of diving safely, gaining experience, learning, etc.
(2) People not capable of diving safely, gaining experience, learning, etc.

Note that only people in category (1) are candidates for AOW. People in category (2) should have never be given their OW certification and are not candidates for their AOW - but that's just my opinion.

So, where does that bring us?

AOW is an acceptable way of gaining experience. For some, it may be a preferable way, especially if there is a challenge in finding good dive buddies.

Should AOW and other instructor training be the only way to get experience? Heck no. That's crazy talk.

I hope that helped! Happy diving, friend.

 

[all4scuba05]

That was good. I like the way you broke it down to diver (1) and diver (2). I made the mistake of talking as if diver 2 was the majority. So you got me there.
I would hate to see diver (1) mistakenly tell a diver(2) that there's nothing wrong with him taking AOW straight out of OW. Imagine diver (2) thinking that because he bought an AOW card, he is now ready to do a wreck at 120feet.
Sorry if I got on your nerve. Dive Safe