Getting my AOW soon, need reassurance

[Mustangfreak]

Not this coming weekend, but next weekend we (Air Force) have a 3 day weekend, and my instructor ( I work with him as well) is going to do my AOW cert at this time.

I don't have any problems with it, except the night dive part. I know, everyone says its cool and I know you see allot different stuff at night then in daytime.

Before I came here, I couldn't even swim in a lake with my head above the water, much less below the water. And once I got here, and the water is so clear, I tried snorkeling and got hooked, went further and got scuba certified.

But me diving at night when its pitch black? I dunno..:confused1 :nervous:

 

[thesassyrabbit]

The first time you night dive, it can be a little nerve racking, but you'll be with your instructor, you've got the skills, and you'll be fine! Night diving is my favorite diving. Presumably you'll have a light with you, so it won't be pitch dark.
You see things at night in the glow of the light diffusing into the water that you wouldn't see during the day, as well as sea life that isn't out during the day.

 

[careerdiver]

It will not be pitch black, remember you will have 3 lights with you. If you are totally freaked out about it, see if you can do an alternate dive instead of night dive. (Speaking only for PADI) night is no longer required as core, only deep and navigation. Only you know what you are comfortable with, do not make any dive you are not comfortable with.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

I remember my first night dive. It was also AOW class and there were about a dozen people involved. The class, instrutor and then some other folks who tagged along.

The night was perfect, big full Autumn moon, clear water and a relatively simple shore entry. What struck me immediately was the environmental difference. There were more fish and other animals moving about. Oddly, I often felt I could actually see better during that dive than on many day dives.

It was a bit hairy with so many people swimming around, and so many different levels of expertise. Some of the divers really had problems not silting things up, but overall it was a fascinating dive. One thing that struck me was how much easier it was to keep track of my buddy...and everyone else. Those lights are just so obvious at night.

If you are going out with just your instructor, that will probably make it ever easier. One light and a strobe or marker on his tank to keep track of. Watch for the sea critters you don't see during the day.

Since then I have done other night dives and I really love them. Sometimes I think I prefer them.

You'll do great, relax and enjoy!

 

[Diveral]

A night dive is an awesome zen-like experience. Except for the first one of course, you are just too darned nervous to reach that zen like state,:14: Go ahead and take a wack at it. Most of us have felt the same apprehension our first time.Trust me night dives are way cool and they grow on you.

 

[Floridawannabe]

Suck it up and drive on Soldier Just joking, used to be ARMY. It is cool diving at night all the other fish that usually hide in the day come out. It is a rush and just make sure you keep your light out of your dive partners eyes. Stay close to your partner like almost shoulder to shoulder. Once you get down there it will be like when you went for your OW certification and you will love it. I am going for my AOW next 2/16/2006 also but have cheated and been down a couple of times at night to see how it is, I did not go below 20 Ffw., because it was new to me. I am sure you will have a blast, keep us all updated how it goes, also watch your SPG because people always use more air doing something new.

 

[Storm]

I did my first, and only so far, on an AOW cert dive. If possible, pre-dive the area the of the dive the same day, but before the light disappears, to get familiar with the site.

It'll help yoo get oriented to the site. Don't worry about "pitch black" It shouldn;t be. Between your light, your buddy's, and any other divers residual light, you'll have more than enough to see, (espeically if there's more than one team diving the same site.)

Stay close to your buddy.....arms distance. One thing some DI's will forget to tell you, is, (the GRUNTS out there will verify this) is that once you start to develop your night vision, you'll be surpirsed how much you can see outside of your light radius..just don't flash yourself woth your light, it'll really screw you night vision.

Relax and enjoy it. I can't wait for my next one..it's awesome.

 

[ScubyDoo]

Dont sweat the night dive. You will probably be with a fairly large group of people, and there will be lights everywhere. It certainly wont be dark. Something to note as well is that you will probably enter the water at dusk, before its dark, and it will get dark while your under. That way your eyes and mind gradually adapt to the changing conditions. When I did my AOW, we even practiced the night dive in the pool. My LDS has a heated indoor pool with a large glass door on one end. We turned out all the lights and entered the pool a little before dusk, and swam around till it got dark outside. Our instructor played a little trick on us (4 of us) by sneaking up into the shallow end and turning his light out. He wanted to see how long it took us to realize he was missing and come find him. My dive buddy noticed it first, and also went up the shallow end and turned his light out. I of course followed my buddy. The three of us layed face down in the shallow end with no lights and watched the other two swim around oblivious to the fact we werent there anymore. To thier credit, it didnt take them long to realize we were gone, and they swam up with the ole..."Whats Goin On" look on thier faces..

 

[BIGSAGE136]

Do'nt do it. Wait until it's a calling.

 

[Mustangfreak]

Do'nt do it. Wait until it's a calling.

I want my AOW Id like to be a dive master by Aug-Sep.