How do you choose your Advanced Open Water speciality

[tursiops]

So since we are sort of on this topic, I have a question...

What is actually in the recreational Wreck Diver specialty? If you are not doing penetrations because overhead environments are tech, then what skills do you get?

Awareness of possible hazards, how to investigate a wreck from the outside for possible point of entry, mapping/drawing the wreck/site, line running and handling. Limited penetration possible on dive #4.

 

[boulderjohn]

What is actually in the recreational Wreck Diver specialty? If you are not doing penetrations because overhead environments are tech, then what skills do you get?

Penetration is done on Dive #4. You are supposed to be trained in laying line before that dive, and you lay line on the dive. You would learn to lay line a lot more in a cavern course.

 

[MaverickDiver94]

Is it against PADI standards to do the full speciality courses during the aowd?

Now sure to be honest. All I know is that when I called the instructor and asked about the AOW, he did mention that the course included x number of specialities. That's what had me curious. As you guys know diving is expensive. I just don't want to choose a speciality then later wish I had chose a different one. Hence why I'm asking for advice and experiences hehe

 

[boulderjohn]

Now sure to be honest. All I know is that when I called the instructor and asked about the AOW, he did mention that the course included x number of specialities. That's what had me curious. As you guys know diving is expensive. I just don't want to choose a speciality then later wish I had chose a different one. Hence why I'm asking for advice and experiences hehe

All right, I am officially confused. I thought that we had established on the first page of this thread that no specialties were required. Is it true (as it seems from what you write) that a PADI instructor is telling you that you must take specialties for the AOW rating?

 

[tursiops]

Now sure to be honest. All I know is that when I called the instructor and asked about the AOW, he did mention that the course included x number of specialities. That's what had me curious. As you guys know diving is expensive. I just don't want to choose a speciality then later wish I had chose a different one. Hence why I'm asking for advice and experiences hehe

That instructor, and you, should not use "specialties" without some explanations.
The AOW includes NO full specialties, but it does include the first dive of five different specialties. If you did a full specialty, it would be anywhere from 2 to 4 dives total to complete. That first dive is called an Adventure Dive, and you need five of them. It is like a sampler course. Deep and Navigation are required for AOW, no choice, one dive each. You get three more electives, like Wreck, Night, Buoyancy, etc. You choose these in advance in consultation with your instructor, who (for logistical reasons) may not be able to offer all of them. There are about 26 topics to choose from; see Advanced Open Water Diver | PADI, where it says under FAQ:

These specialty dives are available almost anywhere:​

• Deep (required)
• Fish Identification
• Night
• Peak Performance Buoyancy
• Digital Underwater Imaging
• Rescue
• Search & Recovery
• Underwater Naturalist
• Underwater Navigation (required)

The specialty dives below may not be available in all locations. If you see something that interests you, contact your instructor or dive shop to confirm availability.​

• Adaptive Support
• Altitude
• Boat
• Cavern
• Delayed Surface Marker Buoy (DSMB)
• Dive Against Debris
• Diver Propulsion Vehicle (DPV)
• Drift
• Dry Suit
• Enriched Air
• Full Face Mask
• Ice
• Rebreather
• Self-Reliant diving
• Shark Conservation
• Sidemount
• Wreck

 

[tursiops]

All right, I am officially confused. I thought that we had established on the first page of this thread that no specialties were required. Is it true (as it seems from what you write) that a PADI instructor is telling you that you must take specialties for the AOW rating?

PADI is sloppy in its wording. When they say specialities in the AOW context, they mean specialty topics, not the full specialty certification course.

 

[Bob DBF]

All right, I am officially confused. I thought that we had established on the first page of this thread that no specialties were required. Is it true (as it seems from what you write) that a PADI instructor is telling you that you must take specialties for the AOW rating?

The OP is SDI OW, and was also so talking to a PADI instructor about Nitrox and AOW. There may be confusion about what conversation was going on about with which instructor, as SDI does AOW with 4 full specialties. In addition, the PADI instructor could also be a SDI instructor.

 

[MaverickDiver94]

All right, I am officially confused. I thought that we had established on the first page of this thread that no specialties were required. Is it true (as it seems from what you write) that a PADI instructor is telling you that you must take specialties for the AOW rating?

Negative. He is not making it mandatory. He simple offers additional specialities as part of his training. He only mentioned it since I expressed interest in getting more dives in and told him of a few concerns I had. Definitely will be doing buoyancy as one of my options

 

[Belzelbub]

PADI is sloppy in its wording. When they say specialities in the AOW context, they mean specialty topics, not the full specialty certification course.

Agreed. I've had a discussion with a friend of mine. He's had OW for a while, but did AOW with his wife via a PADI outfit while on their honeymoon. He was convinced for a while that he had done complete specialties, not just the 1st dive. Part of that could be the way it was worded, could have also been the fault of the op on what they communicated to their customers.

There certainly is possibility there for misunderstanding, and I'm not sure it's entirely accidental.

 

[TMHeimer]

PADI is sloppy in its wording. When they say specialities in the AOW context, they mean specialty topics, not the full specialty certification course.

True enough (PADI can be sloppy at times). But if I wasn't confused by one dive vs. the whole Specialty, it HAS to be fairly clear.....