I got certified!!

[TheRedHead]

narced out of your gourd at 100 feet? I have heard of very few PADI classes that take the students below 100'
gas supply management is something the student should be doing their very first dive during certification
losing the ascent line, they are with the instructor right?

LOL. You haven't read some of the deep AOW dive incident reports around here, have you? He's talking 130 feet where you can easily get narced out of your gourd, especially if you have a current on the wreck and have to fight it. I'm sorry, but AOW doesn't prepare one to dive 130 foot wrecks. There is no "gas management" in the PADI AOW manual, much less for someone who doesn't have a clue have quickly you run through gas at 130 feet. Doubles makes sense at that depth.

 

[TheRedHead]

Welcome to the club! I'd never heard of TDI for nitrox(I had a TDI Jetta once, great gas mileage, lol), but based on what you and another poster said, I'll have to look into them when I go for my nitrox.

TDI does offer Nitrox. I took Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures from TDI. I didn't find their instruction material superior. It really depends on the instructor.

 

[David P]

and as for gas management PADI OW courses teach relativly nothing on gas management,

really? well now that I think about it, I'm not too surprised... I guess I am looking back at my own comfort zone when I got certified and the training that I received as opposed to the quickie 2 weekend training most people receive. You are correct about the vacation training, I personally would stay away from that. I was just in Hawaii and signed up for a wrec dive... 120' bottom "but we wont be going THAT deep..." and I had to follow the DM(never before, and never again). After doing a deep stop and safety stop I surfaced with a little over 1500 psi in an aluminum 80 and was asked/chewed out why I took so long to surface and why I didn't stick with the group on the ascent. I told the crew that I did a deep stop and they asked "deep what?"... yeah not the place I would want to be instructed.

 

[TheRedHead]

I guess I need to find the thread where Dandy Don went OOA TWICE when diving a wreck .

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

I'd suggest trimix and lessons in gas management before doing a wreck dive at 130'. It will be a lot safer and probably a lot more enjoyable. Just my 2 psi.

 

[njd3rph]

I told the crew that I did a deep stop and they asked "deep what?"... yeah not the place I would want to be instructed.

sad, but oh so funny

 

[njd3rph]

I'm sorry, but AOW doesn't prepare one to dive 130 foot wrecks. There is no "gas management" in the PADI AOW manual, much less for someone who doesn't have a clue have quickly you run through gas at 130 feet. Doubles makes sense at that depth.

In my opinion PADI AOW dosnt prepare one to dive any wreck properly, let alone at 130', and I second diving doubles on a wreck at 130'

 

[spectrum]

I want to take this new love in my life professional, but I'm slowly working my way up the ranks.
So, there is a Padi AOW class next week. Should I go ahead and take it, and then start working on my specialties through TDI? I just don't like the idea of being an "advanced" diver after just a handful of dives, but I'm on vacation in a couple weeks and I'm going to try to dive on what the shop calls "advanced" (130ft) wrecks.
What should I do, people?

p.s.-diving kicks ***!!!

I suggest getting a few dozen novice dives under you belt before doing AOW. Let the basics get hardwired and then let AOW take you into the deep, the night and such. You are correct about feeling wrong about being an advanced diver with a handful of dives, the class is misnamed. Often it ends up being remedial OW and turns out overexposed under experienced divers. Get a few dozen novice dives under your belt and jump into AOW.

Agency materials will vary but in general the instructor will make or break the value of the course. Go with what feels right.

You have no business making a dive to 130 feet or even half that depth at this point. At this point in your diving going to 130 feet will be painfully short, risky and a waste of time. Get into lots of water where you can get nice long experience building dives. My wife and I spent a lovely 1:18 with a max depth of 16 feet today. Nice light, critters, plants and we came out with plenty of air. There is no way that you are prepared to execute a dive to 130 feet let alone perform the role of buddy.

The most important specialty is diving, just plain diving. Do it then take whatever you see a need for to close gaps.

Pete

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Take the AOW class. It will be a good continuation of your training. TDI is more focused on "technical" diving. You need to learn to be a good recreational diver first.

Even after completing the AOW class, I'd strongly recommend not doing those 130' dives until you get a lot more experience.

 

[Hinalo]

Hmmm. What about getting narced out of your gourd, gas supply management, losing the ascent line, just to name a few potential problems. :shakehead

IF he is taking his PADI AOW deep dive then he will have an instructor with him and will have planned his dive with his instructor. I do feel that if he wants to dive deep, this would be a really good introductory dive. Leave the deeper dives with a DM in the same ocean for later.

Someone said that AOW is a poorly named course. Exactly. Most of it really should be part of the basic OW curriculum.

I agree with TheRedHead that 130' wreck diving in current would be a bad idea.