jstamets
Contributor
Hi.
Although I have posted a couple of comments, this is effectively my first post. I have spent a while reading up on the forums and have learned a lot, but also have a lot of questions regarding my training, or lack thereof and the right and wrong ways of doing things.
To be concise, I felt confident in my training (PADI OW/AOW) until I read through the forums, and now I am not so sure. I am questioning whether I should get additional training or just dive. Now, I know that you can't really answer that not knowing my background or why I came to that question, so what follows below is a very optional read to explain that. It was part of my original post, but really is just background and maybe not relevant.
Thanks,
John
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Background
Well, thanks for sticking it out this long. I had the opportunity to snorkle in the Bahamas right out of High School back in 1983 and desired then to be able to dive. When I was in college, I saw that the University offered a scuba class for credit (about 1987, if I recall, I was taking the scenic route) and decided it would be a great way to get the cert I wanted since snorkling. It was an 8 or 10 week class with meetings once or twice a week, I don't recall. I do remember "harassment" excercises, which built our confidence, treading water with our arms above water for 10 or so minutes, an eternal survival float, swimming laps and an underwater swim and some other water skill assessments. As a previous competitive swimmer and lifeguard, these weren't terribly demanding at the time, since back then I could swim 50 yards underwater, but I wouldn't call them cake. I spoke with a person who was in the class who later became an instructor and he indicated that the class was taught way too tough - more of a rescue diver level and that you didn't need that kind of training to rec dive. We even learned decompression diving. I don't remember the agency. It might have been YMCA, but again, I can't recall. Well, as I said, that was in college, winter quarter, and the tuition did not cover the open water dives, and so, being a poor college student, I never finished getting my certs. Flash forward 20+ years and I am working on the things to complete in my life list.
Well, this last summer I got my OW through PADI and felt that it was too easy compared to my previous training and wanted to get more, so I went on to get my AOW. To make sure I kept diving I also purchased my gear. My wife and daughter showed interest, so now they are OW and Jr AOW certified as well, also with their own gear. I was really looking forward to diving, but after reading the boards, I am not so sure that we are really qualified. I have no dives yet, outside of my certification dives. I do not consider myself an advanced diver.
Here are the conflicting points I have observed from the forums so far- this contributes to my uncertainty.
1A. Don't take AOW right after OW - you need more dives to make it gel.
1B. Take AOW right after OW because it is really just OW part II, to get more training, but remember that you are not truly advanced (kinda moot at this point for me).
-----
2A. OW/AOW all at once (about 50 hours?) is too much, too quick - you are rushing it.
2B. You need a 100 hour course to really learn how to dive
These seem to be stating completely opposite takes on training, but begs the question did I get enough training?
So, trying to digest and make sense of all of that has [-]eroded my confidence in my training[/-] caused me to question the validity of my training. I think I can dive fine in 40-60 feet, but jeez, I don't want to be "that guy" on a dive boat.
Although I have posted a couple of comments, this is effectively my first post. I have spent a while reading up on the forums and have learned a lot, but also have a lot of questions regarding my training, or lack thereof and the right and wrong ways of doing things.
To be concise, I felt confident in my training (PADI OW/AOW) until I read through the forums, and now I am not so sure. I am questioning whether I should get additional training or just dive. Now, I know that you can't really answer that not knowing my background or why I came to that question, so what follows below is a very optional read to explain that. It was part of my original post, but really is just background and maybe not relevant.
Thanks,
John
==============================================================================
Background
Well, thanks for sticking it out this long. I had the opportunity to snorkle in the Bahamas right out of High School back in 1983 and desired then to be able to dive. When I was in college, I saw that the University offered a scuba class for credit (about 1987, if I recall, I was taking the scenic route) and decided it would be a great way to get the cert I wanted since snorkling. It was an 8 or 10 week class with meetings once or twice a week, I don't recall. I do remember "harassment" excercises, which built our confidence, treading water with our arms above water for 10 or so minutes, an eternal survival float, swimming laps and an underwater swim and some other water skill assessments. As a previous competitive swimmer and lifeguard, these weren't terribly demanding at the time, since back then I could swim 50 yards underwater, but I wouldn't call them cake. I spoke with a person who was in the class who later became an instructor and he indicated that the class was taught way too tough - more of a rescue diver level and that you didn't need that kind of training to rec dive. We even learned decompression diving. I don't remember the agency. It might have been YMCA, but again, I can't recall. Well, as I said, that was in college, winter quarter, and the tuition did not cover the open water dives, and so, being a poor college student, I never finished getting my certs. Flash forward 20+ years and I am working on the things to complete in my life list.
Well, this last summer I got my OW through PADI and felt that it was too easy compared to my previous training and wanted to get more, so I went on to get my AOW. To make sure I kept diving I also purchased my gear. My wife and daughter showed interest, so now they are OW and Jr AOW certified as well, also with their own gear. I was really looking forward to diving, but after reading the boards, I am not so sure that we are really qualified. I have no dives yet, outside of my certification dives. I do not consider myself an advanced diver.
Here are the conflicting points I have observed from the forums so far- this contributes to my uncertainty.
1A. Don't take AOW right after OW - you need more dives to make it gel.
1B. Take AOW right after OW because it is really just OW part II, to get more training, but remember that you are not truly advanced (kinda moot at this point for me).
-----
2A. OW/AOW all at once (about 50 hours?) is too much, too quick - you are rushing it.
2B. You need a 100 hour course to really learn how to dive
These seem to be stating completely opposite takes on training, but begs the question did I get enough training?
So, trying to digest and make sense of all of that has [-]eroded my confidence in my training[/-] caused me to question the validity of my training. I think I can dive fine in 40-60 feet, but jeez, I don't want to be "that guy" on a dive boat.
Last edited:
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