Newly Certified

[Thundrwood]

Hi all:

I was recently certified as an OW Diver in Grand Cayman. Now, I plan on traveling to Cozumel in March for more diving.

Should I take the Advanced OW class while I’m there or do some more dives while I’m there to gain more experience first?

Thanks.

 

[Pedro Burrito]

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[TMHeimer]

I always recommend not doing any courses at all while on vacation (dive vacation or in general). IMO better to enjoy diving and other activities rather than spending time working on courses (even though AOW is mostly diving). Do AOW locally if possible, get your money's worth out of the trip.
Your other question about getting more experience first has been often discussed here--ie. "Getting more out of the AOW if you have all your basics down and do them automatically" vs. "It's a good idea to do AOW right away to get more experience with an instructor and avoid getting into bad habits right away". Take your pick.
I did AOW after 10 total dives (4 OW Course plus 6 more). But it was the only way I could get out on a charter at the time. Turned out OK for me. I was very comfortable in water and comfortable enough with diving to start with though.

 

[Compressor]

Hi all:

I was recently certified as an OW Diver in Grand Cayman. Now, I plan on traveling to Cozumel in March for more diving.

Should I take the Advanced OW class while I’m there or do some more dives while I’m there to gain more experience first?

Thanks.

Congratulation on your certification. I am like TMHeimer: No courses on vacation only exception is possibly a nitrox course. Gain experience first then take the AOW course locally.

 

[Parklander]

Congratulation and welcome to the coolest sport on the planet.

I concur with the above regarding “resort” training. Go visit all your local dive shops and meet their instructors and owners and find one that makes you feel comfortable and welcome and confident in their ability to help you learn. Those relationships are important.

Get in the water as often as you can and make smart choices about the equipment into which you spend your money. Don’t buy the Rolls Royce of gear thinking you will use it for years. There are so many directions in which you might go and they all will change what is right for that type of diving. The economy stuff is not dramatically different from the best.

You are on the right track in wanting to learn more. This is a sport in which more knowledge will always serve to keep you safer and expand the possibilities.

Lastly, be serious about safety and following the rules. The diving most people do can be done safely when those rules are followed. Be safe. Enjoy!

 

[Thundrwood]

As landlocked in Tennessee, the only nearby option is a quarry. I am not interested in diving in a quarry, so I travel to the Caribbean twice a year. I did two shallow dives in the Turks and the four in Grand Cayman. When I go on vacation that is when I can dive. I'm not buying any equipment. I bought a nice mask and snorkel, that's it.

 

[Saboteur]

Congrats on the OW cert. Nothing wrong with doing courses on vacation IMO, especially when you can do the bookwork online at home, then just do the dives during your trip. If no interest in fresh water diving I recommend keeping in practice by going to the pool every once in a while, for sure a week or so before your next trip. Hope you continue to enjoy the sport!

 

[JamesBon92007]

I guess it depends upon why you want to take the advanced course. If you are taking it just so nobody will tell you that you can't go on a particular dive because you are only OW then, from what I've seen, it's usually not necessary. My girlfriend got OW certified and shortly afterward she was on a boat and the DM said "the deepest part of the dive will be 90 feet." He didn't care that she wasn't AOW nor has anyone since. If you want to take the AOW class to learn more about diving, then that's different. But realize that as you dive you will gain more experience anyway. According to PADI (and my understanding of what they say) my girlfriend is now certified to 80 feet because she's been to 80 feet. Also, nobody has ever looked at her log book but I suppose you need to log dives in order to get the next level of certification, assuming you need it. There are dive boats in California that do indeed require AOW for some dives however I suspect that a log book full of dives that would be considered beyond OW might suffice. We both recently took the PADI specialty course of Coral Reef Conservation so that we can do volunteer work on the reefs and that certification is required to do that.

My girlfriend tried to take her original certification course while on vacation and felt like she was wasting her valuable time so I agree with everyone else that if you can do it at home then that would be a lot better.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I'd suggest diving for fun this trip, and scope out potential instructors that are a match for your goals for when you go back. Cozumel is a place you want to go to several times, especially it is more convenient for you coming from Tennessee.

 

[GreggS]

Don't be so quick to dismiss quarry diving. I'm in west-central NC and my wife and I dive quarries a lot. While the water won't be as warm and the viz will be much lower, a lot of experience can be gained by quarry diving. But if you don't intend to buy your own equipment, that would be a hindrance since it is much easier to load up and go diving if you own everything instead of having to rent most of it

Anyway, welcome to diving. Have fun and be safe.