Nitrox + AOW checkout dives

[DanBo]

Hello to all fellow divers,

Like most divers, I got bored this past winter and signed up for nitrox class. I got that part done and am about to take my 2 required dives and was thinking of doing it through my LDS. Question is, I'm not AOW certified although I have over 80 dives under my belt, all under 60 feet (I'm a good student and follow rules quite well). The dives that my LDS are taking within the next few weeks are all in the 90 - 110 feet range. Okay, so I also signed up for AOW - heck, why not 2 birds with 1 stone. Oh by the way, they say, you'll need a drysuit....so I buy a 7mm from a buddy of mine since I'm running low in cash.

Questions that come to mind are: How's the ocean temp out of Ocean City, MD this time of year? I'd hate to do my dives in a quarry, but if I had to will dive in one but where can I do my nitrox required 2 dives? They pretty much gave me my referral form and told me that if I took my 2 required dives elsewhere, if I wanted NAUI nitrox cards to take the signed forms back to them after the dives. I prefer NAUI on this due to the instructor.

Am I over my head in doing the nitrox dives plus some specialty dives that will be credited towards my AOW? By the way, I'm pretty calm under pressure, always try to have a clear mind and am aware of my surroundings at all times.

No pressure here but I just feel that to maximize my bottom time I need at least nitrox and since most of the pristine wrecks are in the "advanced" category I am pursuing that dream.

Any thoughts on this, good or bad, are welcome. Like I said, if it's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

Dan

 

[LUBOLD8431]

Ok, well, I dont have a problem with doing your Nitrox dives with your AOWD. What I think is a little sketchy is the dives are going to be so deep (90-110). Thats a little too deep for training dives... The first two should be much shallower than that...

ALso, it sounds like you dont have too much experience with a drysuit. This could turn into a disaster. Take it a little slower, get some shallow dives with the drysuit, even a pool. Then take it out into open water, get some experience with it. Then do your AOWD. Then go a little deeper.

DOnt jump into it just because you want everything to be completed... Take it a little slower... Youve got time...

 

[HarleyDiver]

Diving on Nitrox does not cause any additional "task loading" or require any special considerations other than NOT exceeding your MOD. Lots of people combine it with AOW dives. If your doing your "deep" just lighten up on your O2 % a little, no use pushing limits on training dives.

 

[Epinephelus]

No problem combining Nitrox & AOW dives - as HarleyDiver said, just stay within your MOD.
I do have a little concern if these will also be your first dry suit dives. If you're not taking a formal dry suit course, I highly recommend you get in the pool with a dry suit diver and practice "tuck & roll" and various dumping methods, then get a few dives in the drysuit under your belt before adding to your task loading with the AOW & Nitrox.
E. itajara

 

[DanBo]

Thanks everyone for your kind replies! I will take the drysuit class and do some dives in a local quarry. Whilst in a controlled envirnment (Quarry, that is) I can do my 2 required nitrox dives while still under the supervision of an instructor.

I also just found out through my LDS that they're doing some AOW dives in the same quarry. Thanks again for all your valuable input.

Hope to see you underwater soon

Dan