OW & AOW in Puerto Galera

[Scofield]

Hi All!
I'm planning a holiday to PG in Oct and hope to do both OW & AOW together. However i'll only have 7 days in philippines (which leaves about 5 in PG).
Plan is to complete the elearning and pool dives before the trip, which will allow me to jump right into the open-water dives.

Theoretically i believe this should be possible. But with the weather and other unforeseen porblems, perhaps i'm being too ambitious. What do you guys think?

Also having looked around, it seems Asia Divers and Action Divers are the most often-mentioned. Besides the prices, is there any significant between the 2?

(Not sure if this makes a differnece, but I'll be travelling solo so hoping to meet a sociable crowd )

 

[Jim Lapenta]

And just how much time will you have to perfect the skills you learn in OW before doing the AOW? I teach a different AOW course from the norm and do not allow students to jump right in after AOW. I require a min of 10 dives post OW for my students. For those I do not know in addition a pool session and 2 or 3 dives with me may be required. I tell everyone that if you cannot perform all the basic skills- mask clear, reg retrieval, weight belt, etc in a horizontal position in mid water or while swimming horizontally and not change your depth by more than 2 feet you are not ready for AOW. AOW has been turned into nothing more than a money making tour by many. It is not supposed to be that way. You should be learning new skills such that would be required on dives that the AOW card gives you access to with many operators. If not all you are doing is taking basic skills that most likely are not polished and putting them to the test in places where a mistake has potentially much greater consequences. Do your OW first. Get some dives in then do AOW later after you know what you are doing. How many pool sessions are planned for your course prior to going? Hope you are getting at least 3 or 4. I do 7-8 for a total of 16 hours before checkouts. Where are you located?

 

[schaffld]

I completely agree with getting a bit of experience under your belt before going into the AOW. Especially with the little amount of time you've left for yourself in PG. You may, in fact, find it difficult to even get the OW done in that amount of time with all of the extra-curricular activities that go on along Sabang Beach. There should be absolutely no problem finding a sociable crowd there so traveling solo is not a problem. My first trip to PG was as a solo traveler in 2002 and I've been a regular visitor ever since... actually plan to do my IDC/IE there next year.

If you intend to do your Knowledge Reviews online, you will have to affiliate yourself with one of the diveshops there. As far as I know, Asia Divers and Atlantis Divers are the only ones doing eLearning... That, however, is bound to change as more and more shops get online.

You definitely have a vast choice of dive shops from which to choose should you decide to just go there without affiliating yourself with an eLearning centre. Shop around a bit and you can probably negotiate a fair deal. More importantly, however, talk to the instructor who will be conducting your course for no other reason than to just get an idea if you get a good vibe.

I don't want to use this forum as a means to tout any particular dive shop, but if you would like some more information or some of my humble recommendations on diving in Puerto, feel free to contact me with a private message.

Once again, with only 5 days in Puerto Galera, you probably won't really get the benefit of doing the AOW when you are still trying to figure out your buoyancy and mesmerized by the fish.

 

[CODMAN]

Well I don't totally agree with everything JimLap has said coffee, but I do agree with the get more experience before doing AOW. Besides you will be sweating to get everything done in that time and not taking advantage of the great diving there! Do AOW, take it easy, and enjoy yourself. Get some good quality dives in; you are in diving paradise, don't spend it all in the classroom! AOW, if you feel the need you can do in the future. Already with OW you have lots of great experiences on the way and lots of learning!

Take it easy!

 

[Scofield]

Thanks all for the advice. :cool3:
Actually it didn't occur to me to do both together until it was suggested to me by someone else, and it seemed like a good idea.

I know there'll be quite a few distractions with non-diving activities around sabang, but i'd like to get as many dives as i can and not just do the bare minimum for OW.

I'm based in dubai. And while there is a dive school here, the price for OW is so inflated that i've figured i might as well do it while on holiday.

(schaffld: sent you a pm)

 

[Rhoody]

Well, if you feel comfortable in the water you should go for it. If you can finish academics and confined before hitting PG.

Many diveshops offering up to 5 dives a day, so you wont have any problems to get 15 under your belt in your time staying, which would than even hit a earlier stated volume of the next of course much better) dive assiciation (the 10 dives minimum are IMHO the same crap than calling the second PADI cert "Advanced")

I highly recommend Asia Divers as the Point-Bar is THAT watering hole before hitting the nightlife.

And nothing funnier than sitting at Happy hour in the point bar with an SMB and shout nasty comments down to the dive-master/instructor who walks out and has to conduct the night-dive with a AOWD student... hehe

 

[Rogersea]

Hi All!
I'm planning a holiday to PG in Oct and hope to do both OW & AOW together. However i'll only have 7 days in philippines (which leaves about 5 in PG).
Plan is to complete the elearning and pool dives before the trip, which will allow me to jump right into the open-water dives.

Theoretically i believe this should be possible. But with the weather and other unforeseen porblems, perhaps i'm being too ambitious. What do you guys think?
(Not sure if this makes a differnece, but I'll be travelling solo so hoping to meet a sociable crowd )

I think trying to squeeze both OW and AOW in 5 days is possible, but not advisable. I personally would finish my OW and get a few dives under my belt before I complete my AOW. I have found that divers who go straight from OW to AOW typically/often end up not really mastering basic skills such as UW Navigation which are essential to becoming really competent divers.

Either way I hope you enjoy your trip to PG and especially your time underwater.

Cheers,
Roger

 

[h2odragon1]

Getting your classroom work out of the way for your OW before you go is a good idea! The attampt to get your AOW at the same time may be too much! Do your OW dives, get that cert., and use the rest of your time enjoying the diving in Puerto Galera. Your AOW work can be done under more relaxed conditions.
ENJOY THE DIVING FIRST!!!

 

[CODMAN]

Do AOW, take it easy, and enjoy yourself. Get some good quality dives in; you are in diving paradise, don't spend it all in the classroom!
Take it easy!

I obviously meant OW... Damn these stubby fingers...

 

[chip104]

Hi All!
I'm planning a holiday to PG in Oct and hope to do both OW & AOW together. However i'll only have 7 days in philippines (which leaves about 5 in PG).
Plan is to complete the elearning and pool dives before the trip, which will allow me to jump right into the open-water dives.

Theoretically i believe this should be possible. But with the weather and other unforeseen porblems, perhaps i'm being too ambitious. What do you guys think?

Also having looked around, it seems Asia Divers and Action Divers are the most often-mentioned. Besides the prices, is there any significant between the 2?

(Not sure if this makes a differnece, but I'll be travelling solo so hoping to meet a sociable crowd )

AOW is what you make out of it - if you want to do really get the most out of it, I wouldn't rush it. If you want to do it for the sake of just getting the certificate, it's possible to do both in 7 days.

But I agree with the posters saying that you can do it, but with just 7 days I'd rather enjoy doing activities other than the course. You'll still maximize your dive time if choose not to take the AOW. I personally feel that you don't have to worry about your manhood if you're just OW certified as opposed to AOW certified.

Asia Divers and Action Divers are recommended dive ops by a lot of PPDers. Asia Divers is more internationally known. As schaffld stated, I don't know if action divers does elearning.

hope that helps.