Rukkian
Contributor
Thanks so much for everyone's advice. The majority seem to think it is a good idea to get some extra help so I believe that is what I will do. I also agree that practice will definitely help me improve; with assistance, I can ensure I am practicing the correct things. The other common theme seems to be "it depends on the instructor," which seems logical. I have the good fortune of having a son work for an airline so I can fly, stand by, for free. I plan on getting my AOW in the keys or Miami/Fort Lauderdale area. Can anyone recommend a good instructor in that area that I could seek out?
I have nothing to compare it to, but I took my aow at Rainbow reef in Key Largo. Tyler Shaw was my instructor. I wanted to dive, and the cert was not much more than just doing 5 dives. I did the ppb as one of them, and he helped dial in much better. We also figured out I was overweighted (dropped from 22 to 12 lbs). I was doing weight checks, but was overcompensating, and was starting from what I used with a 7mm in fresh water. It was a good base, and now do not feel I need the full course, but ymmv. Not saying my buoyancy is anywhere near perfect, but I am constantly working on it. It also helps if you have decent dive buddies you can ask to give pointers as well.