Planning a trip to Thailand - AOW before I go or get it there?

[karener]

I am a very new diver. I completed my OW in January 2005. I also did 4 dives in Turks & Caicos in February 2005. I live in Seattle, WA where the only diving is Cold Water. I did do my OW water here and can handle it but just barely. Pretty much everyone here dives Dry. I can't afford a dry suit right now so I haven't managed to do any more diving since Feb. My dive partner has the same experience as I do.

I felt comfortable during my dives in Turks & Caicos but not comfortable enough to just hop back into diving in Oct and feel safe. I figured the best way to brush up on my diving skills is to take the AOW course.

I'm having trouble deciding whether or not I should take my course in the cold waters of Seattle or do it while in Thailand.

We are just at the beginning stages of planning our trip but we will most likely do our diving from Phuket. We will be staying for no more then a week so if we did our AOW there that would probably be the bulk of our diving. We would probably only take one day trip in addition to the AOW dives.

Whats your opinion?

Should I do it here in the freezing cold water before I go where it will be more expensive?

OR

Should I do it in Thailand in the warm water where it will be cheaper but I will have to spend precious vacation time in the class room? Any instructor suggestions would be welcomed.

Thanks for any input,
Karen

 

[stu_in_fl]

i would do it in thailand...if its PADI - there is no classroom - just read the book and complete the knowledge reviews (and give them to your instructor) then do 5 dives of different types. I'd get the book and do the knowledge reviews before hand.

.....when you get back and eventually get a drysuit, then do a drysuit course.

 

[ssra30]

Depending on what you want to do as far as diving is concerned, you can even do AOW while on liveaboard trip in Thailand.
Diving will be easier, no need to deal with dry suit and such. You will certainly be less task overloading but it probably won't prepare you well if you want to go back to dive more around Seattle area.
Some dive operators will also offer refreshing course if you don't want to spend too much time on the AOW and just go enjoy diving.

 

[karener]

i would do it in thailand...if its PADI - there is no classroom - just read the book and complete the knowledge reviews (and give them to your instructor) then do 5 dives of different types. I'd get the book and do the knowledge reviews before hand.

.....when you get back and eventually get a drysuit, then do a drysuit course.

Oops...

Yes it is PADI.

I thought that there was classroom for AOW because on most of the websites it says that it takes about 15 hours to complete so I figured there was some classroom involved. I guess they are including all the travel time involved as well then.

 

[Quero]

<snip>

I'm having trouble deciding whether or not I should take my course in the cold waters of Seattle or do it while in Thailand.

Hi Karen,

I agree that the most time-efficient option is to buy the book and study the stuff in Seattle to save time, and do the training dives in Thailand. There really isn't much "classroom" learning, just the instructor going over your Knowledge Reviews. If you have questions while you're studying the manual before your trip, just post them to SB and you'll get somebody to help you through it.

If your Thailand AOW cert concentrates on adventure dive skills appropriate to that environment but leaves out others you may find helpful in Seattle or elsewhere, you can always add a short specialty course later to top up (if you still feel insecure about your preparation). PADI requires deep and navigation dives, plus three others, depending on what makes sense where you're doing your training dives, and what the instructor's credentials allow. For example, when I did my AOW, I did wreck, night, and search. One of my kids did naturalist, bouyancy, and night; another did night, drift, and multilevel.

 

[Kim]

AOW...classroom? Have they changed something recently?

I'd check ahead with a dive op in Thailand and see exactly what they'd want you to do. As ssra30 said....you can do it on a liveaboard - which is a great option! Then if there is any 'classroom' involved you'll be doing it on deck during the surface intervals!

 

[thien]

Hello Karen,

There are so many dive shops and centers in Phuket, you will have a bit of difficult time deciding on which to do your course. I also noticed that you are planning your trip for October, just an FYI from a local here in Phuket, the first 10-14 days of October is ugly weather... Rain, wind, and waves are very common on both side of the coast... However, the last 10 days of the month is calm, the sea is flat and weather is sunny & beautiful. Maybe it's best to plan the trip here toward the end of the month.

On doing your AOWD, if you can pick up a PADI Adventure in Diving Manual from your local dive shop, you can start your reading and completing your knowledge reviews for the 2 core dives, Deep & Underwater Navigation. That should be enough to get you going on your dives when you get to Phuket... Feel free to ask any questions about Phuket, I am on it every day

 

[Quero]

AOW...classroom? Have they changed something recently?

I'd check ahead with a dive op in Thailand and see exactly what they'd want you to do. As ssra30 said....you can do it on a liveaboard - which is a great option! Then if there is any 'classroom' involved you'll be doing it on deck during the surface intervals!

Yes, there is a classroom component, even when it's not done in a traditional classroom. And of course self-study can reduce "class" time to a minimum, allowing for more time in the water to put the techniques into practice. It's to be expected that divers with greater experience will likely need proportionately less time discussing certain skills beforehand (in "class") in order to confidently demonstrate those skills during the training dives.

 

[stevenl]

the first 10-14 days of October is ugly weather... Rain, wind, and waves are very common on both side of the coast... However, the last 10 days of the month is calm, the sea is flat and weather is sunny & beautiful.

Nice to know how the weather is going to be.

Regarding the course: agree with the advice on the book, try to get it back home, if you don't have a DC in the area, quite often also normal bookshops will have it. Read through the Deep and Navigation section, and check out the other chapters, so you can make a choice of the elective dives you would like to do. If possible, I would recommend to do a nightdive, that will really be useful, especially if you want to go on a liveaboard now or in the future, and since you don't have too many dives yet, probably also the Peak Performance Buoyancy will be of great help.

If you want to, you can also to the course in Seattle, but your mail sounds like you are enjoying your warm water dives much more than the cold water, so i would do the AOWC in warm water as well, since that is the environment where you will probably be making the majority of your dives.

Have fun.

 

[Ringo]

Hello Karen,
I also noticed that you are planning your trip for October, just an FYI from a local here in Phuket, the first 10-14 days of October is ugly weather... Rain, wind, and waves are very common on both side of the coast... However, the last 10 days of the month is calm, the sea is flat and weather is sunny & beautiful.

Karener, WHO knows what the weather will be like in October? It is so unpredictable then. Except for the last 2 years, I remember some of the best weather conditons in both early and late October. In fact there are times when we have had some of our best diving off the west coast of Phuket. I also remember that end September/early October 5 years ago weatherwise was great, although the end of October was wet.

Nevertheless the diving is still great on Phuket with warmer water temp's than you would experience in Seattle. During the months between May to October it is very seldom that the daytrip diving is cancelled due to rough conditions. For example last year we cancelled about 2 to 3 days diving throughout this period. Anyway if it does rain, then at least you will be getting wet properly in warmer waters!

To do your AOW you have many good options with excellent Instruction on Phuket. This program is conducted over 2 days and is designed specifically to improve your diving skills and therefore gain confidence with your personal abilities in the water. No exams, no tests, instead you have knowledge reviews. Do a "google" and get some answer's. Perhaps this will help you make a decision?