SSI Specialties exam

[CommanderKeen]

I am considering going for an SSI AOWD instead of PADI AOWD which means i need to complete 4 SSI specialties. Because i like the idea of doing the full specialty rather than just one dive on each topic.

I know that PADI AOWD comes with a book but there is no theory lesson / exam. Which i makes it do able in 2-3 days.

Since i want to complete the course on my next holiday I would like to plan ahead and get a realistic idea of how much time has to be devoted to learning/classes, aside from the dives itself.

Is there a there a theoretical lesson/ exam that has to be the passed for each SSI specialty, like the one at OWD level?

I would choose Deep, Navigation and Waves/Currents as well as nitrox.

I know you get the learning material upfront to prepare. Nevertheless I would like to avoid sitting in the class room every day of the week just because I have booked 3 specialties for that week of holiday.

 

[BrackaFish]

Each specialty has an exam. Depending on the specialty, you may have to complete dives. For Nav you need two, for Deep you need three, for Nitrox you don’t need any. Your Deep dives must be spread out over two or more days. One dive may count toward multiple specialty depending on location. For example you could meet the Nav and Deep requirements with a total of three dives...Good Luck with your Training.

 

[Lord270]

A question to ask is where do you live right now and where would you be thinking about doing these at for your holiday plan?

Would the holiday plan be near where you live or on a trip to some other location like the Bahamas or Caribbean or overseas?

 

[CommanderKeen]

I will be flying to Egypt for holiday. Basically the first time diving for me in 2019 aside from pool dives.

In general I am not big fan of courses during holiday, cause it’s easier just to enjoy diving without any courses.

Considering the limited diving options at my home location (especially in terms of SSI instructors) doing the specialties on holiday is the best option.

Even tough I would prefer to do Navigation and Deep Diving in a cold and dark lake, to maximize the learning effect.

 

[Lord270]

Ok. I don’t know much about the SSI instructors in Egypt and where they would take you for the deep cert part, cause you have to make dives at between 100-130ft, 80-100ft, and 60-80ft for the certification dives. Navigation is straightforward. You just have to show you can do Navigation underwater and return to your beginning point or designated end point without having to come up to get your bearings. The classes for both are all day in classroom classes. When I did my cert classes I did Navigation and night/limited vis together and then boat and deep together on a wreck I dove in Pensacola, FL. The thing about trying to do the fast track for AOW is you can do the certs which are required and some dives for the certs can be done together like doing a Navigation and deep dive together at the same time, but you also have to have a minimum of 24 logged dives to go along with the certs.

If you have the logged dives already taken care of then the final step is to take the certs but if you don’t then I would do the fun dives while in Egypt to get dive time and logged dives and then work on certs later.

 

[JackD342]

I am considering going for an SSI AOWD instead of PADI AOWD which means i need to complete 4 SSI specialties. Because i like the idea of doing the full specialty rather than just one dive on each topic.

I know that PADI AOWD comes with a book but there is no theory lesson / exam. Which i makes it do able in 2-3 days.

Since i want to complete the course on my next holiday I would like to plan ahead and get a realistic idea of how much time has to be devoted to learning/classes, aside from the dives itself.

Is there a there a theoretical lesson/ exam that has to be the passed for each SSI specialty, like the one at OWD level?

I would choose Deep, Navigation and Waves/Currents as well as nitrox.

I know you get the learning material upfront to prepare. Nevertheless I would like to avoid sitting in the class room every day of the week just because I have booked 3 specialties for that week of holiday.

I don't think you realize you have another option - do PADI AOW and do PADI specialties. The PADI AOW is structured as a "sampler platter" of specialties, consisting of the 1st dive of each of 5 specialties - Deep, UW Navigation, and whatever other 3 you and the instructor slot in. So yeah, you could do a specialty or two, count them towards AOW, and then just finish up with the remaining single Adventure Dives to complete PADI AOW. You can also do PADI AOW in typical fashion, and then circle back to complete the remainder of the courses. For instance, Deep is a 4 dive course. If you did AOW, you can generally just do the remaining 3 dives and academics.

Locally I like to encourage doing Dry Suit with AOW. So we can do Dry Suit dives 1 & 2 on Saturday, followed by another AOW dive (often a Night dive), and then start the next day doing the Deep dive using the drysuit in that frigid hole in the quarry, and then finish up with whatever the remaining two AOW dives are. One weekend: 6 dives, one specialty, & AOW.

 

[Buttha Ghamila]

Hello- I am an SSI and PADI instructor who lived and worked in Egypt. I like the SSI AOW designation as it awards you for completing 4 specialties and 24 dives. If a diver is not up to the 24 dives by the time they complete the specialties, they will still be awarded the Advanced Open Water Diver Recognition as soon as they log their 24th dive- whenever that may be.
Most centers will have you do the online academics before arriving in Egypt. When you arrive there is a bit of classroom and an exam - but it is definitely not an all day event if you do the online academics in advance.
Where in Egypt will you be going? @CommanderKeen

 

[CommanderKeen]

Thanks guys for the input. It is really helpful in assessing how much time one got to devote to the courses.

I have 22 logged dives so far. Hence I would definitely get the SSI AOWD after completing the specialties.

I was drawn to SSI AOWD since I like the idea off having some more training than just completing only one of each dives.

Plus the fact that you get to the level of master diver after adding Stress & Rescue + 50 dives.

It would be also possible to complete the PADI courses instead, but I am not sure if completing 4 specialties (incl. deep and navigation) would get me an AOWD at PADI.

I’ve heard that at some places like the maledives you need to have an AOWD regardless of the number of logged dives or specialties in order to go to certain dive spots. Completing the PADI AOWD first and adding specialties later would probably be the better option when staying at PADI.

In the end the most important factor is the instructor (and how you get along together) then the organization itself.

Maybe I should give up on the idea of completing all 4 specialties in just one week, especially when you have to spend a considerable time in class room.

It is probably the best option to talk to the instructors personally upon arrival and decide for one of the two options.

@Butta Ghamila

I will be staying at Breakers resort in Soma Bay and diving with Orca Dive Club.

 

[Buttha Ghamila]

@CommanderKeen My advise to you is to contact Orca Divers now and let them know you want to do 4 SSI Specialties. They can assign you the academics now, before you go, so you can complete essentially all the class work before heading to Egypt. When you get there, you will have to take the exams-most are 25 questions- and then you'll do the practical sessions in water or with Nitrox, at the dive center. There is no all day classroom sessions for these specialties if you do the online academics first.
If you show up and plan to crack the books open there-then yes, you will have more classroom time. It is easy to fit those specialties into your diving week- that is the beauty of the online academics- less or no classroom time. You will still receive instruction- it will be on the boat- before, during & after your dives. If you decide not to do all the specialties -at least do your Deep Specialty in Egypt. That gets you where you need to be to dive below 20 meters (60 feet). The PADI AOW tells the instructor or dive center that at least the student did 5 more open water dives and some skills with an instructor beyond their open water dives. The SSI AOW recognition tells me that you are a dedicated diver actively advancing their skills by doing full specialties- your certification card will say which specialties you did as well. Good luck and enjoy the glorious Red Sea!

 

[Buttha Ghamila]

@CommanderKeen just a quick side note, waves, tides and currents has no academics and no exam. I teach it in appropriate places that have those elements. I essentially do a long briefing about the particular location's waves, tides, and currents and how we are going to dive it. So you are down to 3 academics and exams. Remember, do the academics before you go- so you must email the dive center and purchase the courses with them. It is environmentally better than purchasing paper books! Again, enjoy!