Starting my ow today

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Congrats buddy, seems like you had a really good time :)
 
Congrats! I do my OW checkout dives next week in Grand Cayman and am excited/nervous about it. I may do the AOW right afterwards too depending how comfortable I feel.
 
Congrats! I do my OW checkout dives next week in Grand Cayman and am excited/nervous about it. I may do the AOW right afterwards too depending how comfortable I feel.
This is an amazing place to get certified :) Beats my certification in a quarry.
 
This is an amazing place to get certified :) Beats my certification in a quarry.
Yeah there is a quarry about 45 minutes from me that I could have done it in (probably not this time of year though) but I really have no desire to do any diving in cold water with not much visibility. I'll pretty much just be doing warm water Caribbean diving while on vacation and down in the Keys. I say that now but who knows, maybe once I start diving my mindset will change.
 
Regarding taking your Advanced Cert. Allways good to learn and set goals for yourself but if you just taking your Open Water then you may want to do some diving for a while. Get more experience. Don’t feel pressure to take more courses.
 
You will gain more if you get some independent diving (not solo) done without an instructor before you hop on to AOW. It’s good to get experience in between classes before you move up the ranks.

And remember, just because you’re going to do an “Advanced” class, doesn’t mean you’re advanced.

Safe diving
 
I've read all of the threads about the varying opinions on both sides of when to/not do your AOW and I know it doesn't mean you are "advanced" if you get it done. I've dove 3 times already (yes I know that is nothing in the grand scheme of things) so the OW dives will be my 4-7 dives and as mentioned I'm going to base whether I do it or not based on how comfortable I am after these dives. It will have nothing to do with being pressured into doing the dives or not. If I don't feel like I'm ready, I won't do them. Even if I don't do all of them I may do some of them. One of them is in 15ft at Sting Ray city which I will probably do regardless of getting AOW or not.
 
I've read all of the threads about the varying opinions on both sides of when to/not do your AOW and I know it doesn't mean you are "advanced" if you get it done. I've dove 3 times already (yes I know that is nothing in the grand scheme of things) so the OW dives will be my 4-7 dives and as mentioned I'm going to base whether I do it or not based on how comfortable I am after these dives. It will have nothing to do with being pressured into doing the dives or not. If I don't feel like I'm ready, I won't do them. Even if I don't do all of them I may do some of them. One of them is in 15ft at Sting Ray city which I will probably do regardless of getting AOW or not.
If you like to use fun dives to progress don’t forget to ask the divemaster/guide/instructor to help you with one topic before the dive briefing.

For example you practice, doing weight checks, deploying a DSMB at the end of a dive, improve your trim, learn to frog kick ...

Only if that’s your thing obviously ... enjoy the dives regardless !
 
Congratulations on finishing. Seems like it went like clockwork. I remember the feeling when he said "congratulations you're an OW diver". You were probably like me in being very comfortable in water to begin with. Did you have any big struggles with any skills? My only "problem" was the unit "doff & don". Still gave me trouble in the DM course.
There are many threads about when to take advanced. I did mine pretty much right away. As long as you're comfortable with basic diving and your equipment. Same goes for Rescue cert.--I took mine with only 26 dives done. Did OK. Great on some things, not so good on others. But, I then had the knowledge of what to do in a panicked diver situation. I haven't read of anyone not recommending Rescue.
 
Congrats! It's a great feeling, isn't it? I just did my first two dives since getting certified and had a lot of fun. Happy diving!
 
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