What next?

[String]

I'd say just go diving.
One thing you cant buy is experience. Simply hopping from course to course doesn't get you experience.
So go out, do 100 or so dives then you'll know more about what YOU want to learn next.

 

[ACR]

Thanks for all the feedback... I do subscribe to the principal that there is no substitute for good experience. The question was more a general interest one. (Don't worry, I'm addicted to gear, not training )

That reminds me Jimmer; we still need to get out diving. It's tough to balance that hectic snowboarding schedule with the diving one!

 

[nereas]

Generally these certifications, in this order:

OW1
AOW
Nitrox
CPR
Rescue
O2 Provider
Advanced Nitrox
Deco
Trimix
Caverns/Shipwrecks
Caves

 

[nereas]

I'd say just go diving.
One thing you cant buy is experience. Simply hopping from course to course doesn't get you experience.
So go out, do 100 or so dives then you'll know more about what YOU want to learn next.

Hopping from course to course does however give you SUPERVISED experience, and this is priceless.

Without supervision, it is easy simply to reinforce really bad habits, like overweighting, etc.

 

[muddiver]

Hopping from course to course does however give you SUPERVISED experience, and this is priceless.

Without supervision, it is easy simply to reinforce really bad habits, like overweighting, etc.

So, what's wrong with 40 to 50 lbs of lead? It saves on having to buy fins because you can get better traction on the bottom.

 

[pgdive]

Go diving and if you think that you might want to go on to DM some day, see if a local instructor will let you tag along with some classes. You can learn a lot by seeing some of the mistakes that new divers make.

 

[Jimmer]

We definetly need to get out diving sometime, we might have to find somewhere else tho, that quarry is pretty much iced clear over now. I don't imagine you want to try an ice dive just yet do ya?

 

[TSandM]

OW1
AOW
Nitrox
CPR
Rescue
O2 Provider
Advanced Nitrox
Deco
Trimix
Caverns/Shipwrecks
Caves

This is an odd sequence, and I'd be curious as to the logic behind it. I have a hard time seeing why one should do Advanced Nitrox and Deco before doing cavern, for example.

 

[Teamcasa]

Hopping from course to course does however give you SUPERVISED experience, and this is priceless.

Hiring an instructor and hopping courses is hardly priceless.

I stand on my opinion and that of others here too just get out and dive, hopefully with an experienced mentor. This would greatly improve your ability to learn and enjoy the sport safely and with more enjoyment.

I also agree with Lynne, a buoyancy, deep dive individual class would be a good plan. (Assuming you have a good instructor handy.)

I’m way more impressed by a divers skill in the water, log book entries and topside professionalism than I am with their card collection. Afterall, we all know divers with stacks of cards that have a hard time holding an unassisted safety stop!

 

[String]

Hopping from course to course does however give you SUPERVISED experience, and this is priceless.

Disagree with that. Course hopping gets you no dives without supervision so gaining little in experience. Best bet is find a buddy/join a club and go diving, for fun. Start gently, broaden experience and get a 100 or more dives in without nannying.

Without supervision, it is easy simply to reinforce really bad habits, like overweighting, etc.

Those things dont or at least shouldn't need an instructor to fix - it should have been taught.

Give me a student thats done 25 dives "on their own" so to speak over one thats done 25 dives of which 20 were just on yet another course with an instructor being looked after any day.