Where to do AOW Course?

[Kamala]

My fiancee and I are contemplating taking our AOW course sometime in the next 6-7 months. We'll have the opportunity to do it the week of our wedding in Key Largo, the following week in Aruba, or anytime after we come back to Seattle. Setting aside the issue of how much experience someone should have before they take an advanced course (as that topic has been well covered on here and is something we're already taking into consideration and may well tip us in the direction of waiting), where should we take the course? In KL, we can go with my OW instructor (Brian at Island Ventures, who is absolutely awesome). In Aruba, we'd be leaning towards Dive Aruba, Unique, Pelican, or Native based on Scubaboard reviews. Up here, we'd do it with Whidbey Dive, with whom we're just starting to develop a relationship. The big knock on doing it up here is that my fiancee may not be particularly interested in PNW diving in general, but we want our certification levels to be equal at AOW so neither person is constrained in dive choices when we go on dive vacations (which is often since future Dad-in-law lives in KL). Suggestions, tips, advice, diatribes?

 

[DORSETBOY]

Hi Kamala, I'd suggest ideally either learning in the area you intend to do most of your diving or at least in similar conditions. That way you'll be most used to the type of diving you intend doing.

That said, a dive skill is a dive skill and is the same wherever you use it, the only thing that really changes is the conditions you dive in.

 

[Scubaguy62]

The AOW is mostly an introduction to advanced diving. Just because you're AOW certified doesn't always mean you're an advanced diver. In my experience, many people who have done their AOW continue to dive OW limits until their experience builds up.

What you want to remember is that what's required (at least what PADI requires) in the AOW is advanced navigation, and deep diving. The other three dives are for you to choose. Brian is an awsome teacher and his operation is top notch; my instructor and I use them all the time, so I'm going to be a bit biased and say do it with them, especially if you already have some kind of rapport with him. Key Largo is a great place to do your advanced. Most people do their deep dive at either the Spiegel Grove, or the Duane, and both of those are good sites for this dive, as you will likely be busy dealing with buoyancy changes, currents, and dive site awareness. As far as the other three dives needed to complete the 5 required dives, Dorsetboy hit the nail on the head. My suggestion is, pick three dives, the skills of which you'll use in your normal diving area, and go with them (let me suggest you make one of them Peak Performance Buoyancy though). I'm sure Brian will definitely give you some good insights on this and lead you in the right direction.

 

[Kamala]

It's hard not to go with Brian, but we're also not sure what SNAFUs the wedding will throw up that week. Getting certified at X-mas time last year was awesome though; no other students, so I had private lessons for the cost of a regular OW course. Not a bad deal if you can get it! Of course, I had the pleasure of doing two checkout dives at Jules Verne Undersea Lodge (seas too rough for a newbie that day), so that balanced it out a bit.
SG62, I completely understand and agree with your comment about AOW vs. Advanced. I feel comfortable with the skills I learned and the AOW skills are key in the PNW murk. Which means I'm firmly planted on the fence about now or later. But I think there's definitely an advantage to getting those skills down in clear water, so I'm more prepared for my first time in the Puget Soup. Maybe I'm narrowed down to KL and Whidbey now. Known instructor vs. getting to be known LDS, rather than somewhat of a crap shoot in Aruba.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

I would suggest Whidbey Island ... if you plan to do most of your diving in the PNW. It'll prepare you better for the conditions you'll be diving in.

If you don't know any instructors in the area, let me recommend one ... Jason Cunningham. He works at Whidbey Island Dive in Oak Harbor, and was my Instructor Trainer when I got my instructor certification.

I can assure you he teaches an excellent AOW class ... better than the average AOW. I "borrowed" many ideas from him when I put my own AOW curriculum together.

If you're interested, PM me and I'll give you his contact information ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Tavi]

One of my instructors often says " Your IQ is directly proportional to how close to the equator you do your training dives"

My view on it is that it would be a tougher course (better training) at home with drysuits or heavy neoprene, gloves and hoods, and low vis.
It would me a more enjoyable course with a light wetsuit and warm waters with 100'+ visibility.

Like said above, where do you plan on doing most of your diving.

I guess it comes down to, what do you want from the course?? If it's just the card I'd do it in the keys. If it's the training, I'd do it near home.

Congrats and have a great trip!!

 

[cdiver2]

I have to agree with Dorsetboy and NWgratefildiver, Take it where you will be doing the most diving..for you PNW and warmer climes for the better half if she wants, you still end up with AOW.

 

[rje634]

Setting aside the issue of how much experience someone should have before they take an advanced course

When my wife and I took AOW we have about 50 dives but that isn't the case with everyone. When we did our AOW more than half of the people in our class (it was a big class, around 16 people) had just completed there open water and the only dives they had were the OW cert. dives.
The only bonus that I say to having looged some dives before doing AOW was that we were much more comfortable doing the required dives than some of the students. Having some dives under our belts was a good thing for us but I don't really believe that the number of dives we had really mattered.
If your concerned about your diving experience just remember that chances are there will be some students (unless you luck out and its just the two of you) in your class that has very little open water dive experience.
But hey, that's why you want to take AOW anyway to make you a better diver....

 

[Kamala]

Just to play devil's advocate here for a second... PADI AOW is 5 dives at either corner of the country. Is there anything to the theory that I will develop better skills by beginning the initial brain/muscle training in warm water with less task loading then gradually building up in the PNW with orientation and very low stress dive profiles?

 

[NEWIN50]

The big knock on doing it up here is that my fiancee may not be particularly interested in PNW diving in general, but we want our certification levels to be equal at AOW so neither person is constrained in dive choices when we go on dive vacations (which is often since future Dad-in-law lives in KL). Suggestions, tips, advice, diatribes?[/QUOTE]

Congratulations, I hope you have a great honey-moon and many wonderful years together.

I just started diving this year (February) and took my OW in warm water, but immediately took the AOW courses in the spring (in Michigan). While, I would have loved to have more dives before taking the course, I really wanted to get more training, as I will most likley always be diving with someone I don't know real well ( a dive buddy or someone I am matched up with ). My wife cannot dive due to medical reasons, so I felt I needed to get as much training as I can.

It is wonderful you can do this together, but, it sounds like your fiance does not share your enthuasim for PNW diving, I think it may be better to keep the honey moon free of dive training, and just enjoy your time together - by all means dive, but do the training at home where you can focus on the unique aspects of diving in the North West, that would provide a good opportunity for your fiance to better experience the PNW diving. Afterall new experiences you both can share are key to establishing your own identity as a married couple.

Warm water diving is nice, and teh future father-in law may live there, but don't neglect the many opportunities you have in your own "baclk-yard"