Which PADI AOW specialties

[TMHeimer]

PPB gets back to the "Neutral from the start" threads put forth by experienced/respected folks on SB.
Stuart, Nah, I don't think Photography includes "perfect" buoyancy-then again, that should be a given. But, I have no idea really what the course entails. Been playing lately?

 

[Kevo88]

I'll expand more of this in my DM thread..

When I took my Aow in 2011 (after 3 years non diving) I took PPB, Search and recovery, Navigation, Deep

Nav and Search and recovery are good if taught well

I had this convo with my (PADI) Instructors as I'm completing my DM as to which speciality was the one they didn't think should be taught

Their Answer = PPB The reason? It should have been taught during OW

Having seen the students in the pool begin horizontal and neutral I can attest to the instructors ensuring that trim and buoyancy is correctly taught.

It will be really nice when ow in trim becomes standard. My ow class was basically 90% on the bottom/ platform. I'm doing my aow next weekend with a different shop and peak performance will be one of my electives. I also plan on finishing the PPB specialty so I can get caught up on weighting and trim.

 

[scubadada]

I did DPV, ended up doing it as a specialty, well worth the time and effort. I have used DPVs on several occasions on Grand Cayman.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

My AOW was Altitude, UW Nav, Night, Deep, and Search and Recovery.
Altitude was a total waste of a dive. All that was needed was the classroom and since we did my OW checkouts on top of a mountain I already had 8 altitude dives in because I went with the shop on a weekend between OW and AOW.
UW Nav was ok but I learned more from a mentor two weeks later because the Nav dive was taught to the minimum standards.
Night was a good dive. Even though the advice on lights was geared more toward the shops bottom line than my actual needs as it turned out.
Deep was a joke and incredibly risky as I now know. No redundant gas supply on the students or hung bottle. Vertical descents with the admonition to stop kicking and grab the line after 70 ft to keep from silting things out. No discussion of gas management, SAC Rates, emergency deco procedures, or proper buddy skills for the ascent. Narcosis test was open a lock at the surface then again at depth. I was faster at depth because as it turns out I get task focused as part of the way narcosis affects me.
Search and recovery could have been good. However in a recreational search and recovery buddy separation being ok should not be standard procedure.

The way my AOW was done is the primary reason that I wrote my own course with the standards I felt should be applied when I became an instructor. Thankfully I was with an agency that allowed that.

I recommend AOW after Rescue if possible.
Then the dives done are Advanced Skills (PPB on steroids), UW Nav, Night/Low Vis, Deep, Search and Recovery, Buddy Skills and Assist (tailored to challenge those who have taken rescue and those who haven't). An option is a non-penetration wreck dive instead of search and recovery.

 

[TMHeimer]

My UW Nav was good in that it was more than I'll ever need.
Night was good too--the shop didn't care about their bottom line with me since I was a snowbird.
Deep here at home was good (although I was the only non-pro AND only wet diver in 33F water to 131').
Oops sorry, am talking about the full specialties courses. My bad.
But S & R was good on my AOW course. Did a U pattern & found the damn thing and did other stuff like expanding squares.
I think AOW & specialties vary an awful lot.

 

[stuartv]

PPB gets back to the "Neutral from the start" threads put forth by experienced/respected folks on SB.
Stuart, Nah, I don't think Photography includes "perfect" buoyancy-then again, that should be a given. But, I have no idea really what the course entails. Been playing lately?

Photography would totally depend on the instructor. Probably more so than most any other specialty. But, I'm not sure any other specialty would give you such an appreciation for good buoyancy, and trim, too, as trying to take good photos of some small unmoving object or critter. Especially in still water, where any inadvertent movement of your fins will probably push you right into your photo subject.

I haven't played a gig in months. Sucks! Weekly rehearsals, though, and a gig lined up in mid-July, so better than nothing.

 

[Colliam7]

Planning on also Wreck and Night, but undecided on the final one. Thinking it is between Photography (but no plans yet to splash out on expensive kit - only have a go-pro at moment), Fish ID or Peak Performance Buoyancy. Any recommendations of the above or any others I should consider?

I recommend PPB. However, in the interest of full disclosure here are two caveats:

1. Any course, within any agency, involving any standards can be positively or negatively affected by the Instructor. And, I know nothing about any Instructor with whom you might work.
2. Anything that I recommend reflects my own personal preferences as an Instructor, as well as what I, as a diver, think is really important. What you think is important may differ.

My preferred AOW course includes Deep and Underwater Navigation as the required dives, and Night, Wreck and PPB. PPB is always the first dive, and I place considerable emphasis on optimal weighting, buoyancy control using breathing, horizontal trim, and finning when I teach PPB. That is my approach, but you won't be taking the course with me, so what I do may have no relevance to your training. Nonetheless, I recommend PPB to any diver interested in developing precise control of their position in the underwater world - which is an essential skill for any diver interested in exploring that magnificent underwater world, AND which may enhance their learning in any additional specialty training which they may later pursue. I also recommend that AOW students complete both PPB dives - NOT because it gives them a specialty certification, although that is nice, but because it gives me more time underwater with them to help reinforce concepts address in the PPB Adventure dive, and to extend their learning with additional skill practice and new skill introduction.

You choice should be based, at least in part, on a discussion with the Instructor(s) with whom you might work, in whatever Adventure Dive you select. Ask them WHAT they teach, HOW they teach, and WHERE they place their emphasis. It might help you make a decision.

Have fun.

 

[Nasser]

Buoyancy is so fundamentally important to any future diving endeavors that I think it really deserves the extra attention - particularly if you're just starting. If you have a good instructor, you can pick up a lot of tips and build a strong foundation - regardless if it's part of you're OW, AOW, or a separate course. Any chance you get to fine tune your buoyancy and pickup some new insight is a great advantage. IMHO you can never have too much buoyancy training.

 

[Bogtrotter]

For new divers I would recommend PPB over any of the others. It would be invaluable- something you will utilize on every single dive- best to start early and get it right so it becomes second nature. Proper trim and buoyancy will help immensely to safety do cavern and wreck penetrations. For the other options it really depends on what you intend to do the most.

 

[Storker]

My youngest son is taking his AOW these days. PPB wasn't on the menu. Crap. OTOH, what I've heard from the instructor so far is that he's one of the better in the class when it comes to diving skills. I guess that means that it's possible to learn decent trim, buoyuancy and UW behavior by mentoring rather than formal training.