Why Ever take Advanced Open Water...

[garyfotodiver]

Why worry so much about a(ny) C-card? As my friend Mikey the DM says, "Dive, dive, dive!"

 

[Sas]

Why worry so much about a(ny) C-card? As my friend Mikey the DM says, "Dive, dive, dive!"

Because some charters like to see them before you are allowed to dive at certain dive sites. So in order to "Dive, dive, dive" you need the card first! At least, in my experience.

 

[garyfotodiver]

Because some charters like to see them before you are allowed to dive at certain dive sites. So in order to "Dive, dive, dive" you need the card first! At least, in my experience.

In my experience, you need the experience first. I have seen too many new OW divers unable to complete dives for their "AOW" without the instructor nursemaiding them. This, in my opinion, is a less than useful method of creating competent recreational divers.

First get completely comfortable with the skills that were taught in the OW class. Accomplish this by diving within your comfort zone. Then, and only then, start broadening your perspective. There is no rational need to dive, for example, a wreck at 110fsw on your second post-certification dive.

I want to dive with you, and not after you.

 

[cave_diver]

Yes, except for some locations in the Caribbean and in South America, you will need a c-card to get on the boat. Unfortunately, in some locations in Europe you need the "right" c-card to get on the boat. I have had occasions were NSS-CDS, NACD, and IANTD cards were rejected since nobody knew the training agencies. An old PADI card I rarely show anybody (uhhh, the ugly picture on it really hurts) saved the day!

 

[Sas]

In my experience, you need the experience first. I have seen too many new OW divers unable to complete dives for their "AOW" without the instructor nursemaiding them. This, in my opinion, is a less than useful method of creating competent recreational divers.

First get completely comfortable with the skills that were taught in the OW class. Accomplish this by diving within your comfort zone. Then, and only then, start broadening your perspective. There is no rational need to dive, for example, a wreck at 110fsw on your second post-certification dive.

I want to dive with you, and not after you.

I am confused, I thought you were saying why would anybody get *any* cert card ever, and I was pointing out that many charters require them so that is a reason why people get them. All charters in my area require OW at least, so you do need at least one c-card to go and dive to build up your experience on boat dives at least. If you want to check out 30m sites, you need AOW card, 40m, you need Deep card, and then deeper than that you need technical certs.

I was not commenting on whether people *should* be getting them. That is a whole other issue!

 

[garyfotodiver]

I am confused, I thought you were saying why would anybody get *any* cert card ever, and I was pointing out that many charters require them so that is a reason why people get them. All charters in my area require OW at least, so you do need at least one c-card to go and dive to build up your experience on boat dives at least. If you want to check out 30m sites, you need AOW card, 40m, you need Deep card, and then deeper than that you need technical certs.

I was not commenting on whether people *should* be getting them. That is a whole other issue!

Of course you need a c-card to get on a boat. My point is whether you should "collect" cards. I see too many divers who are uncertain of their skills going on a card-collecting spree. In my opinion, these divers are not doing themselves any good.

Learn to dive first. A competent diver's skills are better than any card.

 

[Sas]

Of course you need a c-card to get on a boat. My point is whether you should "collect" cards. I see too many divers who are uncertain of their skills going on a card-collecting spree. In my opinion, these divers are not doing themselves any good.

Learn to dive first. A competent diver's skills are better than any card.

Agreed!

 

[captmike]

All this card play and PADI/FAA style ratings restriction is why I miss NASDS. When my wife and I certified back in 1980, NASDS didn't believe in all that patch and rating hooey. They believed in a very well trained diver that could operate within the total sport diving world surface to 132ft. They made sure you did beach dives, boat dives, down to wrecks,night dives and proper use of the dive tables, emergency assents etc. At the time I was also going to flight school and you could see PADI and the others creating the little "I'm better than you" enviroment of exclusivity. A patch for this and a patch for that. They were big on making sure you understood taking care of your equipment and VIPS for tanks and hydros for steels back then. It was thought then that the new Aluminum 80's could go without hydros, well that went by the wayside. Anyway, a well trained diver that could stay in shape, take care of his equipment could buy his gear and enjoy a long period of unrestricted diving. But the yuppy-artsie dive shops of the 80's and 90's started the restrictions, with the annual inspections of gear and soon the restrictions on dives,depths, access to dive boats for not having the flavor of the day card, no computer and not being current. One can pretty well tell a bonehead as he approaches a boat, preps his gear, and gets into the water, that is what a dive master is for and good ones can bring along a diver or convice him that the dive might be too much for him. I am not against getting further training or specialty training like ice diving or nitrox, etc, but using it as a pecking order or exclusive access card is not what it is for. In my book an agency certified diver is either an open water sport diver 0-132ft, a dive master, or scuba instructor. After that, go join the SEALS.

 

[Sas]

In my book an agency certified diver is either an open water sport diver 0-132ft, a dive master, or scuba instructor. After that, go join the SEALS.

What about divers that dive deeper than 132ft who are not dive masters or scuba instructors?

 

[captmike]

Past sport dive limits, definately is the territory of specialty training and gear. I see the Europeans doing it all the time, but not my interests and so I am not concerned with the restrictions that go with that kind of diving.