Newbie OW diver wants to go AOW

[carsnoceans]

My apologies if this is the wrong subforum but I couldn't pick the right place for this question.

I did my C-dives couple of months ago and looking for next set of dives in summer. Is it too early for me to start taking AOW classes on my next trip or should I get more dive experience at under 60ft? I was thinking of starting with deep dive classes (not that I am eager to measure Mariana Trench) but if I am prepped and qualified, it would be good not to have restrictions on a 80-90ft dive.

All that being said, what would be some good diveshop recommendations in Chicagoland (for referral classes) or should I just go to my destination and take classes with a dive-op there??

Thanks!

 

[fisherdvm]

If you find a good instructor, by all mean, do the AOW asap, when every he/she can teach you. You can make the same mistake with buoyancy, trim, and poor dive planning again and again.... Or someone can impart that knowledge to you.

It is silly to say.... wait till you have 50 dives.... If you find a good instructor (one who has had many dives under his belt).... Take as many courses from him/her as you can....

It is the same argument some makes - should I take GUE fundamentals now, or should I practice until I can get my "tech" pass.... or what ever.... I keep on putting it off... But probably sooner than later... Life is too short to wait.

One reason to sign up is simply - it gets you more dives. It get you to read more. It gets you to think more. Some argue... wait till so, and so, before certain class... But if you don't have a good mentor or dive buddy, sign up for a course or two.

If you can find an SSI rescue class that will let you take it before you finish AOW, I would say do the rescue class first.

 

[carsnoceans]

How and where do I find good instructors? Me and my dive buddy are both PADI certified. Can we do courses offered by other agencies as well?

 

[fisherdvm]

Any agencies are fine. Even if you fancy to have that "master scuba diver" card, they let you interchange your specialties for the show off card qualification.

Many here suggests finding instructors with advanced training in technical diving, cave diving, GUE instructor status (GUE Instructors | Global Underwater Explorers) .... They can introduce you to a different approach to dive planning and redundancy. It is nice to see a different view point on the sport. You might find some of these folks teaching out of your LDS, you just have to ask.

I think it is silly to "go below 60 ft" a few times before you sign up with "deep dive" or "aow". These courses simply teach you the safety aspect of planning such dive, and going below 60 ft a few times doesn't impart new skills, unless you ran out of air and had to do a cesa?

The argument of waiting till you have X number of dive before you take AOW is silly. If you had 100 dives, and a crappy instructor - what good does it do you? If you had 8 dives and a great instructor, it just add to your book of knowledge. The rest of it comes with diving, making mistakes, and diving again.

 

[TSandM]

If you are interested in doing any of this class work locally, you might PM pp02diver, who is an instructor in Chicago, and ask him what shop he would recommend.

If you are only interested in tropical diving, decide on a destination or a region, and ask the question again -- I'm sure you'll get instructor/shop recommendations galore.

 

[JahJahwarrior]

Why do you have to do dives in "sets"? What prevents you from diving at other times? I'm sure you'd be happier in life and in AOW class if you got to dive at other times than when you were in class, ya' know?



And I think you mean more dives above 60 feet

My reccomendation is to take the class but also dive some at home! Diving is a blast!!

 

[alchemist117]

What do you want to do/see when you're diving? I love the fish, so I'm happy watching them rather than chasing cards.

 

[Skeeter1097]

10 dives or 100 dives. You need the aow. There are dives you are going to wont to do that with out the aow charters won't let you. To do a wreck class or a charter you need aow. To do a drift at 100' you need aow. To do a 25' to 70' brake wall like in Panama city you need aow. I think if you won't to dive get the aow.

 

[littlejohn]

I have a problem with getting your cert card then taking a weekend course and POOF you are AOW.
Find dive club near you and get some dives in.
I feel you can get more out of the AOW if you have a few dives under your belt first

 

[carsnoceans]

With 6 dives in my logbook (4 being C-dives), I haven't even perfected the giant stride entry yet. On my trip, I always did some mistake... didn't hold the reg properly or belly flop or fins pointing down or mask came off... so I got wondering, if I am such an amateur should I even go for AOW or get more experience? But it seems learning and going aow are not exclusively mutual events. I suppose, learning being a never-ending part for a recreational diver like me.

I am not chasing cards but getting classes keeps me in touch with instructors and refreshes interest. Also, to keep diving with (good) instructors would mean to learn more, get my mistakes pointed and confidence.

GUE Instructors | Global Underwater Explorers

What does "Fund." mean on the link webpage above?