AOW and/or Nitrox

[cavegirl]

There is also the on-line PADI Discovery Nitrox course to consider.

http://www.padi.com/english/common/courses/elearning/dean.asp

 

[Walter]

And of course you should consider all the other agencies as well.

 

[abitton]

Thanks for all your input!! I really appreciate it!

I went to my LDS today and signed up for AOW and Nitrox... I'll be combining the 2 nitrox dives in my advanced certification. June 14 and 15th will be theory, and I believe we are diving on the 18th and 19th...

Looking forward to it!!

 

[m3830431]

I agree with rtkane.

If you are a new dive you may not learn anything new with AOW but you get to hone your skills to a better diver. Once your skills are honed and you air consumption drops that is when the Enrighted Air class will be a benefit

 

[flatwood]

Your in the same situation that I was in. I decided to do the nitrox class first.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Unless you have an unsually good instructor, AOW doesn't do much except give you an extra card. Nitrox is an actual class where you learn something useful.

I'll disagree with this statement emphatically ... AOW, if taught properly, can provide you with a lot of additional skills.

The problem is that a lot of lazy or profit-motivated instructors reduce it to nothing more than six guided dives.

Find a competent instructor and you can learn quite a lot in AOW.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[MB]

I'll disagree with this statement emphatically ... AOW, if taught properly, can provide you with a lot of additional skills.

The problem is that a lot of lazy or profit-motivated instructors reduce it to nothing more than six guided dives.

Find a competent instructor and you can learn quite a lot in AOW.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Hey Bob, I think you and Walter are actually close to total agreement on that. You both are very cognizant of the fact that too often an AOW class is nothing more than a collection of loosely supervised dives. Its awful to know that the industry standard has been degraded. But you also both know how cool this class is when its a real class!

Many of us do indeed teach a complete advanced class, and we're happy to do so. I've actraully been challenged by other instructors about why I do this when I can easily get away with far less! Unfortunatrely, if a potential student doesn't know what to ask for, his or her advanced class is likely to be disappointing if s/he is looking for an organized, good quality learning experience.

 

[gypsyjim]

I'll disagree with this statement emphatically ... AOW, if taught properly, can provide you with a lot of additional skills.

The problem is that a lot of lazy or profit-motivated instructors reduce it to nothing more than six guided dives.

Find a competent instructor and you can learn quite a lot in AOW.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

Amen! I just spent a day this week in the pool with my kids doing their PADI OW with a truly awsome instructor. I am not pushing PADI. I did my YMCA cert a very long time ago, and I've taken every opportunity to "brush up", mostly with PADI instructors, and the quality and motivation of the instructor makes a HUGE difference! Even with years under your belt a simple beginner's level course, taught by a good, caring instructor can increase your skills exponentially! An instructor simply after the buck can ruin diving for even a gifted student at best, and could do much worse than that. Find a good instructor.

 

[Sailfish95628]

I have done over 100 dives, and was recently approached at the dive shop (while making a purchase) and asked why I have not taken the AOW course. Most people I know - friends and my husband, think it would be a waste of money. I just didn't see any reason for me to do this, but if you listen to these folks, you'd think the kind of diving I have been doing for years should have be off limits.

About the only thing I would be interested in is possibly Nitrox Certification. For $225, I can get AOW and Nitrox certified. My OW certification has not kep me from diving - I have done numerous night dives, deep dives, wreck dives...recreationally of course. No one I can think of has ever questioned the fact that I had only an OW PADI certificaton - and I have been all over the Caribbean and Hawaii. Seems like my dive history is what they always ask about.

We average four dive trips a year and that pretty much maintains my level of competency. The people at the dive shop implied it would "look" better - that I would have a card that would match my ability level. So I have to ask...is having an AOW card a big deal? So far, the people I've been diving with who were AOW certified were all really "beginners". Go figure! I hate the thought of throwing money away...but is having that AOW really so important?

Suzi

 

[Torontonian]

I have done over 100 dives, and was recently approached at the dive shop (while making a purchase) and asked why I have not taken the AOW course. Most people I know - friends and my husband, think it would be a waste of money. I just didn't see any reason for me to do this, but if you listen to these folks, you'd think the kind of diving I have been doing for years should have be off limits.

About the only thing I would be interested in is possibly Nitrox Certification. For $225, I can get AOW and Nitrox certified. My OW certification has not kep me from diving - I have done numerous night dives, deep dives, wreck dives...recreationally of course. No one I can think of has ever questioned the fact that I had only an OW PADI certificaton - and I have been all over the Caribbean and Hawaii. Seems like my dive history is what they always ask about.

We average four dive trips a year and that pretty much maintains my level of competency. The people at the dive shop implied it would "look" better - that I would have a card that would match my ability level. So I have to ask...is having an AOW card a big deal? So far, the people I've been diving with who were AOW certified were all really "beginners". Go figure! I hate the thought of throwing money away...but is having that AOW really so important?

Suzi

AOW and Nitrox for $225, that's a good price. Where is that? I'd like to get that.

I am NAUI OW certified, and have only dived in the Carribeans. Talked to a LDS lately. They run dives to Lake Ontario, to 60'. The DM said they would not take me unless I have AOW, and in cold water. He said in the Carribeans I would probably wear 3mm and 12 lbs of weight. Over in Lake Ontario, even in summer we'll be wearing 7mm inside and 7mm outside, and 30 lbs of weight. He also said if I should stick with NAUI for AOW and not PADI because NAUI has higher standards.

So at least there is a big difference between diving in warm water to 100' and cold water to 60'.