AOW course expensive in Palm Beach?

[Bob DBF]

Well let's be honest here. What are 5 guided dives going to do? I'm going to magically be an advanced diver now? Woo! Thanks PADI!

There may be something to get out of this course, but not $400 worth in value, that's for sure. I'd rather spend $400 and just go out and dive.

Sounds like you have done your research on price, have you talked to the instructor to find out how he teaches the class? Some just run guided dives and some actually try to teach diving, this will impact the price.

The only cards an operator is interested in is deep and nitrox, take those classes and you are covered. And, to clear up your two references to a Night Diving cert, no one will ask unless they are playing I'll show you mine...




Bob
----------------------------------------

That's my point, people, by and large, are not taught that diving can be deadly, they are taught how safe it is, and they are not equipped with the skills, taught and trained to the level required to be useful in an emergency.

 

[uncfnp]

Basking Ridge Diver. I don't know where in Florida you are diving but with your experience and solo card, I don't think you would have any problems diving out of WPB. Can't say about points south. Your son though would definitely benefit from the card.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I haven't even looked into training for tec diving! I'm sure it's expensive, but I'm around 20 dives so I have no desire to do that right now. I've got OW and Nitrox, and I'd like to do some deeper dives, eventually I'd like to do night dives, and I feel there's probably a good amount of skills that I could learn from taking a course specific to that, and not just 1 adventure night dive. I'd much rather pay for a course for night diving, or put $400 into a 19 CF pony which I plan to buy.

Just seems like a hassle to take another course for depth only, I've dove to 90 feet, I've seen people do stupid things at that depth, dove with someone who had 500 psi at 89 feet, while I was sitting comfortable with 1400 psi. I don't think I need a course to dive deeper, just some more experience, and I'd rather just dive!

I'm sure I'm going to end up getting AOW certified, probably after the holidays, but I have a strong feeling that I'm going to look at that AOW certification card and feel ripped off. I see so many divers that focus on certs instead of just getting experience and having AOW pushed onto me is sort of annoying. I don't want to be one of those people on the dive boat with 12 dives bragging how they'res signing up for a dive master program.

Ok, you lost my support with this post. You haven't taken AOW, can't manage to keep an eye on your buddy, but you're all set to buy a pony. Please don't be another one of those I don't need no stinkin' training because I have a pony folks.

If you, or your buddy, find yourself at 89ft with 500 psi, you BOTH need more training. Forget the pony bottle for now, take the AOW, and learn how to manage your gas and how to be a proper buddy.

 

[LowVizWiz]

Only thing I want out of it is the option to not have to hassle with dive operations about depth of dive.

I have a strong feeling that I'm going to look at that AOW certification card and feel ripped off.

What would make a $400 AOW class valuable to you?
When you figure that out, find an instructor that will teach you that! Is really that simple.

I see so many divers that focus on certs instead of just getting experience and having AOW pushed onto me is sort of annoying. I don't want to be one of those people on the dive boat with 12 dives bragging how they'res signing up for a dive master program.

Yes, don't be that guy! But if you go into a class with 20 dives thinking you won't learn anything, you become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

No one if forcing you to take AOW, you have options... Take GUE-F and GUE Rec. Diver 2 (But if you think AOW is expensive... Yikes!)

 

[Kairoos]

Ok, you lost my support with this post. You haven't taken AOW, can't manage to keep an eye on your buddy, but you're all set to buy a pony. Please don't be another one of those I don't need no stinkin' training because I have a pony folks.

If you, or your buddy, find yourself at 89ft with 500 psi, you BOTH need more training. Forget the pony bottle for now, take the AOW, and learn how to manage your gas and how to be a proper buddy.

Oh jeeze, I shouldn't have to babysit a buddy that has 3 times as many dives as me, and had a larger tank than me. There were 3 of us diving, and he didn't monitor his air well enough, that's not my fault, I was following his lead, and I had enough air to buddy breathe with him, because gasp, I'm paranoid and monitor my air. The pony is for myself, because I don't trust other divers and I often dive with random people.

 

[Basking Ridge Diver]

Oh jeeze, I shouldn't have to babysit a buddy that has 3 times as many dives as me, and had a larger tank than me. There were 3 of us diving, and he didn't monitor his air well enough, that's not my fault, I was following his lead, and I had enough air to buddy breathe with him, because gasp, I'm paranoid and monitor my air. The pony is for myself, because I don't trust other divers and I often dive with random people.

Although I agree with some of what you say - the Buddy System does want you to babysit so those issues of gas management don't bite you/your buddy in the *rse...
Regardless of number of dives, experience, cards in the pocket - you need to check yourself first and then check your buddy(buddies)... If you could prevent an emergency from happening proactively rather than fall into a reactive situation - it will benefit you. That said - once you start doing this - you wont even notice you are doing it in the future...

 

[AdivingBel]

Aww crap...down the rabbit hole we go....would you like the red pill or the blue pill??

 

[danvolker]

Although I agree with some of what you say - the Buddy System does want you to babysit so those issues of gas management don't bite you/your buddy in the *rse...
Regardless of number of dives, experience, cards in the pocket - you need to check yourself first and then check your buddy(buddies)... If you could prevent an emergency from happening proactively rather than fall into a reactive situation - it will benefit you. That said - once you start doing this - you wont even notice you are doing it in the future...

\
I'd agree with Basking Ridge Diver....though I would not call the buddy responsibility babysitting.....it might be more useful to consider it monitoring "your" redundant air supply, that should be following you around. If you check your redundant air supply and it is far too low, then you know it is time for both of you to come up. If there is lots left, then it is more up to how much air you have..or your No deco time left.
Diving is also supposed to be something you enjoy with friends...new friends, or long time friends. You share the thrills and adventures. Buddies make this happen. Solo robs you of this shared experience.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Oh jeeze, I shouldn't have to babysit a buddy that has 3 times as many dives as me, and had a larger tank than me. There were 3 of us diving, and he didn't monitor his air well enough, that's not my fault, I was following his lead, and I had enough air to buddy breathe with him, because gasp, I'm paranoid and monitor my air. The pony is for myself, because I don't trust other divers and I often dive with random people.

Ignore what people are saying about the buddy situation, I don't want to go down a rabbit hole. While you are not his babysitter, you both should have been checking with each other and seeing how much air the other person had, especially if you are insta-buddies. With new buddies you should discuss thinks like SAC rates, hand signals, general dive plan. If you had been checking in with each other, you would have known that he was breathing much fast than you and adapted the dive accordingly.

We get it, you don't want to pay a little money for a card you feel you don't need. I already stated that if you had experienced buddies that could show you how to do the things I listed in my previous post you could get the advanced card with better specialties like search & recovery and rescue. I can also tell that you probably don't have these experienced buddies/mentors yet because they can vouch for you with the captain and you could do all these "advanced only dives" without an actual advanced card.

You have 20 dives. You have no idea what you don't know and I guarantee you are not half as good in the water as you think you are.

I have a confession to make, I never took a deep course. I have over 100 dives and I had experienced tech divers who were willing to show me the ropes when I started out so I have done 100+ foot dives and have been perfectly fine. I will not take a deep course because it would be a waste of money to me. I will also be moving into a dry suit during the off season, I will not take a course for that. I sat in on a few lectures that a friend had when he moved over to dry suit and nearly all of my buddies are already in dry suits so I will speak with them. You don't need a course for everything, but I have skills, experience, and mind set that allows me choose what I may or may not need a course for. You don't have the experience, you don't have the skills, and that fact that you are this resisting to additional training worries me.

Look you are in Palm Beach, I am in the North East. You could probably do a 100 dives and be fine. Hell, I was doing 90 ft wreck dives in Aruba with less than 20 dives, but that was with a DM and was basically follow the leader with little learning or experience gained. If you go on a boat a few times odds are the captain will just wave you through and won't require an advanced card from you once you proved you are passibly competent. If you are to dive in the North East your life depends on the additional training

 

[Kairoos]

\
I'd agree with Basking Ridge Diver....though I would not call the buddy responsibility babysitting.....it might be more useful to consider it monitoring "your" redundant air supply, that should be following you around. If you check your redundant air supply and it is far too low, then you know it is time for both of you to come up. If there is lots left, then it is more up to how much air you have..or you No deco time left.
Diving is also supposed to be something you enjoy with friends...new friends, or long time friends. You share the thrills and adventures. Buddies make this happen. Solo robs you of this shared experience.

Let's just say I was a bit surprised when the gentleman that had a steel 100 (I had an al80) was at 500 psi when I had 1400 psi. Honestly, diving with random people off a charter does frustrate me, I've seen so many people just speed along the reef and never turn around to just look if the other person is even still there. Having to go grab their fins to get their attention is irritating, and disastrous if I had an emergency.