AOW Programme

[Amanda]

brizzolatti once bubbled...
I have 11 dives logged so far.

Without being rude, I would say you need 10 more to be able to go through the AOW class smoothly. Just my 2 cents, though. But with a little more than 10 dives, I guess you still have to "think" about your boyancy when you're diving, which will reveal itself to be a handiccaped (for example, when you'll do the Navigation dive, you'll have to focus on how to stick to the definite pattern, you won't have time to think about boyancy)...

I hope I made it clear enough.

 

[KyPete]

brizzolatti once bubbled...
Thanks for all the helpful replies (as ever on this board), I now have a much clearer idea of what to expect which will help me plan things.

Seadog, your assumption that I am an inexperienced newbie is correct. I have 11 dives logged so far.


Brizz....

If it makes you feel any better, I went directly from OW to AOW. So, you are a few dives ahead of where I was.

Is what I did/what you're doing the best approach...probably not, but like you said it's ulitimately up to the individual. I had no problem whatsoever with my AOW. Good luck to you.....

 

[brizzolatti]

Hey, KyPete - thanks for the encouragement. I can understand both sides of the argument. I recently did a night dive and a drift dive and coped with these ok. I'll chose different ones to expand my experience. Definitely the buoyancy one, probably the wreck one and I haven't come down yet on the third elective. Time to think about it because I won't be doing it until July. But I will be reading up before then and doing plenty visualisation!

 

[scubasteve27]

Personally,I had 45 dives before I attempted the AOW cert,I think a good foundation,and a through understanding of the basic scuba precepts is desirable.There is no hurry to get that AOW card-safety is paramount as is training-and experience.There really is no subtitute!!I believe that all to often it's about the MONEY!!!Consider your comfort level and what you want from diving and take it from there,but please take the time to learn what you need to know to dive safely,and choose the best instructor you can find.Then go out and dive it's a wonderful world down there.

ASTA--

SCUBA STEVE

 

[Bob]

There should be no hurry to get to AOW. I've always thought that a new diver is just beginning to learn how to dive at fourty dives. A 100' dive is a diffrent animal than a 20' cert dive. Throw in a little current, low vis, a inexperienced diver, and things could go sour in a hurry. I encourage new divers to build experience slowly and surely. The advanced certs will come, build your experience first. Dive safely. :tree: Bob

 

[bobert]

Just finihed my AOW and at 40 dives with 2 more tomorow. I can see both sides of this question. Despite an AOW and 40 dives I still do not consider myself an advanced diver yet, although I am certified to 130'. For example on my first try at an offical deep dive, I aborted my dive on the Speigel Grove because of extreme current and the lingering effects of a bad cold from the week before. This made me sad because I thought that I would not be able to finish my AOW last weekend, but proud that I had the good judgment to yield to the conditions despite my desire to finish.
Bye the way, I was the only 1 out of 3 students in my class that did finish the AOW certifation last weekend. We were able to get in both the deep dive, 73', and the navigation dive at French Reef on our second stop last Sunday. Anyway, I think the lesson in discretion that I had learned from my own solid experience was probably more important then any lesson I was taught in my AOW. But my AOW was a great way to continue my diving education and get in some more dives with diving partners with more skill than I have and therefor have a great time and continue to learn.

 

[Zept]

Brizzolatti, have you chosen a dive shop to do the course with? If so, why don't you contact them and see if you can decide on your optional dives in advance? That way you can complete the Knowledge Reviews before you go and you won't spend any of your holiday with your nose in a book.

You'll need a copy of the manual for the Advanced course, 'Adventures in Diving'. If you can't find a local PADI shop that's prepared to sell it to you, Simply Scuba has PADI materials.

Zept

 

[brizzolatti]

Thanks Zept. Good idea. Yes, I know where I'll be doing it - Tobago - and which dive centre. I've had brief email contact with them but now I'll firm up on what I'd like to do and contact them again. Thanks for the prod!