Aow

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Thank you all for your responses – I’m so glad I posted! We’ll definitely do the AOW cert while we’re there. I certainly don't consider myself advanced now – nor will I be with 5 more training dives :) Thinking of the "Advanced OW" as "OW part 2" helps put it into perspective. (I think I'm too literal!)

It sounds like we’ll be better prepared after the training and have a stronger foundation. And ... we can have even more fun –exploring some deeper sites if we have the opportunity, exploring at night - I can’t wait!

Thanks again!!
Steph
 
IMHO, the best time to undertake the AOW course is shortly after you finish OW training. After which, you will be more confident and knowledgable - gain some further experience with fun diving and then head for a Rescue course (which is where every responsible diver should be...)

I always agree with Devon's posts. If you have the chance to do AOWD, do it NOW and ENJOY!
 
The worst thing Padi did was to name the class advanced open water and then to compound the error by issuing a card is pretty bad. For four additional dives with an instructor, not a bad deal and you learn a lot of things that should be in the OWC.


I agree.... it gives people a false sense of security. And, I just bought my book for the class. And it has been renamed... Adventures in Diving... or something like that
 
For clarity, alot of people dont seem to grasp the conceptual differences between PADI OW and PADI AOW. Think of the OW as a learners permit..a necessity to gain experience in the most basic of skills so that you can dive. The AOW course becomes your actual diving license if you think about it. It exposes you to assorted continuing education courses for specific diving such as night, deep, wreck, etc., whileunder the guidance of (hopefully) a good instructor. I teach many of my students from OW training the following week for the PADI AOW. Before you venture into the AOW course, talk with your instructor of choice or dive shop and have them explain the different variations available within the PADI AOW course to your understanding. You really need to have a good idea of the type of diving you intend to do as you progress with experience. If you are unsure of that, I'd recommend you include the deep dive, night dive, navigation, and search and recovery as your core basics. Being a new diver you may want to look at the PADI PPB dive as the fifth core element of your AOW training. As a PADI MSDT, I typically recommend those dives mentioned as my "core recommendations" because on a vacation, typically some dives are not within the safety range of the OW depth limits, you'll probably want to do a night dive which will teach you communication methods and safety related techniques. Navigation obviously will give you the techniques to return from whence you came, and search and recovery is a good skill in the event equipment accessories are lost (yes it does happen). While some are enthralled with the intro to wreck diving, I personally think a diver needs to have proficient PPB skills and highly recommend that as the additional element. I know, people will argue that all this should be included in the OW ocourse, but if you remember back you were tasked pretty hard just to grasp the basic concepts of diving in such a short order. based on that theory maybe we should make the OW course 6 months long and include EFR, rescue and divemaster. How much fun would that be? Dive training and education, at least in the PADI scheme is designed so that you can achieve the goals you set for yourself and get them in stages so that you can become proficient with each individual type of diving whether it be wreck, deep, night, navigation, technical, or becoming a pro. Taking the AOW class shortly after the OW course is recommended by me to my students. The OW course is simply a learners permit to learn to dive. The AOW course will expose you to the different possibilites that await you, give you a taste with supervision and educated instruction and you can actually begin to dive. Take the course..but ask alot of questions first, and do the thought process of what it is you want out of scuba diving, then the pros can help you get on that track. Best of luck with your dive future!
 
My old book was named Adventures in Diving as well. At best it is an introduction to all the specialty classes out there. Did I feel good and charged at the end my AOW of class, yes. Was I an advanced diver, no. A couple hundred hours later, I am an advanced diver within the niche where I spend most of my time underwater. That came from the hours I spent and not from a Padi course.

AOW is a great next step from OWC, just very poorly named.
 
StephM,
Glad you decided to go ahead with it.

Forget about all the debates concerning the name of the course and focus on the obvious reason why you decided to take it.

You found something you like to do and you will learn more faster if you are willing to pay a professional to assist you. And it's fun. At least when I teach it is, :wink:
It's that simple.

Enjoy it!
 

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