Beyond Open Water...

[ekewaka]

You should definitely take nitrox and rescue.

I have heard DIRF is good...

 

[marcienko]

Do yourself, your camera and the dive site a favor and leave the UW camera at home until you feel your have buoyancy control and the fundamentals down pat. A camera represents significant task loading and an intense distraction factor that does not mix well with novice diving.

Pete

Great point Pete !!!

Regards

Marcin

 

[diver 85]

You should definitely take nitrox and rescue.

I have heard DIRF is good...

I've been waiting for the latter statement..........GEAUX TIGERS...........

 

[Adobo]

So as my wife and I are approaching our OW certifications, we are starting to look forward to other classes that we might benefit from. Primarily I feel we should focus on our skills as divers first, and then switch to the more fun courses. That said, this is the selection of courses (in the order we would take them after completing OW) that I had planned:

1)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Peak performance buoyancy
2)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Underwater navigation
3)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Emergency first response
4)[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]Advanced open water

I figure by the time we complete those courses we should feel fairly comfortable with our skills and could then move on to wreck or cave diving or underwater photography, or any of the other fun stuff.

I’ve discussed this with the wife, and she agrees that (on paper at least) it makes sense. Does anyone with the practical experience think differently? If you had it all to learn again, which classes would you take first and why?

Those classes you describe sounds like the path. I guess the question is, where do you want to go? If caverns, caves and wrecks are where you want to get to, the stuff offered by GUE are much more suitable in that you could use for not only entry level recreational diving, they are building blocks that you would use and apply in the more advanced diving such as caves and wrecks.

And definitely do a lot diving for experience. Taking one class after another is not all that productive.

 

[Fordan]

I would start with AOW; since it's something of a "sampler" course that exposes you to some of the other specialities you mention, like navigation. The dives you do for AOW can count towards the dives needed for the other specialities.

I would add Nitrox (Enriched Air) and Rescue to your list as several other people have mentioned. Nitrox is generally a no-dive certification; just classroom time. Haven't done Rescue yet myself; it's on the schedule for this summer though.

You'll find generally 2 different opinions here on AOW: take it shortly after OW, or dive a fair bit, then take it. I'm more in the shortly after OW camp, viewing it as an extension of OW, but I can see the other side's point. Either way, after your OW, dive, whether as part of a class or own your own.

 

[AaronR103]

Personally I would make nitrox my next cert if I were you. In addition to allowing you to dive an arguably better gas at the depths you'll probably be diving straight out of OW, it'll give you much more of an in-depth education into diving physics and physiology than you'll be getting in an OW class from any agency. An educated diver is a better diver...

and yes, DIR/F is good too...

A

 

[jonesbf]

I went from OW to AOW through the adventure dives. From there I went on to Nitrox and then Rescue. I highly recommend Rescue. Of the adventure dives I did, the navigation seemed to be of the most value overall. You'll need the skills for Rescue.

 

[shellim123]

I was just certified OW in November, since then I went on to AOW PPB/Night/Deep/Navigaion and Nitrox. Just signed up for Rescue

 

[TSandM]

Nobody's said this yet, so I will . . . The utility of the classes you list depends incredibly heavily on the instructor who teaches them. A peak performance buoyancy class that taught you how to achieve a horizontal and stable position in the water, correctly weighted and balanced, would be wonderful. Mine didn't.

EFR/Rescue, though, I think is an excellent combination for anybody who dives. If I remember correctly, PADI requires 50 dives to take it, though, which is reasonable; I think they want to make sure you have some skills of your own before you consider trying to intervene with others.

I'll echo Adobo, though . . . If you have aspirations to cave, DIR-F is an EXCELLENT class to take, whether you intend to follow the DIR pathway or not. DIR-F is the only predictable class for recreational divers that will teach you horizontal trim, non-silting propulsion, and a team approach to diving. It will also introduce you to the basic equipment configuration used by most people for cave diving.

Above all, get out and dive. The more you dive, the better you get at it, and the better you get at it, the more fun it is!

 

[h90]

TSandM: I think you are wrong with the 50 dives for EFR/Rescue. Some time ago I asked for it, I had 30 dives and the short finish DM there told me he made it with 20 dives. So my 30 are for sure fine.

Rest I agree, it depends on the instructor, beside the classes it helps if you have time underwater and try some things yourself. Buoyancy for sure with a buddy who watch how "flat" you are in the water. Checking unusual positions, try to be flat a few cm over the bottom.......
Just trying things yourself, even it does not help you know exactly what to ask the instructor later...

Nobody's said this yet, so I will . . . The utility of the classes you list depends incredibly heavily on the instructor who teaches them. A peak performance buoyancy class that taught you how to achieve a horizontal and stable position in the water, correctly weighted and balanced, would be wonderful. Mine didn't.

EFR/Rescue, though, I think is an excellent combination for anybody who dives. If I remember correctly, PADI requires 50 dives to take it, though, which is reasonable; I think they want to make sure you have some skills of your own before you consider trying to intervene with others.

I'll echo Adobo, though . . . If you have aspirations to cave, DIR-F is an EXCELLENT class to take, whether you intend to follow the DIR pathway or not. DIR-F is the only predictable class for recreational divers that will teach you horizontal trim, non-silting propulsion, and a team approach to diving. It will also introduce you to the basic equipment configuration used by most people for cave diving.

Above all, get out and dive. The more you dive, the better you get at it, and the better you get at it, the more fun it is!