Completed AOW this weekend

[SnorkelLA]

Malpaso, congratulations on your new certification. I commend you for continuing you dive training, and unlike some detractors posting above, think the AOW class is a valuable one for divers at a variety of experience levels. You gave the class the best evaluation possible. It helped you become a better diver, including being comfortable in less than ideal conditions. I hope you maintain your enthusiasm, your desire to expand your skills and competence as a diver, and stay active. SnorkelLA and jmneill apparently did not have the positive experience that you did. That is too bad. Thanks for your post. I like positive people, and divers who are positive and excited about diving and learning to be better divers.
DivemasterDennis

While I may have sounded callous, I do believe that certain things contribute to the "enjoyment" factor and the "education" factor of a class that many will agree is a bit shaky in its purpose and meaningfulness. When I was through with my AOW some years ago I had the feeling of "Wow, I can't believe I payed all that money for 6 dives and a new c-card just so I can hop on a boat". I was expecting a lot more from the class than I got. The thing is, most newly minted OW students who take the class leave it thinking they just climbed mount Everest, when they don't realize what they really got. Then they end up leaving the class thinking they can handle any situation while diving, when in reality, one adventure dive in "X" conditions or "X" requirement, IMO, only makes you about a .5% more experienced diver.

I am glad that you decided to further your diving education, OP. But if you think this was mentally and physically "strenuous" wait until Rescue, if you so choose to do it.

I also wouldn't say AOW is like going from the driving range to the golf course, far from it in fact. It is like going from "rookie golfer who plays a 60" to "I'm now able to golf at "x" range, but I am only slightly more experienced, but I have an AOW card that says I can play here"

Taking diving classes doesn't get you experience, diving gives you experience

 

[AfterDark]

But... didn't you say you had more dives than your instructor and DM COMBINED when you took it?!

Yes what's your point. The OP posted that "By the end, I was a lot more comfortable with rough water, deep water, gear and all my skills". I responded Objective met congrats! And you ask me about my AOW experience? I don't get it? Help me out.

 

[Hawkwood]

But... didn't you say you had more dives than your instructor and DM COMBINED when you took it?! ...

Maybe you should look carefully at Afterdark's post. He was referring to the OP having met his objectives. In fact he look a quote from the OP's post: "By the end,........".

By the way, it is three knots for S&R, even for AOW (if it is PADI).

I certainly must have a smaller circle of Instructor acquaintances than you must have - all that I know personally go greater than 90 feet for the Deep dive. I have yet to see "hoops" used in PPB. I must have stupid students or be a lousy instructor when I have students who find it challenging doing natural navigation in less than 10 feet of visibility.

So, my generalities differ greatly than your generalities.

Bill

 

[GinaRae]

<snip>
Taking diving classes doesn't get you experience, diving gives you experience

As a new diver, I have found that taking diving classes does get me experience.
I was able to do a boat dive in Puget Sound to 96'
There is no way I would have been comfortable doing that, at this point in my diving career, outside of my AOW class.

Congrats on your class Malpaso!

 

[SnorkelLA]

Yes what's your point. The OP posted that "By the end, I was a lot more comfortable with rough water, deep water, gear and all my skills". I responded Objective met congrats! And you ask me about my AOW experience? I don't get it? Help me out.

I was actually only making a joke. I meant to try to convey a sarcastic tone in my response, just kidding around.

But, Hawkwood, like I said in my second post

I do believe that certain things contribute to the "enjoyment" factor and the "education" factor of a class that many will agree is a bit shaky in its purpose and meaningfulness​

this statement also goes out to instructors as well. There are certain instructors that will only have one knot done for the AOW, some with all 3. Like I just said, the instructor is as important in the education factor as anything else is

 

[ScubaSteve]

By the end, I was a lot more comfortable with rough water, deep water, gear and all my skills. Objective met! Congrats.

Perhaps there would be less confusion had you quoted the OP rather than just typing his words.

 

[bbarnett51]

Congrats! I fully support these types of training levels and think the negativity about them is ridiculous.

 

[jmneill]

Congrats! I fully support these types of training levels and think the negativity about them is ridiculous.

Being one 65' freshwater excellent vis dive away from AOW status I can tell you that if it wasn't for my personal dive experience as an OW diver this course would definately not qualify as taking me to the "next level". The fact that apparently PADI is ok (please correct me if I'm wrong) with the AOW "deep" dive being less than 65' astounds me. This is definitely giving at least some divers a very false sense of security. I don't think the course meets the definition below.

ad·vanced ( d-v nst )adj.1. Highly developed or complex.

 

[AfterDark]

Perhaps there would be less confusion had you quoted the OP rather than just typing his words.

Copy and paste actually. Perhaps you are correct. That would however have required more effort.

It is my fault. I have this funny idea that people read the threads??!?

 

[Hawkwood]

jimneill,

There are other meanings of "advanced" as well:

"ahead or far or further along in progress, complexity, knowledge, skill, etc."

Or,

"being beyond the elementary or introductory"