equipment and training question.

[Billg68bg]

Does anyone know if there is any kind of magnifier I can attach to my dive watch or gauges to read them better under water. I use reading glasses and discovered on my first dive with my computer that I had trouble reading the numbers. Obviously, as I expand my training and experiences, this will likely present a problem. Thoughts?
Also, have Open Water and am not sure if I should seek Advance Open Water or Deep Water next. Thoughts?

 

[inquis]

there is also more theory and dive/gas planning that can be learned from the course that many divers have never been exposed to.

This deep theory and successfully passing the knowledge review is required for PADI's AOW. I don't believe the Deep specialty adds any additional theory (by standards). That lessens it's utility in my mind. (I'm open to being corrected, of course, as I did not pursue that specialty and may be mistaken.)

for many divers, going beyond the depths they trained in is a very nerve racking idea. some feel much more comfortable easing their way down when they are along side a trusted instructor.

Very nerve racking? If they are freaked out by going to 70 ft without an instructor, I am of the opinion they should not go there with an instructor. Otherwise, it's the very definition of a trust-me dive. Similar with 80 ft., 90 ft, etc. They should feel ready or call the dive. The instructor is not there to hold their hand. The best instructors that I've had greatly preferred to have 2 students so they could take more of a "fly on the wall" roll.

 

[dmaziuk]

There is a wreck on Roatan that our Esteemed Chairman once called "the easiest 40 metres you'll ever dive". Nobody asks for deep advanced cert for it, and for a good reason: being able to dive without killing yourself is all the skill you need for that kind of "deep dive".

 

[dmaziuk]

PS. I'm sure nitrox cert is useful and if I ever go on a liveaboard trip I'll sure buy me one. Until then... meh.

 

[rick00001967]

This deep theory and successfully passing the knowledge review is required for PADI's AOW. I don't believe the Deep specialty adds any additional theory (by standards). That lessens it's utility in my mind. (I'm open to being corrected, of course, as I did not pursue that specialty and may be mistaken.)


Very nerve racking? If they are freaked out by going to 70 ft without an instructor, I am of the opinion they should not go there with an instructor. Otherwise, it's the very definition of a trust-me dive. Similar with 80 ft., 90 ft, etc. They should feel ready or call the dive. The instructor is not there to hold their hand. The best instructors that I've had greatly preferred to have 2 students so they could take more of a "fly on the wall" roll.

i was not trying to compare a deep specialty course to the theory that may be contained in the padi aow course. you may be right that it is all covered. i can tell you from my experience doing the padi aow it certainly was not. in any case, i would not want anyone to think the one deep dive in the padi aow course (along with whatever theory they offer) is the same as doing the ssi deep specialty that requires three dives plus the theory. but as always, it also may depend a lot on the instructor you get.

i think we may look at things a but differently you and i. as an instructor i am well aware that from day one of any ow training course, i almost always had a student that is far more apprehensive about taking the course than the others. some take to it like a fish and never show the slightest bit of nervousness or fear. but not everyone is the same. some are terrified to even leave the shallow end of the pool.

using your logic, all those students we work with until they are more comfortable etc would never be allowed to even take the course let alone pass it. but i can tell that working with these type of students is far more rewarding then working with the ones that breeze through everything.

i have learned that sometimes the students with some hesitation can even be safer in the water than those who think they are invincible. sometimes having that little devil on your shoulder keeps you from doing something stupid, or something you truly are not ready for. but there is a fine line between pushing yourself past your current comfort level in order to gain more experience and knowledge, and jumping in way over your head when you clearly are not skilled enough or mentally prepared for that particular dive.

i have always told my students that once their ow is complete they should gradually increase their depths for example. i do not encourage them to go from doing their four 30 or 40 foot dives to going to coz and diving a 120 foot wall with a ripping current.

i think to say that if someone is "nervous" about a dive, they should not dive, is a bit too simplistic. heck i have been diving for 30 years on and off, and i have been nervous before, and during many dives.

 

[Billg68bg]

Where are you going to dive? Places like Curacao you'll never be asked for AOW cert and you won't benefit from Deep unless you're so prone to narcosis you're getting narc'ed in a swimming pool.

The dive shop on the resort I am staying at, actually states the following:
Diving certification required for all scuba diving activities.

That is a cut and paste from their website.

 

[Billg68bg]

i was not trying to compare a deep specialty course to the theory that may be contained in the padi aow course. you may be right that it is all covered. i can tell you from my experience doing the padi aow it certainly was not. in any case, i would not want anyone to think the one deep dive in the padi aow course (along with whatever theory they offer) is the same as doing the ssi deep specialty that requires three dives plus the theory. but as always, it also may depend a lot on the instructor you get.

i think we may look at things a but differently you and i. as an instructor i am well aware that from day one of any ow training course, i almost always had a student that is far more apprehensive about taking the course than the others. some take to it like a fish and never show the slightest bit of nervousness or fear. but not everyone is the same. some are terrified to even leave the shallow end of the pool.

using your logic, all those students we work with until they are more comfortable etc would never be allowed to even take the course let alone pass it. but i can tell that working with these type of students is far more rewarding then working with the ones that breeze through everything.

i have learned that sometimes the students with some hesitation can even be safer in the water than those who think they are invincible. sometimes having that little devil on your shoulder keeps you from doing something stupid, or something you truly are not ready for. but there is a fine line between pushing yourself past your current comfort level in order to gain more experience and knowledge, and jumping in way over your head when you clearly are not skilled enough or mentally prepared for that particular dive.

i have always told my students that once their ow is complete they should gradually increase their depths for example. i do not encourage them to go from doing their four 30 or 40 foot dives to going to coz and diving a 120 foot wall with a ripping current.

i think to say that if someone is "nervous" about a dive, they should not dive, is a bit too simplistic. heck i have been diving for 30 years on and off, and i have been nervous before, and during many dives.

Though I am a newb diver, I agree that being nervous shouldn't make you cancel your dive. During my Open Water course, the exhaling while ascending skill had me so nervous, I practiced slowly exhaling during the whole boat ride. got it two almost two minutes. When I actually did it in the water i ascended in under 30 seconds. So the ability to pass was there regardless of the nervousness.

 

[inquis]

i think to say that if someone is "nervous" about a dive, they should not dive, is a bit too simplistic

I don't have an issue with "nervous", and I didn't actually say such a person shouldn't make that dive. I agree with you, a little nervousness & heightened awareness/attention can actually be a good thing. I was talking about doing a dive that is "very nerve racking", as you put it, which I feel is WAY beyond mere nervousness.

 

[dmaziuk]

The dive shop on the resort I am staying at, actually states the following:
Diving certification required for all scuba diving activities.

That is a cut and paste from their website.

Of course everyone wants to see your OW cert. And nitrox cert if you ask for nitrox. But you asked about AOW: Advanced Open Water, and Deep "specialty". Not everyone wants to see those.

 

[S****N]

"They" don't tell you that a year or months later you have to buy a more bigger more colourful display

Oh come on man, it’s not cool that you won’t let “them” say Shearwater at least once in every thread.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Get a rescue cert before anything else. It's what I recommended to all my students. I even tailored rescue skills workshops for those who for whatever reason did not feel ready for the full rescue class.
Rescue, IF TAUGHT CORRECTLY, will open your eyes to how crap goes south before you even get in the water. And before you go taking a class that opens you up to more risk, including AOW type classes and deep classes, you'll want the extra caution that comes with seeing problems before they become something life threatening.
My second book is all about Advanced Training beyond Basic Open Water and how to choose what to do.
A sampler AOW taught strictly to standards where it's just one dive in a few specialties that does not give you real new skills and knowledge is good for one thing. Lightening your wallet.
Find an instructor who makes you earn that card and has requirements you need to meet before you take the class. AOW should not be about remediating deficiencies from your OW class.
I required my Advanced students to be able to do basic skills neutral and horizontal without changing depth by more than 2 feet before starting the class. By the end of it the goal was to get that down to less than a foot.
Some rescue skills were always included and I picked the dives. No fluff stuff. Each dive built on the one before it. First day first dive was Advanced Skills that included DSMB deployment, stage/pony bottle use, non silting kick introduction. 2nd dive was UW Nav, 3rd was night/low vis. 2nd day 1st dive deep to no less than 90ft. 2nd dive search and recovery or wreck into. 3rd dive Buddy Skills and Assist.
All of them are outlined in detail in the book. If you are interested it's called SCUBA: A Practical Guide to Advanced Level Training and is available on Amazon in print and Kindle formats.