Got some gear and signed up for AOW!

[JamesK]

Jim L,

I wish more instructors had your beliefs.

DukeAMO,

Congrats on the gear purchase. You have already chosen your path, so I will not discuss that, just have fun, be safe, and never stop learning.

 

[DevonDiver]

I don't think you can do a specialty and AOW in the same weekend. You are limited to no more than three training dives per day.

They'd be able to use the PPB adventure dive from the AOW as credit towards the PPB Specialty. That's a 2-dive course, so it'd mean that only 1 extra PPB dive was needed for certification. 5 dives AOW + 1 dive PPB = 6 dives (2x 3 dives per day).

Basically, it'd mean one extra PPB dive to be completed on the second day of training. That may, or may not, be worth the money - depending on how much you wanted the c-card, and how much they were charging for it.

The benefit of focused buoyancy training really does depend on the quality of the instructor, especially the innovation, experience and competence that they approach the course with. It's possible to work wonders in a single dive (making one extra PPB dive priceless), but it's equally possible to achieve very little except for swimming though hoops and covering no more than the base requirements.

 

[TSandM]

Congratulations on your new gear, and I think it would be a great idea to play with it in the pool, and make sure everything is working properly, and get some familiarity with it. Doing the AOW class before your trip is an excellent choice, I think, and I like the fact that your instructor is planning two PPB dives, because good buoyancy control is one of the solid foundation pieces of safe diving.

I think what you can take from Jim's posts is that there will be more left to learn, but getting a leg up on better diving skills is never a bad thing.

 

[lulubelle]

Here in NC we do tend to take AOW rather quickly, as most of the operators on the coast require it for us to dive our local dive environment. I took my AOW course with just a few dives under my belt, then the following summer I took a proper wreck course down at the coast with a tech/cave instructor and one other student who had been diving since the time of Christ. It was a good and valid path for me.

I don't know that the OP intends to dive offshore NC quite yet, so her motivations may be different, but I see no harm in this path. She has plans to dive in the very near future, and there are many training options still in front of her as she determines her future training needs. I would recommend that she and her DH buddy with other more experienced divers when possible as that is how I advanced my diving skill after AOW, but diving with people who were more experienced than me.

The most important thing imho, and I am no instructor certainly, is that she get in the water and dive.

 

[DukeAMO]

I should say, I don't think anyone should assume my first instructor was a slacker! Salty old sea captain is more like it. He's an instructor trainer who's been diving for decades, and he was pretty strict. I could tell we knew more on our checkout dives than most of the other new divers we saw. Even before we got in the water, we did everything without help, and some of the other students were still doing stupid things. (You don't know how to do a big step, really? How about a BWRAF check? Are you going to jump in without your mask on?)

But it's also smart to take a class before you do anything new. A lot of the coastal charters around here include training in the deep and/or wreck diving specialties. But a lot of them want AOW first too. Honestly, I wouldn't dream of going on my first NC wreck dive without including wreck specialty training. The single dive in the AOW class wouldn't be enough.

On our trip to the Caribbean, we're planning to hire a DM for the two of us, since taking classes isn't usually an option when you're on the cruise ship schedule. It'll be nice to have someone along to point out the neat wildlife and show us where to go, and help us learn how to drift in the current. And it's only $50 extra in most places we're going.

Also note that a lot of the reefs and walls in the Caribbean start in the 50-80 ft range. While you can try to stay above 60 feet, I think it would be too tempting to go down to 80 feet to at least be at the top of the reef/wall. It happens *all the time*. I'd rather have some basic deep diving training.

In the meantime, we can get some practice dives in in the quarry. But probably only one day before the AOW class, because it's just too darned cold right now. After the class we might be able to fit in another day or two before the cruise.

 

[Hawkwood]

They'd be able to use the PPB adventure dive from the AOW as credit towards the PPB Specialty. That's a 2-dive course, so it'd mean that only 1 extra PPB dive was needed for certification. 5 dives AOW + 1 dive PPB = 6 dives (2x 3 dives per day).

Basically, it'd mean one extra PPB dive to be completed on the second day of training. That may, or may not, be worth the money - depending on how much you wanted the c-card, and how much they were charging for it.

The benefit of focused buoyancy training really does depend on the quality of the instructor, especially the innovation, experience and competence that they approach the course with. It's possible to work wonders in a single dive (making one extra PPB dive priceless), but it's equally possible to achieve very little except for swimming though hoops and covering no more than the base requirements.

Around here it is very typical to do Dry Suit with AOW and get the certification with a 6th dive (5 AOW and 1 DS).

Bill

 

[Bombay High]

With my AOW class all that is guaranteed is training. The cert must be earned and it may not happen if they don't meet my standards as well as those of the agency. We'll go til they get it or give up but I'm not in the business of selling cards.

Thats a great approach, and something students should be appreciative of.

 

[BVickery]

Would like to say congrats on the new gear.

If you could, you may want to try and get more than just an hour of diving with your new gear. Things do change (the weight you will need may change since BCDs all have differing buoyancy characteristics as an example). I actually failed a OW Cert dive because I was fighting the gear to much since it fit me improperly.

 

[t4e]

for the life of me i don't understand how anyone can possibly learn enough in a weekend to pass OW, let alone AOW

 

[BVickery]

for the life of me i don't understand how anyone can possibly learn enough in a weekend to pass OW, let alone AOW

Why do many people equate more time = better divers? I can tell you first hand if you just lecture me (which was what my old NAUI instructor did) I wouldn't retain much, didn't really learn much but hey, it satisfied the whole 'lots of time'. But, if the instructor actually learns to teach, create a learning environment that is interactive and more of a discussion I become a lot more engaged in the learning (I am actually actively learning what is needed and not passively) I can learn a lot more information faster and even retain it longer.

Some people actually are more comfortable in the water and as such, can pick up skills much faster than others. I was blessed with my NAUI instructor in that he really sucked at the academic portion of teaching, but when it came to the active skills, the way he taught it was more engaging and interactive (even back in 1990). I never grasped ANY of the book stuff til I had a PADI instructor who was the opposite of my NAUI instructor. (This is NOT a whole NAUI vs. PADI bashing thread)