Question Is my AOW class “normal”?

[scubadada]

Nonsense, especially if you are asking the diver to respect the reef and its life. It is hard enough to get a new diver to control their buoyance and not kick up sand/silt, without task-loading them with a camera.

Our ex-PADI Regional Director once said, "OW is learning to not hold your breath, don't stay down too long, and have fun. AOW is about some cool things to do while you are not holding your breath. Rescue is what to do if someone holds their breath." Task-loading a new diver is a BAD idea.

The ready availability of digital cameras and video has been an afront to the reefs and to other divers. I don't have to give examples, I'm sure many of you have the same experience Talk about a qualification for diving, I would like a skill and dive number qualification for photo. Every beginner has a GoPro...

 

[BoltSnap]

Learning about marine life and marine environment is part of being an advanced diver. An adiver isn't just buoyancy or navigation or night diving, it is also being aware of marine life and the environment and how to protect them and how to avoid any potential harm done to the diver and the environment and marine life.

 

[boulderjohn]

My ideas on what AOW should include--
-Maybe 200 logged dives? I know some can be advanced after 20 dives, others not after 1,000, but I just threw out 200 to show some experience.

You call that advanced! No, that's not advanced.

I think we should make the advanced certification truly advanced by requiring 6,000 dives before you take it and requiring 200 hours of training in the course to complete it. By golly, then people would be advanced. Of course no one would actually take the class so no one would benefit from it, but, by golly, they would be advanced if they did!

 

[Bob DBF]

I'm guessing that this sequence, plus some testosterone supplements, somewhat approximates what real divers learned in the glory days of LA dive training.

Well that LA dive training is what gave us AOW in the same form PADI uses today.

 

[TMHeimer]

You call that advanced! No, that's not advanced.

I think we should make the advanced certification truly advanced by requiring 6,000 dives before you take it and requiring 200 hours of training in the course to complete it. By golly, then people would be advanced. Of course no one would actually take the class so no one would benefit from it, but, by golly, they would be advanced if they did!

Don't disagree. Of course we're well into the definition of "advanced" (and "master", etc.), some very old topics. I just threw that out as a number, mainly to compare 200 to AOW with possibly only 9 course dives and no more. Yes, I also know that the origin of AOW was probably just a very good marketing plan to use the term advanced, make it really (as everyone never fails to point out) a platter of interesting stuff to experience. Thus many folks would consider doing it. Apparently this plan worked very well.
I continue to say that it's just my opinion that certain dives should be part of AOW and certain others shouldn't.
I believe years ago during these discussions, someone proposed that actually simply calling AOW the Adventure Diver Cert. would make more sense since some of the possible dives could in fact be an adventure, though not do much to make you a more advanced-- better-- diver.
I just threw out the 200 dives off the top of my head-- make it 500? Whatever. It would still mean someone was at least somewhat advanced-- with very few (but some) exceptions.

 

[pauldw]

Learning about marine life and marine environment is part of being an advanced diver. An adiver isn't just buoyancy or navigation or night diving, it is also being aware of marine life and the environment and how to protect them and how to avoid any potential harm done to the diver and the environment and marine life.

Also, one needs to know how to help marine life make the transition from the ocean to a deep fryer.

 

[TMHeimer]

Learning about marine life and marine environment is part of being an advanced diver. An adiver isn't just buoyancy or navigation or night diving, it is also being aware of marine life and the environment and how to protect them and how to avoid any potential harm done to the diver and the environment and marine life.

Well, I suppose you could argue that and thus argue that fish ID, the former Nat'l Geographic Diver (gone a few years ago) courses and the like could be looped in with the "advanced" word. One also could say that if you follow the mantra that many do --"take only pictures, leave only bubbles", that would seem to be enough to protect 99% of the environment. And it's not hard to do (says the shell collector...).

 

[BoltSnap]

Also, one needs to know how to help marine life make the transition from the ocean to a deep fryer.

Knowing what you can and what you can't/shouldn't is important to know. Also, knowing what goes into a fryer or a grill is important too

 

[BoltSnap]

Well, I suppose you could argue that and thus argue that fish ID, the former Nat'l Geographic Diver (gone a few years ago) courses and the like could be looped in with the "advanced" word. One also could say that if you follow the mantra that many do --"take only pictures, leave only bubbles", that would seem to be enough to protect 99% of the environment. And it's not hard to do (says the shell collector...).

In that case, one can also argue that all you need to know in diving is: Breath in/breath out, never hold your breath and never come up fast and if you are unsure, go to YouTube.

 

[brsnow]

In that case, one can also argue that all you need to know in diving is: Breath in/breath out, never hold your breath and never come up fast and if you are unsure, go to YouTube.

I would agree, in my certification classes I didn’t learn anything I couldn’t have learned on YouTube. My growth came from diving with an experienced buddy and diving a lot the first few years. Now it is like riding a bike, take time off and buoyancy skills stay solid and air consumption stays good.