Just finished my PADI AOW and am trying to figure out what the best next step is given my goal is to get the training/experience to dive Atlantic wrecks as soon as I can safely/confidently do so. Going for PADI's Master Scuba Diver program seems like a waste of time because I really didn't learn very much new/useful/non-obvious stuff in my Dry Suit Specialty course (nor honestly in my AOW for that matter), so I don't think four more specialty courses will train me that well, but I did talk to a NAUI instructor who was telling me how thorough their Master course was on getting eager "new" divers like me as well educated and prepared as possible, and that for the eight required dives I can find an instructor who dives locally and can do them on boat charters to wrecks like the Iberia, the Lizzie D, or even the USS San Diego. The sales pitch was that this course would teach me everything I would need to know about recreational diving in order to move on to advanced specialties (I would like to do wreck this year, ice next year or the year after, and maybe a rebreather course by 2009), instructorship (which I currently have no interest in), or technical diving (which it seems I would need for the deeper wrecks, probably also a 2009-2010 thing).
For this type of goal (Atlantic boat diving, non-penetration for now), would this be the best possible training course to take right now, or are there other courses by one of the other agencies I should consider? Also, for any NAUI instructors or Master alumni, can you tell me if this course also cover recreational "deep" diving so that the card will suffice requirements to visit 130' wrecks or 40m Blue holes?
Any other advice or course/reading/practice recommendations?
For this type of goal (Atlantic boat diving, non-penetration for now), would this be the best possible training course to take right now, or are there other courses by one of the other agencies I should consider? Also, for any NAUI instructors or Master alumni, can you tell me if this course also cover recreational "deep" diving so that the card will suffice requirements to visit 130' wrecks or 40m Blue holes?
Any other advice or course/reading/practice recommendations?