What course to do next?

[h90]

What dives did you do during your advanced course?

Any that you really enjoyed?

My choices would be Night, Nav and Rescue, as others have said here rescue is a great course.

Well my advanced course broke every standard I guess. My teacher told there not much he can teach me more.
The buoyancy dives (2) were very good, I reduced from 6 kg to 3-4 (tropic, shorty). A lot exercises, head down, upside down, 90 degree, full tank empty tank.
I made the Nav as a solo dive with bad vis, very interesting, but I still don't fell good on nav. Also on land I have no idea......
Deep was 5-8 meter. just at that time my old mother was on holidays here. the teacher was on the beach. She came and asked if everything right. He told I should have come to surface 10 min ago, but sooner or later the waves bring everyone back to beach. (my mother has high blood pressure, so not a nice joke)

I asked in the shop if there is a nav specialty and he told there is no book about it (not answering if there is a course)

Deep no problem: in Croatia: that wrack is on 55 meter no problem..... I didn't do that, but the pre-test at 40 meter but just to cold when I came from Thailand and there it had 15 degree in the water.


Well thats my experiences. With a few accidents due to bad serviced equipment (I have now a long time own equipment)

 

[h90]

grf88: Yes but how to find? Waht is Dir-F?
Jimmer: I stay in Thailand. Do you know any webpage (whereever) with details? I didn' found something but Internet is slow for me so I just followed the first 5 links in google.

 

[grf88]

DIR-F
gue.com/Training/Recreational/index.html

NAUI Instructor Thailand

NAUI Worldwide :: Dive Trainer Locator

No ACUC instructors in Thailand that I can find and no GUE instructors either however there are several in Germany.

As to finding a mentor get to know people in the diving community.

 

[Jimmer]

ACUC International is their international website, but I don't know if they have training centers in Thailand. NAUI might be more likely if you don't want to take another PADI course.

 

[grf88]

SDI might be a better choice for Thailand as there are a number of instructors.

International Training :: Members :: Facility Search

It may be easier to transition to tech with them as well.

 

[TSandM]

I'm not a fan of PADI classes, because I think they are taught to the lowest common denominator, but I thought the Rescue class I took was excellent, and I would recommend it to anyone.

h90, you sound like a natural for DIR-F. You might want to do a seach on "Fundies" for class reports here -- There are quite a few. Fundies is a dive class taught to and for adults -- no sugar coating, no Hawaiian shirts. There is a basic introduction to deco theory there, and a high standard for skills. It's a good class, and a difficult one. You could almost certainly find an opportunity to take it in Europe, and it's also regularly available in the Middle East, and Gideon Lieuw teaches in various sites in Asia.

 

[Arizona]

I'm not a fan of PADI classes, because I think they are taught to the lowest common denominator, but I thought the Rescue class I took was excellent, and I would recommend it to anyone.

I think this may be the case for classes below the DM level to some extent. In fact you experienced something better at the Rescue level as stated above. Don't let the AOW deter you. It is not so much the LCD but rather below DM it comes down to, does the student meet the standard. Once you enter divemaster training you will see the bar is raised significantly.

I personally found all PADI training very good. I thought the AOW was a bit easy, but becoming more familiar with the system I realize its objectives now. I became acquainted with drift, night, deep, improved buoyancy and got turned on to Enriched Air. Not a bad thing for someone with 10 dives at the time. As other threads and posters have stated Adventures in Diving would be a better name than Advanced Open Water. Is it really the LCD?

IMO it clearly seems your interests does not fall into becoming a DM, so with all due respect I would explore other avenues. More solo type training if you can find it, which does not fit into PADI training philosophy.

Arizona

 

[grf88]

Looks like there will be a DIR-F (GUE-F) class in Thailand in February.

Living Seas - GUE Training and Scuba Diving in Singapore

Be aware that GUE does not look favourably on solo diving. (probably an understatement)

 

[Buoyant1]

If you're interested in DECO diving, you probably have some desire to visit wrecks, maybe toss in a wreck specialty..I just did one and it was a blast! It gives you some good basic wreck diving skills, and takes you on a simple penetration....just my 2 psi...

 

[leadweight]

Take rescue even though you are not so inclined. Its some of the most important stuff a diver could know.