To go for AOW or not

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ScubaJoy65

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Location
Land O Lakes, Florida
# of dives
1000 - 2499
I am going on four dives this weekend. One dive site has a wreck at 60 ft for the top of the ship and 90 ft for the bottom. So my dive shop calls me today and says why don't you let these four dives count towards your AOW dives. You can take the class later.

I do want to get my AOW. But I'm wondering if this is the way to go about it. (FYI: I have eight dives under my belt before these next four. And my dive instructors both here and at another shop say I'm a natural. ? sales pitch or real? I dunno...)

Thoughts on whether I should do this in the manner they've offered?

:scubadive:
 
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What does that voice in the back of your head say, and I'm not talking about the desire to see the wrecks.

Doing it backwards sounds like a trust me dive. Part of the academics is to prepare you and to give you insights into what you want to be cognizant of while in the company of an instructor.

IMO the wreck will wait, it's just a ship that failed.

Pete
 
What you describe is (almost) exactly what happened to me. I (at that time OW with 10 logged dives) went diving over Christmas 2006, booked four dives with the DM; after having arrived, the instructor proposed to me to have those dives be part of the AOW and add one dive. The classroom part would be done in the afternoon after the dives (it's much less than for the OW course).
I said yes. Best thing I could do. Especially the Peak Performance Buoyancy improved my diving a lot (and I really recommend doing it!!) and it was definitely not too early to do the AOW with 10 dives (and no one ever told me I'm a natural :depressed:).
OTOH, if afterwards you won't be diving regularly you'll lose those skills quickly. But then, that's the case, no matter which qualification you have or which courses you have done.
Just my two cents..
 
Think about this....

NO INSTRUCTION and these dives count towards a certification!?!?!?!?!? :shocked2:

Seems not only a disservice to yourself, but flat out dishonest.
 
Everybody's a natural ... it's part of the pitch for selling continuing education classes.

Letting dives "count" toward a class is a useless exercise if there's no real training involved ... you won't be taking a class, you'll be purchasing a C-card. Out of curiosity, was the instructor planning on doing these dives with you? Or simply checking them off as "done that"?

Do the dives if you want to ... but if you're interested in taking a class, do it with an instructor who will actually teach you something first.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)
 
Do you honestly believe that you will be an "advanced" diver after these dives?

I wouldn't do it -- this place sounds like a joke. Go get some real instruction...
 
Don't do it.
Go some place where you feel like you will get some good instruction.
I would not trust these guys.
 
You can become an AOW diver with only 9 dives in a couple agencies. I really don't think AOW Q's belong in this sub-forum.
 
The instruction should come first, not later. You need the instruction beforehand so you can apply it to the dives. Sounds like it's time to look for another dive shop.
 
To the OP, this question is more appropriate for the Basic Scuba Discussions.

Anyway, as others have said, you aren't getting an instruction, you are purchasing a C-Card, so if you are cool with that go do the dives. I doubt in the long run it will make much of a difference to your diving ability to do the instruction before or after the dives as you won't learn much extra about diving doing an AOW class ... but it does say a lot about that shop - they sound like one that just likes to certify people rather than ensure they are skilled divers.

If you don't want to do the instruction after though, seeing as you have OW qualification there is no reason you can't do the dives yourself - though if you feel nervous just stick to the recommended 60ft OW limit rather than go down to 90ft, just do what you are comfortable with. And then find a better shop or instructor to do your AOW course with. But yea, is there any reason in particular you want to do AOW? Just wondering.

As far as you being a natural diver, what do you think? Do you feel comfortable in the water? Do you think you can cope when stuff goes really wrong? Ignore what the shop says, you should know yourself whether you are comfortable in the water or not.
 
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