Advanced Open Water

[SmileMon]

Hi,

I'm scheduled for AOW dives/course soon, my Instructor likes to keep me in the dark but the curious person in me is asking for more information.

So far I've got hints about fish identification, basic navigation, night diving and getting narc'ed.

Anyone has any further information about the actual dives? What should I expect?

Knowing my instructor I know everything is going to be fun but I can't help it, I would like to come mentally prepared..

Instructors who train several agencies, I'll appreciate your pov on the differences between NAUI and other agencies regarding AOW (mainly checkout dives), just keep the bashing off this thread.

At least I got my bouyancy and other skills under control, I feel almost like a fish..

Thanks!!

 

[wunat]

I would say just expect to have fun!!!

Personally, I don't see AOW as a formal course as with OW. It is more of a series of dives where you will be exposed to various knowledge and skills which you can make your diving experiences more safe and interesting.

Well, just some of my views..................

 

[Don Wray]

I am studying for my AOW next week....PADI has the skills required at the end of each chapter just before the knowledge quiz. such as deep water is as follows:
Knowledge assessment and review; timed task at surface; setting up emergency breathing equipment; briefing; gearing up; predive safety check; entry; descent; timed task at bottom; depth gauge comparisons with you, your buddy and instructor; tour; ascent and safety stop; exit; debrief and log dive. That's it, but remember instructors often throw their own little test in there also, such as regulator recovery or mask recovery, lost mask etc. Good luck and I'll let you know when I get back how it went and what more to expect.

 

[SmileMon]

I hope it doesn't involve shutting off the valve like last time...

I thought it was funny, but other students in the OW course didn't.. I guess he was trying to see how alert I was.

The short story, it was the pool dives, buddy check, my instructor "checked" my tank and closed the valve, I was about to jump in, but seeing how he smiled, I rechecked my valve and discovered it was closed, he knows I'm paranoid and was a bit more educated from the rest of the class, otherwise he never would have allowed himself to pull that joke on me.
I guess he achieved his goal, after that joke I'm double checking my tank before every jump especially if I see someone "resting" his arm on my valve.

I've read a few weeks ago that they train you to close/open valves on doubles when doing tech diving, he knows I'm into it, so he started throwing some advanced training during the OW.

I wonder how people with less sense of humor/paranoid will take it...

 

[homo maris]

AOW is lot of fun. You will dive deep, navigate underwater and choose 3 out of:
* Altitude Diver
* Boat Diver
* Drift Diver
* Deep Diver
* Dry Suit Diver
* Diver Propulsion Vehicle
* Multilevel Diver
* Night Diver
* Peak Performance Buoyancy
* Search and Recovery Diver
* Underwater Naturalist
* Underwater Videographer
* Underwater Photographer
* Underwater Navigator
* AWARE Fish Identification
* Wreck Diver

The book is very useful as it includes information on all the dives.
As far as getting narc'ed it will depend on you physiology and how deep you go as the deep dives are between 60 and 100ft.
I am surprised that your instructor keeps you in the dark as usually you get the book with all the information ahead of time to study.

JL

 

[SmileMon]

The book gives you information, not what the actual dives are going to be like.

My instructor said that the deep checkout dive is 130 feet, that makes him crazy or he just want to give us a little more than usual?

 

[Lake Mead Tony]

Messing with sombody's valve is deadly, not a joke at all. Mabey he was trying to make a point, but that was not the way to do it. We used to put divers thrue a "confidence course" on their last pool dive where we would loosen straps, take masks and fins off but there was always a safety diver and 2 dive masters on the surface. We were always told "never turn air off". Mabey things have changed!!!

 

[CuriousRambler]

I can't wait to sign up for my AOW, I just can't afford a refresher and that as of right now...Hopefully later this month though!

 

[AndyNZ]

So far I've got hints about fish identification, basic navigation, night diving and getting narc'ed.

Anyone has any further information about the actual dives? What should I expect?

You mean you haven't chosen particular dives that you want to do?? Why let your instructor mandate what dives you are doing on a course that (presumably) you have paid for?

Flick through the options you've got and see what takes your fancy - if you want to do a DPV dive then say so!!

 

[PerroneFord]

Can you get Boat, Wreck, and Deep all on the same dive? Then maybe do a night dive with a multi-level profile after you locate something on the bottom (S&R). That's like 6 specialties on 2 dives. if you can do it all in a drysuit and if you can ID some fish while on deco, and maybe take some photos.. well... you get the idea.