Question about Building Experience

[molksmith]

Hi there,
I have recently completed my AOW and have just 23 dives completed. I wanted to ask about where are the best spots when you are advanced but have few dives. I don't want to be that "padi-certified diver" in over his head. I want to build up to more complex diving in the future, but for now I just want to work on my skills.
What are the best beg. advanced dives in the european/asia area?
thanks in advance.
Daniel

 

[FatCat]

Hi there,
I have recently completed my AOW and have just 23 dives completed. I wanted to ask about where are the best spots when you are advanced but have few dives. I don't want to be that "padi-certified diver" in over his head. I want to build up to more complex diving in the future, but for now I just want to work on my skills.
What are the best beg. advanced dives in the european/asia area?
thanks in advance.
Daniel

If you're talking holiday diving: the Red Sea and the Med. Avoid France because you're likely to get into an argument about your PADI cert.

 

[matt_unique]

Hi there,
I have recently completed my AOW and have just 23 dives completed. I wanted to ask about where are the best spots when you are advanced but have few dives. I don't want to be that "padi-certified diver" in over his head. I want to build up to more complex diving in the future, but for now I just want to work on my skills.
What are the best beg. advanced dives in the european/asia area?
thanks in advance.
Daniel

You can build your skills right at your current dive spots by increasing the number, type, and scope of safety drills. Mask removal, single regulator buddy breathing, removing your rig at depth (as though to get free of serious entanglement solo), etc., etc.

Of course there is definitely a comfort factor in sites you know well and you do need to hit different sites to really continue to build your comfort/experience. You can also build this in your current sites.

--Matt

 

[pipedope]

You can advance your skills anywhere and anytime you dive.
Make an effort to plan carefully each dive and then execute the dive to the plan, even one in 25' of clear water.

Practice skills like mask R&R, precise bouyancy control, precise effecient body movement and positioning, buddy awareness, etc. on each and every dive.

You can always use advanced skills and knowledge even on dives that are not "advanced".

 

[voop]

If you're talking holiday diving: the Red Sea and the Med. Avoid France because you're likely to get into an argument about your PADI cert.

Or, if you do come to France, drop me a PM. I can hook you up with non-dogmatic dive-centers in France, who care more about if you can actually *dive* than they do about the logo printed on your card.

Heck, come to France on a weekend where I am off, and I'll go diving with you We have pretty good spots, which are refreshingly little used compared to the red sea and some of the other countries bordering the med.

But FatCat, you're right: I came to France from abroad, and had to go through hell and back to be "allowed" to dive here. One of the funny thing about some French centers is that even if you show up with a thick logbook and a CMAS*** card (which they *should* accept, seeing how the french diving federation claims big in CMAS), you will find plenty of offers for "discover scuba" things and lots of resistance for you doing anything else.

But there are exceptions...good exceptions -- and France is definitely worthy as a dive-destination if making the effort of picking a good instructor/center. PM me, and I'll be happy to help with setting up a good contact.

 

[molksmith]

I think I have the basic skills down albeit I am sure I will be tweaking my buoyancy for the rest of my diving life, I am looking more for advice on mid-level sites.
For Instance all of my 23 dives were in Thailand and with few exceptions the currents were never really strong and the vis was always good to amazing. Yet I would like to go to colder/water dives and wrecks and currents. I figured THE RED SEA/Dahab, but does anyone have any thoughts/tips on Croatia? It is close so does anywone have a tip on a reputable shop there? or which gear I should absolutely own and which I can get away with renting.
I've got mask,fins, safety sausage, and I am getting a computer.