Out of curiosity what would you all think would make a good first specialty. I know there are a few that would only be relevant/ useful in certain parts of the world.
Diving specialties
- Thread starter Gilchristz
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I voted Nitrox because it allows more bottom time as long as you stay within the MOD of the mixture and with more bottom time you can practice the rest of the specialties for a longer time. That's just my opinion though. I did nitrox before I did advanced open water.
Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
It was a toss up between peak buoyancy and rescue. Rescue is probably a little more important to me than peak buoyancy since it involves safety.
Buoyancy would be second, and it also involves safety to some degree..
I think they should offer a "perfect weighting" specialty instead of a "peak buoyancy" specialty since the use of a BC can easily mask the problem of being overweighted. The way it is now, all they do is teach people to be a better elevator diver, not necessarily a better weighted diver which would eliminate 90% of the problems people have with buoyancy control to start with.
Buoyancy would be second, and it also involves safety to some degree..
I think they should offer a "perfect weighting" specialty instead of a "peak buoyancy" specialty since the use of a BC can easily mask the problem of being overweighted. The way it is now, all they do is teach people to be a better elevator diver, not necessarily a better weighted diver which would eliminate 90% of the problems people have with buoyancy control to start with.
I would suggest you start thinking on what you think you may want to pursue in your diving career. Nitrox is a good indoor classroom course for the winter, as can be buoyancy (typically done in a pool). If you have any particular interests, I would suggest you go in that direction. Each specialty has its reason for being,.. though I firmly believe buoyancy should be taught in OW class.
Where I teach, often the first Specialty course folks take is Dry Suit. Many take it at the same time they are doing their open water. They finish with their Open Water certification as well as Dry Suit certification.
OP
No Zombie Diver Choice? 
My OW course had me in the ballpark of being weighted properly. Peak Buoyancy was part of my AOW class and helped tune things up. If I was to do a specialty it would be Rescue.
After reading all these posts I think buoyancy is also a good option. I think I was spoiled and was forced to learn buoyancy since my original dives were for research on coral reefs. That being said either buoyancy or nitrox are still the most important. Buoyancy is important so you don't crash into things but with nitrox you can get more buoyancy practice so its still a toss up to me. Depends on how your buoyancy skillls are at the start of your SCUBA career
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I put Navigation for it's obvious usefulness. Rescue is probably more important, but with PADI you need Adventure Diver first, plus EFR, and I kind of look at Rescue as a separate necessity everyone should have as soon as practical. With PADI anyway, I never really thought of Rescue as a "specialty". Buoyancy is of course very important, but ideally such a course should be as it's labelled -- "peak". Right out of OW course one should have somewhat decent (livable) buoyancy.
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