AOW courses to take?

[kaerius]

Wreck--They're all over, but even the PADI Wreck Course is only an intro. I took that but wouldn't do anything but the simplest penetration (and haven't done that). Much of the other info. is just common sense, but still informative.

The simplest penetrations are much like swimthrough holes in the reefs, not much to fear there, the only real added danger is tetanus if you cut yourself on the old corroded metal. That said my first penetration dive included a 30m+ swim through the crew quarters of the Zenobia, there were frequent window ports large enough to let a diver out though, the entire area had natural light, and there was no silting.

 

[Searcaigh]

The simplest penetrations are much like swimthrough holes in the reefs, not much to fear there, the only real added danger is tetanus if you cut yourself on the old corroded metal.

Not so sure that one could contract tetanus underwater from a scratch on a rusty wreck.

Theoretically the bacteria Clostridium tetani could exist underwater as it is an anaerobic organism (does not require oxygen to live), but I am not aware of its free existence underwater.

Regular vaccination for tetanus is recommended however

 

[AfterDark]

I would choose Night, Navigation, Deep, and Peak Performance Bouyancy

IMO this is the basis of an advanced diver. If you can't dive in low vis/night, deep and control your bouyancy who cares how many fish names you know?

 

[thebird36]

IMO this is the basis of an advanced diver. If you can't dive in low vis/night, deep and control your bouyancy who cares how many fish names you know?

yeah those are the ones I was thinking of taking but I'd add search and recovery to that list because I have one more dive to add

 

[CT Sean]

We (wife and I) are signed up to take the following this summer in Key Largo:

Deep + nav (required of course)
peak performance buoyancy
wreck
night

 

[Frosty]

can someone please explain to me what exactly do you learn in Boat Diver and Underwater Naturalist courses?

With Boat diver not a darn thing if you have done all of your diving (or a lot of your diving) from a boat or two already.
If you havent -for example you have done only confined water(quarry) diving then there is enough to learn to make it worth while in my opinion.
Underwater naturalist (in my opinion) is a waste of time for AOW UNLESS its something you would like to specialise in -perhaps as a career choice.

 

[adutto]

If you are going to Key Largo, you may want to do Wreck (doing this one after the Deep Dive may get you to the Spiegel Grove, which is awesome)
I try to teach night as much as I can, so I highly recommend it... It won't only give you the experience in actual night, but in low visibility environments in general.
The last one I'd recommend is Peak Performance Buoyancy, it gives you great tips in order to streamline your gear and dive more comfortably.

Given the recommendations, there is another thing you should take into account, which is for you to think if you have any special interest like photo/video or fish ID... in that case, as these are your interest the beat any recommendation

Have fun!

 

[BDSC]

yeah those are the ones I was thinking of taking but I'd add search and recovery to that list because I have one more dive to add

Nothing wrong with "search and recovery" as I did that in my AOW class many years ago. However, in 22 years of diving I have never participated in a search and recovery effort nor do I even know anyone who has but I do wreck dives every year. I just think it's a more practical choice but if you really want S&R then by all means do it.

 

[kaerius]

I've done a few simple search and recovery dives... searching for droped masks, swimming goggles, snorkles, and sunglasses, even (unsuccessfully) a dive computer, and some expensive jewelry. These are on request "I droped XXXX, could you find it for me please?" dives, not just random finds. (and most of them lasted less than 5 minutes).

I also put lift bag skills to use when I helped with the building of Buoyancy World(artificial reef) on Koh Tao.

 

[eponym]

Nothing wrong with "search and recovery" as I did that in my AOW class many years ago. However, in 22 years of diving I have never participated in a search and recovery effort nor do I even know anyone who has but I do wreck dives every year. I just think it's a more practical choice but if you really want S&R then by all means do it.

I've done dozens of local dives which use search and recovery skills. Fixing things for local marinas, finding something important dropped from a boat. Also a dozen or more "fix-it" dives for state and national parks, deep and not simple.

Regardless of whether or not you get those opportunities, I think the exercises in a good search & recovery course are valuable in several ways:

- detailed dive planning
- buddy communication
- search techniques
- multitasking underwater
- line and reel handling
- problem-solving underwater