Advanced Open Water Certification

[AdivingBel]

Let’s say the dive shop in Florida decides to dive the deep wreck, a site not meant for recreational divers. For the sake of this situation, I showed them my AOW but they didn’t ask if I felt comfortable or what my specialties were. Do AOW c-cards show the specialties you’ve taken or could the dive shop just look to see I have AOW and give me the okay to dive the site even though maybe I didn’t do a wreck dive specialty?

I'm posting after you clarified that you meant a deep recreational wreck dive.

IMHO it's not the dive shops responsibility to ask if you are comfortable doing the dive you booked. It's your job to let the dive shop know of your questions or concerns. They can then provide additional information/insight about the dive and you can make the decision as to how to proceed. If possible this should be handled when booking the dive before you even show up. Don't put the dive shop personnel in the position of having to tell you no. Be informed. You don't need a wreck specialty to dive Florida (at least Keys) recreational depth wrecks. The AOW lets the dive OP know you've been below 60 ft. at least once and lived to tell about it. The AOW requirement for specific dives also lets the diver know it's not a bimble on a 30 ft. reef, so be prepared.

 

[TMHeimer]

You don't need AOW but in order to take what I consider one of the best classes and most needed skills to learn in Rescue Diver you have to have AOW prior.

If you're talking PADI they changed that several years ago to only needing Adventure Diver cert. Prior to that change they also eliminated the 20 logged dive requirement to take Rescue.

 

[tursiops]

If you're talking PADI they changed that several years ago to only needing Adventure Diver cert. Prior to that change they also eliminated the 20 logged dive requirement to take Rescue.

Adventure Diver, yes, but one of the three dives must be Navigation.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[boulderjohn]

Let’s say the dive shop in Florida decides to dive the deep wreck, a site not meant for recreational divers. For the sake of this situation, I showed them my AOW but they didn’t ask if I felt comfortable or what my specialties were. Do AOW c-cards show the specialties you’ve taken or could the dive shop just look to see I have AOW and give me the okay to dive the site even though maybe I didn’t do a wreck dive specialty?

As a "vacation diver" I am continually amazed at America's fixation on OW vs AOW.

I have OW cert and have have never been prevented from doing any dive on offer at any location I have been. Never been asked for AOW. There is no need for AOW in many parts of the world. You dive as a buddy team and manage your own profile. They consider you a responsible adult.

I don't know how else to say this.

AOW is required by SOME operators for dives to SOME locations. Yes, it is true that the overwhelming majority of dive sites around the world, it is not a requirement. Yes, you can go through your entire life in diving without doing a single dive at a location that requires it. That does not change the fact that there are locations where it is required.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

As a "vacation diver" I am continually amazed at America's fixation on OW vs AOW.

I have OW cert and have have never been prevented from doing any dive on offer at any location I have been. Never been asked for AOW. There is no need for AOW in many parts of the world. You dive as a buddy team and manage your own profile. They consider you a responsible adult.

Simple possession of an AOW card would not make me any better equipt than I am today if I obtained it at a "vacation diver" destination. Buying an AOW card on my next Belize liveaboard trip would be meaningless as it would not involve any training.

It is very disappointing that it would make some florida lawyer happy. The US has been reduced to a tick box society unable to make rational decisions. (did I say that out loud?)

I've been to several places outside the USA where they will not take you to certain dive sites without an AOW card. I've been to some where they wouldn't take you to certain sites even WITH an AOW card if they weren't satisfied with your diving skills ... which is why so many of these places will start your vacation out with a checkout dive. While a lot of checkout dives are more for your benefit than theirs, some ... particularly in remote locations like Raja Ampat ... are primarily so the crew can determine that you're fit to handle certain dives you might want to do, since emergency services are far away and a rescue would require significant cost and resources.

Not everywhere treats these issues the same way ... it helps to ask in advance when you're planning to travel to any vacation spot what their policies are. Otherwise you might be in for a disappointing surprise when you get there ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Badge353]

If you're talking PADI they changed that several years ago to only needing Adventure Diver cert. Prior to that change they also eliminated the 20 logged dive requirement to take Rescue.

Don't get me started on the not needing 20 logged dives. I have seen and dove with people who have passed PADI rescue that clearly I would not want to come rescue me.

 

[TMHeimer]

Don't get me started on the not needing 20 logged dives. I have seen and dove with people who have passed PADI rescue that clearly I would not want to come rescue me.[/QUOTE


********************************************



Oh yeah, for sure. I did Rescue with 26 dives under my belt and my instructor suggested I do a lot more diving. BUT, I still knew the skills & procedures from the course. That is why I advise students to take Rescue as soon as they are qualified and their diving is good enough. You can continue to polish the rescue skills after the course. I believe the rescue skills used to be part of the OW courses like 100 years ago.
Tursiops, right, I forgot to mention the Nav requirement.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Actually the rescue skills are still part of ow classes. With NAUI and SEI for sure.

 

[TMHeimer]

Actually the rescue skills are still part of ow classes. With NAUI and SEI for sure.

Yeah, I knew about SEI--sorry forgot. Does NAUI teach all of the rescue skills in OW? I would assume there is no NAUI Rescue Course?

 

[scubadada]

I did PADI AOW at 80 dives and Rescue at 120 dives. For me, this was a nice balance between experience and training. I got a lot out of each course. To each their own, I'm personally not a fan of cramming all the training up front without any diving experience or perspective. You certainly do not know what you don't know