West End advanced sites

[ronscuba]

Many dive ops all over the world usually spend the 1st day on easier sites to assess diver ability. Much better way to evaluate than a card.

 

[Streydog]

Thanks for everyone's input. I will probably go ahead and just take AOW to get it out of the way the first couple of days. I didn't mean to come across as a know it all diver, I have been diving with people that are extremely more experienced than me and it amazes me how effortless they make diving look.

 

[Doc]

Thanks for everyone's input. I will probably go ahead and just take AOW to get it out of the way the first couple of days. I didn't mean to come across as a know it all diver, I have been diving with people that are extremely more experienced than me and it amazes me how effortless they make diving look.

You didn't. I think the thrust of what you were being told is that the AOW (or most any) card is not necessarily indicative of any real skill level.

This, however, is a real red flag...

(I mean the keychain with the fish bone thing)

 

[dmaziuk]

(I mean the keychain with the fish bone thing)

He's just not using it right: they're for keeping your headphones wire un-tangled-up.

 

[CajunDiva]

@Streydog, this advice is really not indicative in any way of your abilities as a diver. Clearly you have more experience than many who already have their Advanced certification.

Due to the household in which I reside, I have been trained to look at things from a liability standpoint Hubby has been a practicing attorney for MANY years, so...

No matter what perspective you use, it's still a good idea to just get that certification done and then there's no more worrying about it. From your perspective, you're good to go and don't have to worry about anything but showing your Advanced card. From the dive shop's perspective, they don't have to be concerned about allowing a diver to dive beyond their capabilities and risk a lawsuit. If you get the certification it's win/win for all. PLUS, believe it or not, you'll feel much more confident and content

 

[Colo Hippie]

I have never heard of a dive shop on the island limit a diver to shallower dives because they did not have AOW. Roatan is not the US, if you're comfortable doing the dive they will take you.

 

[Streydog]

So I got back last night. I ended up not taking AOW. The shop I was using would try to cater to all divers, the first few days there was a newer diver so they did not go to any of the sites that required deeper dives. Most of these dives were a max depth of 60' and averaged around 40'. After the new diver was done for the week the morning dives were to deeper sites, Hole in the Wall and El Aguila. After the second day I had asked the shop manager if I would have issues going to any of their advanced sites and he told me as long as I had the logged experience there was not an issue.. They never asked to see my log. So I guess to answer my own question, if you ask the shop prior to them seeing you dive they will be reluctant to tell you what they will limit you to. If you demonstrate you are competent you shouldn't have any issues.

 

[CajunDiva]

So...you didn't go deeper than 60' on El Aguila?

 

[Streydog]

I went down to 106' at El Aquila and 113' at Hole in the Wall

 

[CajunDiva]

That's what I figured...