Padi Advanced open water Cert.

[dtdiver]

as others stated AOW is an introduction to other areas where you can get further training

but every dive and course adds to your skills and experience

learn everything they teach you, ask lots of questions, read and get more info outside of the classes

other books and the net (esp scubaboard)
or even other agencies (gue,naui,tdi) help.

good luck and have a blast!

dt

 

[washow88]

Deep dive is any dive below 60 ft.
I believe your instructor will take you down, as you said, between 60ft to 70ft.
If you are going to dive a lot in high altitude, then I suggest asking your instructor to include altitude dive in the AOW.

 

[exnewwavedivers]

How much you learn in the PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course (AOW) depends on you and your intructor.

Here are some scenarios - both assuming your're doing 3 dives on the first day, 2 on the 2nd day.

P.S. deep and navigation are required dives, others can be chosen.

1ST SCENARIO:

Day 1, Photography, Naturalist, Night
Day 2, Deep, Navigation

Normal. No problem.

2ND SCENARIO:

Day 1, Deep, Navigation
Day 2, Naturalist, Photography, Night

The scheduling on the 2nd scenario is better. You learn navigation on your 1st day, apply your new knowledge in all the dives on the 2nd day. You do the naturalist dive first, which enhances your photography dive. You practiced navigation during the past 2 dives that navigating on the night dive becomes easier.

My point is that, aside from how much the instructor wants you to learn, scheduling and choosing the appropriate dives can enhance the AOW course.

 

[plsdiver4377]

AOW Cert is worth getting(go for it)(some dive operations require it before getting on their boat) because it introduces you to a more varied type of diving under the quidance of an instructor. But in IMHO it is just a stepping stone to the process of learning to dive. I've always believed that education is continual process that should "never" stop. Dive often and keep on learning.

 

[mattiedread]

When I first found this board there was a similar, very lengthy thread on this subject... you may want to take a look at it as I recall a lot of experienced divers and instructors tossing out opinions.

Ultimately, (after weighing the advice I read on this board) I got my AOW almost immediately after my OW (did three dives with the AOW instructor prior to going on a 16 dive liveaboard with him and getting it). Part of the decision was having a private guide/instructor on our liveaboard to the Similan Islands (Thailand), we basically dove in a group of three and he gave us pointers on everything that presented itself from spotting fish to ecology/preservation etc. So, I felt it was totally worth it even without the cert. The cert is a handy thing to have... I still don't consider myself an 'advanced' diver with 92 dives.

I think the class is worth it for the simple reason of depth.. you may venture to a place where being able to go to 90 or 100 feet is totally to your advantage (a wreck, a 4 dive day where your first and deepest must be over 60).

Where in CO? I've lived in Floiressant (west of Colorado Springs), Vail and Steamboat Springs. I know some guys who have dove in Cherry Creek Res and Lake Dillon (which has a plane at the bottom).

 

[rugbydiver]

I thought it was Aurora Rez with the plane in the bottom, not Dillon.

If there's one up there, I might just have to breakdown & dive the chilly chilly waters of Dillon.

I'm just debating how warm it needs to get before I go diving out there in Aurora Rez. Can't see 40degree water as being fun, especially as I don't have a drysuit.

 

[SueMermaid]

Add me to the list of AOW advocates. I took mine years after my OW, and I only did it because my friend was a newly-minted instructor, and I was his first class guinea pig. It turned out to be a fun weekend, and a very good review. I enjoyed it throroughly.

 

[Northeastwrecks]

nt

 

[rugbydiver]

My understanding is that all OW classes taught at altitude (mile in the air counts, eh?) are supposed to talk about the effect it has on your diving.

Mind you, that doesn't mean that *mine* did.

That's one of the reasons why I haven't really done any diving locally. Gonna go dig through the AOW book from my PADI class because I know it's discussed in there.

And to get this back on topic -- I really enjoyed doing my AOW after only a few blue water dives. It was a great chance to do different things with the added safety & instruction of having an instructor around.

 

[mattiedread]

There was a small craft that was an actual crash.

Where in CO are you?