Advanced cert.

[TennisCoach]

Hey guys,

I know that I just got certified, but I wanna know what is next?. Next I want to do SSI AOW because the instructor that I have is really good. I understand that I have to chose 5 skills and then I have to do a dive for each one of them. Can some one verify that? Also what are the most common skills that people chose and why?

Thank you again
Carlos C.

 

[rstofer]

For the PADI version taught around here, the skills are 'Peak Performance Buoyancy', 'Search and Recovery', 'Deep', 'Night' and 'Boat'. I have no idea what it is for SSI.

A separate Nitrox course is integrated with the AOW for no particular reason. It is available separately from time to time.

Richard

 

[ltw123]

Carlos, chose the skills that are geared toward the type of diving that you wish to do.

You're in Miami, so there's a lot of deep wrecks around, so go with deep. RJ goes out on a night dive every Wednesday, so night would be good. Maybe drift so you can go up to West Palm and know how the drift diving works. Navigation is ALWAYS important. Gear it toward your interests and the diving that YOU want to be doing.

I recommend adding Nitrox to the class at the same time.

Have fun!

 

[don Francisco]

Not sure of the SSI offerings, but suggest you focus on the true skills like bouyancy, navigation, search (even if you never do a search, you'll benefit from this) and deep diving, and if offered a night specialty, along with what of the other offerings are of particular interest to you. If, for example, underwater photography interests you and the instructor is particularly qualified in that field, an intro to this might be worthwhile.

I suggest you review your options with the instructor and design the course to best suit your needs and preferences.

 

[ahava]

OW + 4 specialities and 24 logged dives will get you the aow rating

 

[TennisCoach]

Cool I try to add 4 more dives this weekend to my experience. Then I will have only 20 more to go!! I will do nitrox for sure. Then I think Photography, Navigation, and night diving. Let's see when I get there. Thank you all for your answers.

CC

 

[Papa Steve]

Cool I try to add 4 more dives this weekend to my experience. Then I will have only 20 more to go!! I will do nitrox for sure. Then I think Photography, Navigation, and night diving. Let's see when I get there. Thank you all for your answers.

CC

You really need to consider the Deep Diving specialty. You'll learn a lot and you'll have the advantage of doing some deep diving under the watching eye of an instructor.
Personally, I'm not sure how valuable a photography class will be until you're comfortable with your buoyancy. The photography class is cool but if it were me I'd be focusing on classes that are going to make me a better buddy and a safer diver.

 

[TennisCoach]

My instructor is gonna have a heart attack when he reads this but I am aming to be an instructor and most likely I will take all the classes but the feeding sharks one. I some how become an instructor on everything that I do somehow. And I belive that if you do not have the experience and the knowledge to teach it correctly then don't teach it. That is why I am sticking to SSI. I found an Instructor and a great group of people " Charlie Matthews Jr at Underwater Unlimited and their tem Underwater Unlimited - Scuba Diving, Snorkeling & Free Diving" that knows his stuff and is a great instructor. He has a passion for sharks that I do not think I will ever have but beside that I will trust him with my live underwater. I am just starting and I know I have a long road ahead of me, but I will take it one dive at a time and I know I will get there.

 

[AZjohn]

My instructor is gonna have a heart attack when he reads this but I am aming to be an instructor and most likely I will take all the classes but the feeding sharks one.

Hi ccameselle,

I'm currently a rookie OW diver who has been going through SSI. Like you, I felt it important which direction and continued courses I should take to help me be a better diver for the kind of diving I would like to do. I decided to have a sit down with my instructor and manager of my LDS to discuss their ideas which courses I should take. In addition I have talk to other experienced divers.

What I have learned is that many new divers like you have made a decision to want to be an instructor down the road. This has not happen to me though. The good news is I don't have to make any firm plans at this stage of my diving career (lol). So the first specialty class I took was boat diving because this will be the primary mode of diving for me. Next was completing my Nitrox cert because that is something I could most always use down the road. Just this past weekend I finished my Deep Diving cert because I have a desire to gain more experience in this realm.

My next class is one that EVERYONE has suggested from the beginning, which is Stress and Rescue. Again this can only help me and my fellow diver and buddy down the road. After completing that I will then take the rest of next year and just continue to dive and gain experience from that. At this point I will probably decide on one of the two paths that interest me. Either just stay a recreational diver or get into technical diving. If I decide to go tech then I will have to say good bye to SSI and then decide which school of technical diving I should pursue.

Good luck and enjoy which ever path of diving you decide is best for you. I believe it's all good.

John

 

[drilldaddy_99]

AZjohn - SSI offers tech courses. If the LDS you are at doesn't offer them you can do some research to find out who does.

ccameselle - ahava is correct. PADI AOW is 5 dives in 5 different area with two being mandatory (nav and deep). SSI requires you complete any 4 specialties and have logged 24 dives. Your open water certification dives count. I agree Stress and Rescue is a great course but I would personally do that in addition to the 4 specialties. Can't really go wrong with NAV, Deep, Night and NITROX.