my911
Guest
Would you recommend I do the Advanced cert. while in Cozumel or just dive?
Advanced Open Water Certification?
- Thread starter my911
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What do you want your Advanced Cert for?
The Advanced Course can be an excellent addition to a holiday if you are looking to explore some additional diving skills - probably the most common are drift and night- and/or gain some more dives under the supervision of a diving pro. Who your instructor is will determine if this is a real course or simply another card in your wallet. Ask around and make sure your instructor teaches you something...this course will not make you an "advanced diver" - only more dives and improving every time can do that. This course should give you additional skills to dive in a variety of environments/conditions that you might not have encountered and should give you more opportunity to correct any problems/improve your existing skills.
If you want to gain more experience diving and improve your basic skills then just go dive. Your DM/guide is not an instructor and while hopefully extrememly helpful, is not there to teach you to dive nor to babysit.
Never been to Coz...first time next month...but from what I have read an excellent course to sink your teeth (and money) into would be Nitrox. You don't need 1000's of dives to do this course. Be comfortable with your table (wheel) and you shouldn't find the new content too complex. Nitrox is a wonderful thing
New divers should feel confident learning how to use Nitrox as there are many benefits to it...especially in an area such as Coz.
Have a great time!!
The Advanced Course can be an excellent addition to a holiday if you are looking to explore some additional diving skills - probably the most common are drift and night- and/or gain some more dives under the supervision of a diving pro. Who your instructor is will determine if this is a real course or simply another card in your wallet. Ask around and make sure your instructor teaches you something...this course will not make you an "advanced diver" - only more dives and improving every time can do that. This course should give you additional skills to dive in a variety of environments/conditions that you might not have encountered and should give you more opportunity to correct any problems/improve your existing skills.
If you want to gain more experience diving and improve your basic skills then just go dive. Your DM/guide is not an instructor and while hopefully extrememly helpful, is not there to teach you to dive nor to babysit.
Never been to Coz...first time next month...but from what I have read an excellent course to sink your teeth (and money) into would be Nitrox. You don't need 1000's of dives to do this course. Be comfortable with your table (wheel) and you shouldn't find the new content too complex. Nitrox is a wonderful thing
New divers should feel confident learning how to use Nitrox as there are many benefits to it...especially in an area such as Coz.Have a great time!!
Texas Diver
Contributor
If you take an AOW or Nirox course on vacation just make sure you read and understand all the material before you go on vacation.
Another reason could be that the AOW course is cheaper to do than the same number of boatdives.
sleepyhead
Contributor
Hi
Contratry to most, i recommend doing advance and even rescue. It builds the skills and let you become a safer diver. It makes you more adaptable to situations. Nitrox is a great course to do and definitely a must do if all else fails.
Great diving and enjoy your holiday
Contratry to most, i recommend doing advance and even rescue. It builds the skills and let you become a safer diver. It makes you more adaptable to situations. Nitrox is a great course to do and definitely a must do if all else fails.
Great diving and enjoy your holiday
divenut2001
Guest
Take your AOW and/or Nitrox before you go. You want to be able to relax and enjoy your vacation that you paid so much money for, not work. You live in So Ca where the best diving in Ca is, take advantage of it. It's a perfect place to dive and take your AOW and Nitrox. Have fun
El Orans:
Most operators do not include the boat dives, or at least not all of them. When inquiring with different shops, make sure you find out what is included.
You will find prices for the course ranging from $175ish to $300ish, but include different things. You may think you are getting a good deal by paying $175, but by the time you add everything on, you are spending well over $400.
Some include the books, some don't. Some do not include any boat dives, some include a few boat dives, and others include all five dives from the boat. Most include the certification fee to PADI or whichever agency they work through, but there are actually some that charge an additional $25 for the certification fee. Some will offer private instruction, others will have one instructor with 5 or 6 students.
Just make sure you know exactly what is included for the course fee and that you are comparing apples to apples.
I do agree however, it is a really fun course to do on vacation. There are no exams, just chapter reviews which you can do before you even get here. The dives are introductory dives to several different specialties that are offered.
Have fun and be safe!
sealskin98
Contributor
For first time there, just dive.
Get your aow later, just have fun on this trip.
Lemme see, aow choices can consist of: boat diving, drift diving, night diving, deep (103ft) diving, and maybe a navigation.
Hmm, no navigation stuff on Coz trip (do that in a lake with low vis), but you'll get experience in everything else.
Just have Fun!
Get your aow later, just have fun on this trip.
Lemme see, aow choices can consist of: boat diving, drift diving, night diving, deep (103ft) diving, and maybe a navigation.
Hmm, no navigation stuff on Coz trip (do that in a lake with low vis), but you'll get experience in everything else.
Just have Fun!
I'm not sure how most dive ops in Coz are in respect to depth restrictions or site restrictions for only OW certified students. When I was in Coz 2 months ago, the dive op that I used would not take us to Devil's Throat or other advanced sites because my buddy was only OW certified. However, they did bring us 110 feet down Columbia Wall without thinking twice.
Perhaps Christi can chime in about her shop's policy.
This may be something to consider in deciding whether or not to do AOW there or not. I can't think of a better place to do it though, there are specialties abound in Cozumel. From the obvious drift and boat specialities, there's night, deep, even wreck diving.
Whatever you choose, dive well and dive safe.
Mel
PADI Rescue Diver/Nitrox
Perhaps Christi can chime in about her shop's policy.
This may be something to consider in deciding whether or not to do AOW there or not. I can't think of a better place to do it though, there are specialties abound in Cozumel. From the obvious drift and boat specialities, there's night, deep, even wreck diving.
Whatever you choose, dive well and dive safe.
Mel
PADI Rescue Diver/Nitrox
melfox26:
Cert level is one variable; if you have dived with an op for long enough for them to know your skills level, that's another. I have been diving for more than 10 years and have never gotten an advanced cert; after several days diving with Blue Angel, they had no prob with taking me out to Maracaibo and Punta Sur. Neither were a prob for me, either.
I have known folks that have gotten their OW cert and then almost immediately gone for their AOW after only a few "real" dives; seeing an AOW cert is not a guarantee of an experienced diver.
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