AOW cart before the horse?

[Salty Bill]

Having completed our OW certification last winter in the Caribbean, my wife and I have signed up for the AOW course at the LDS where we did our OW classroom and pool work.

The recommendation was made to us that since we haven't been diving since getting certified, we should make some dives before taking the class. The problem is that we live in the Northeast and have never done any diving here; that's one reason we signed up for the AOW course.

Any thoughts as to which should come first? It's kind of like not being able to get a job without the experience and not being able to get the experience without the job!

 

[Chivas]

I live in the northeast and find lots of great places to dive. The 1000 Islands area has several great wrecks that range form novice to advanced tec. You might be missing some super trips in your backyard.

 

[El Orans]

Bill,

my agency (IDD, similar to PADI) requires that you do at least 8 dives before continuing with AOW. That way you'll feel more at ease when doing the "advanced" dives. It might be a good idea for you to do a refresher since you haven't dived for some time.

Or check with your LDS, they will probably know a few Divemasters who are willing to take a couple of novices diving.

Good luck and keep diving.

 

[jbd]

getting some diving experience before moving on with additional training. A properly taught Advanced class should require some pretty solid neutral bouyancy skills.

The LDS should be able to help you set up some local diving with an experienced diver or DM.

 

[Diversauras]

Salty Bill once bubbled...
Having completed our OW certification last winter in the Caribbean, my wife and I have signed up for the AOW course at the LDS where we did our OW classroom and pool work.

The recommendation was made to us that since we haven't been diving since getting certified, we should make some dives before taking the class. The problem is that we live in the Northeast and have never done any diving here; that's one reason we signed up for the AOW course.

Any thoughts as to which should come first? It's kind of like not being able to get a job without the experience and not being able to get the experience without the job!

I think there is more that we really need to know to make any specific recommendation, but IMO if you haven't been diving locally since you got certifiefd last winter (almost a year) and you have never been diving locally, then taking the class is not a bad approach.

I lived in MA when I got certified a long long time ago and there is great diving up there, but we don't know where you are so we cant really comment further. Diving locally and getting some experience would also be a good approach but it sounds as if you don't want to do that for some reason.

 

[washow88]

I just want to add that AWO will not make you an advanced diver.
If I understood you correctly, all your dives have been training dives or with a higher-level diver.
I recommend checking the board and seeing if there are divers in your area who are willing to dive locally with you. This way you will gain experience and become a more comfortable diver.
If you are seeking a higher certificate, then take the AOW.
I tell all the new divers, log 20 dives then think about the AOW.
That is just my opinion

 

[boney]

I'm kinda in the same boat.
I've been outta diving for some time and took a refresher last year and this summer been doing a bunch of easy dives, mainly ones that I am comfortable with. I too have been thinking about taking the AOW course but I will sign up for it next summer.
Don't feel pressured into taking the course if you're not comfortable doing OW dives. There are always plenty of dive spots in everyones back yard. I agree with washow88, try to complete some more OW dives and get real comfortable again in the water and then take the AOW. I guess its all about the confort level...
Thats just my 2 cents though... its probably only worth 1 cent though

 

[rab]

I just did by OW cert dives on 24-AUG-03. I'm very comfortable in the water and had no problems with any of the skills. Now it's a month later and this past weekend I did my AOW cert dives.

My wife doesn't dive (...yet?) and I haven't found a local dive buddy. I hadn't done any non-training dives before the AOW class/dives.

I had two main factors driving my decision to jump right into the AOW certification.

1. Avoid limiting my choices when my family goes to Florida in the spring (and I intend to dive!)
2. get back in the water :grin: (I'm in the midwest and being in the same quarry was a nice plus)
   [/list=1]
   
   I had encouragement from my instructor and one of the DITs (Divemaster In Training) who noted how well I did in the class and dives.
   
   The other 5 persons in my AOW class all had a few years of diving experience. For the 4 that could make the certification trip this weekend, their experience was mostly warm water. With the thicker wetsuits, 2 of them had some trouble. (The one who couldn't make the trip was doing some wreck diving in Lake Erie and will probably finish his cert. dives on the shop's next trip.)
   
   There were also a diver couple from my original OW class whose schedule kept them from doing their OW cert last month and were at the quarry getting those dives done. They seemed to do better in the open water dives than they had in the pool (at different times, I think they each had difficulty equalizing in the pool (10ft)). I got some of my AOW dives done on Saturday before the rest of my class could arrive (work schedules!), so when these two were done with their OW, I went with them on a little dive. They were a bit nervous about doing their "first" dive without someone more familiar with the quarry than they. We took about 27 min. (max depth 39 ft.) to tour the edge of the quarry where there is an underwater forest of trees. The instructor suggested the route as it would give them plenty of visual reference of depth (both the trees and the rocky wall on our left) and the viz would likely be better around the edge than further out to the middle where various training classes had been silting up pretty good. They did fine! appls: I was relieved!)
   
   I'd say go for the AOW if you have a good reason or two. However, I'm also of the opinion that I'm still a beginner when it comes to diving and I'll be taking it slow as I add environments. (I.e., any salt water, boat dives, etc.) Not really so different from those two OW classmates who wanted a diver with a bit more comfort and experience for their dive!
   
   Have fun!
   
   -Rob :brows:

 

[Salty Bill]

I appreciate the responses and varying opinions. We have several reasons for wanting to taking the AOW class. First, and primarily, we see it as a way to keep diving now before getting too rusty. It also will give us a structured introduction to diving in cold water with limited visibility. And, finally, it continues our SCUBA education.

Both my wife and I felt very comfortable in the tropical environment in which we were certified. In keeping with our training, we are cautious about jumping into the environment at home (Massachusetts) without further training. But as I said in my original post, the suggestion was made to do some diving prior to the AOW class. But doing so seems to conflict, in my mind, with the some of the reasons for taking the AOW class in the first place.

It is because of this "conflict" that I sought your opinions. And, again, thank you for all your responses. Although there doesn't seem to be a strong consensus as to which to do first, you provided enough perspective for me to make up my mind.

We're going ahead with AOW class even though we haven't done any additional dives beforehand.

Regards,

Bill

 

[alanconstant]

I think you made a good decision; I always try to take advantage of opportunities to learn.

We made a couple of uneventful lake dives after our OW.

Getting back with an instructor to work on skills made me more confident and comfortable. Since then, we have logged more than 30 ocean dives, mostly at depths greater than 60 ft.

Good luck!