AOW right after OW
- Thread starter Thanshin
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Thanshin:
Ask questions. Unfortunately, I don't have a set of questions handy for you, but off the top of my head....
How many dives will be included in this class?
If it's less than 10, look for another class. More is better.
What depth will be required for my deep dives?
If the answer is shallower than 80 ft (24 meters), look for another class.
How many deep dives will be made in this class?
If it's less than 4, look for another class.
Will I learn the basics of search and recovery?
You aren't going to become an expert, but you should get some experience.
How many dives with less than 5 ft of visibility will I complete?
If it's less than 2, look for another class.
How many night dives will I complete?
If it's less than 2, look for another class.
On how many dives will I be expected to use natural navigation?
If it's less than 2, look for another class.
On how many dives will I be expected to use compass navigation?
If it's less than 2, look for another class.
How many wreck dives will I complete?
If it's less than 2, look for another class.
Will I receive lectures in:
Underwater Navigation?
Night and Limited Visibility?
Deep Diving?
Boating Safety?
Dive Environment?
Search and Recovery?
Physics?
Physiology?
Diver Preparedness?
Dive Planning and Techniques?
Altitude?
rstofer
Contributor
You have been given the same answers that come up every time this topic is mentioned.
Some people complain that OW is below the bare minimum requirements for safe diving. Yet, others suggest that you make additional dives while still under-trained (presumably with other under-trained buddies) before getting additional training. I get lost in the logic...
Sure, it would be nice if you could make some intermediate dives before AOW as long as you could find a qualified mentor. But, sometimes, more experienced divers just want to dive. They don't want to get involved with mentoring. Other divers will. You just have to find those that will. For the occasional diver, this is going to be difficult. And not all mentors are created equally. There are some real risk-takers out there and learning from them might not be in your best interest.
So, as you probably won't find a willing and qualified mentor, you can just buy an instructor. That's a lot like taking a class - the AOW class for example. And Rescue...
Let's face it, four OW checkout dives doesn't really mean you are good to go. You are good to start learning to dive.
When I started, I only wanted to dive with more experienced divers. I took NAUI OW I, OW II, Advanced OW and Rescue with only 2 recreational dives in the middle (while I took First Aid and CPR). I was completely focused on learning to dive safely and that meant learning from an instructor. I tend to be a little intense...
It's also true that you won't get as much out of the AOW and Rescue classes if you take them too soon. So, take them as soon as possible and then take Rescue again after 100 dives or so. Get the basics right up front and refine the techniques when you have the experience. Sure, it costs more but so what? Knowing something about rescue early on is better than knowing nothing.
And take the specialties for additional training. AOW is just an introduction to various aspects of diving. Later on you can take the more complex specialties like Deep, Wreck, Navigation and Search & Recovery. These courses will expand on the topics that were just barely touched in AOW.
Take the Nitrox class. You may never dive Nitrox but the course will force you to become much more involved with dive tables. Sure, your computer will do the work in practice but the PADI Nitrox course, as it is currently taught, is all about dive tables. There has been a trend in recent years to give little or no attention to dive tables because they are 'too hard'. PADI has even developed a calculator to replace them.
In my view, you should take as many classes as possible, as soon as possible. Focus on learning to dive from a qualified instructor.
Richard
Some people complain that OW is below the bare minimum requirements for safe diving. Yet, others suggest that you make additional dives while still under-trained (presumably with other under-trained buddies) before getting additional training. I get lost in the logic...
Sure, it would be nice if you could make some intermediate dives before AOW as long as you could find a qualified mentor. But, sometimes, more experienced divers just want to dive. They don't want to get involved with mentoring. Other divers will. You just have to find those that will. For the occasional diver, this is going to be difficult. And not all mentors are created equally. There are some real risk-takers out there and learning from them might not be in your best interest.
So, as you probably won't find a willing and qualified mentor, you can just buy an instructor. That's a lot like taking a class - the AOW class for example. And Rescue...
Let's face it, four OW checkout dives doesn't really mean you are good to go. You are good to start learning to dive.
When I started, I only wanted to dive with more experienced divers. I took NAUI OW I, OW II, Advanced OW and Rescue with only 2 recreational dives in the middle (while I took First Aid and CPR). I was completely focused on learning to dive safely and that meant learning from an instructor. I tend to be a little intense...
It's also true that you won't get as much out of the AOW and Rescue classes if you take them too soon. So, take them as soon as possible and then take Rescue again after 100 dives or so. Get the basics right up front and refine the techniques when you have the experience. Sure, it costs more but so what? Knowing something about rescue early on is better than knowing nothing.
And take the specialties for additional training. AOW is just an introduction to various aspects of diving. Later on you can take the more complex specialties like Deep, Wreck, Navigation and Search & Recovery. These courses will expand on the topics that were just barely touched in AOW.
Take the Nitrox class. You may never dive Nitrox but the course will force you to become much more involved with dive tables. Sure, your computer will do the work in practice but the PADI Nitrox course, as it is currently taught, is all about dive tables. There has been a trend in recent years to give little or no attention to dive tables because they are 'too hard'. PADI has even developed a calculator to replace them.
In my view, you should take as many classes as possible, as soon as possible. Focus on learning to dive from a qualified instructor.
Richard
elan
Contributor
elan:With this criteria one can eliminate PADI AOW right from the start, w/o even going to the shop
You can eliminate their off the shelf AOW class, but I'm sure there are PADI instructors who will go the extra mile.
Some of these really depend on the location...
Assuming a 5 dive curriculum (which I realize is not what you're advocating below), I really liked the structure of the class I took. We did 2 deep dives (covering deep and boat). First dive was to 102ft, second (for the boat dive) was indirectly supervised. My max depth for that dive was 92, but spent most of our time around 85. Bouyancy, navigation, and night were all done as shore dives - and shallow. I found this to be excellent for a few reasons...
1) Low visibility (2-3 feet in places, ~5 average)
2) Moderate swell, near the surf zone (2-3+ feet of lateral movement per cycle, ~1 vertical)
3) Shallow depth (<= 20fsw, on all dives but navigation)
Maintaining your bouyancy in less than 20 feet of water (and especially less than 15) in those conditions is a good stress test. I find it much more difficult to be neutral at - say - 12fsw than 30fsw. It forces you to be calm and controlled with your breathing, since it's really easy to pop up to the surface QUICKLY. This was a challenge for most in the class, and a good stress test for those that felt comfortable with their bouyancy already.
Navigation was obviously made much more meaningful with the low-vis. We did two navigation plans - a square by compass, and a more complex plan involving both natural and compass navigation. That plan also included making notes about elapsed times, while maintaining neutral bouyancy as best as you can.
The night dive was under the same conditions, so it forced students to be diligent about their bouyancy, with even less visual reference. The low visibility helped to illustrate the effect that a silt-out or other particulate can have on your light's ability to actually show you things.
I agree with Walter in general though - make sure you're being exposed to less than ideal conditions, and are expected to perform there.
Assuming a 5 dive curriculum (which I realize is not what you're advocating below), I really liked the structure of the class I took. We did 2 deep dives (covering deep and boat). First dive was to 102ft, second (for the boat dive) was indirectly supervised. My max depth for that dive was 92, but spent most of our time around 85. Bouyancy, navigation, and night were all done as shore dives - and shallow. I found this to be excellent for a few reasons...
1) Low visibility (2-3 feet in places, ~5 average)
2) Moderate swell, near the surf zone (2-3+ feet of lateral movement per cycle, ~1 vertical)
3) Shallow depth (<= 20fsw, on all dives but navigation)
Maintaining your bouyancy in less than 20 feet of water (and especially less than 15) in those conditions is a good stress test. I find it much more difficult to be neutral at - say - 12fsw than 30fsw. It forces you to be calm and controlled with your breathing, since it's really easy to pop up to the surface QUICKLY. This was a challenge for most in the class, and a good stress test for those that felt comfortable with their bouyancy already.
Navigation was obviously made much more meaningful with the low-vis. We did two navigation plans - a square by compass, and a more complex plan involving both natural and compass navigation. That plan also included making notes about elapsed times, while maintaining neutral bouyancy as best as you can.
The night dive was under the same conditions, so it forced students to be diligent about their bouyancy, with even less visual reference. The low visibility helped to illustrate the effect that a silt-out or other particulate can have on your light's ability to actually show you things.
I agree with Walter in general though - make sure you're being exposed to less than ideal conditions, and are expected to perform there.
HJeffreyM
Contributor
I did my OW cert in August '08 and then did about 15 dives (both boat and shore) after that, on the same vacation. I did my AOW in December '08 during my next dive vacation availability. IMO it would be fine to go right into AOW from OW, but it was also fine to get a bit of "real world" dive experience before moving on.
The AOW skills do follow on directly from what you did in OW, forming a natural progression. Also, the lessons seem to be more directed at practical “what you can expect from diving in various situations” type information.
I thought the AOW dives were also fun.
I did my AOW in Cancun. Viz was mostly 75 to 100 ft. I thought deep, wreck, drift, and night were fun. Nav was not so fun as we intentionally went to a place where the viz was 5-10ft for the "full" experience. We also worked on Photography, Fish ID (using the pix we shot), and buoyancy. So, I would definitely label the experience as both practical and fun.
I thought the PADI AOW book contained some good general diving information as well.
Adult education (all dive training is adult education) is always what YOU make of it. I'm sure I could have found an instructor who would have simply punched my ticket for the $. Find someone (the agency really is irrelevant) who really wants to teach and let them know you really want to learn. Show up prepared (read and understand what’s in the book) and you will both enjoy and learn from the experience.
Happy Diving!
The AOW skills do follow on directly from what you did in OW, forming a natural progression. Also, the lessons seem to be more directed at practical “what you can expect from diving in various situations” type information.
I thought the AOW dives were also fun.
I did my AOW in Cancun. Viz was mostly 75 to 100 ft. I thought deep, wreck, drift, and night were fun. Nav was not so fun as we intentionally went to a place where the viz was 5-10ft for the "full" experience. We also worked on Photography, Fish ID (using the pix we shot), and buoyancy. So, I would definitely label the experience as both practical and fun.
I thought the PADI AOW book contained some good general diving information as well.
Adult education (all dive training is adult education) is always what YOU make of it. I'm sure I could have found an instructor who would have simply punched my ticket for the $. Find someone (the agency really is irrelevant) who really wants to teach and let them know you really want to learn. Show up prepared (read and understand what’s in the book) and you will both enjoy and learn from the experience.
Happy Diving!
Go for it. AOW right after OW is a great idea.
You need more time in the water, you need exposure to new environments and challenges, and you need all that with supervision. AOW isn't going to make you and '"advanced" diver, but it will give you some great new experiences under supervision.
You need more time in the water, you need exposure to new environments and challenges, and you need all that with supervision. AOW isn't going to make you and '"advanced" diver, but it will give you some great new experiences under supervision.
DevonDiver
N/A
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