AOW - Should I get it?

[halocline]

Also - I kind of figured you didn't need AOW for Bonaire - but thought it would probably be one of the easiest places to do it. I am doing my Nitrox in two weeks just as a extra safety measure for the marathon diving that apparently I'm in store for.

It's good to have nitrox for repetitive diving, but you're fooling yourself if you think it's adding safety. There are no statistics that would support that assumption. It can shorten surface intervals and lengthen NDLs, but even diving air profiles on nitrox has not been shown to decrease risk of DCS. It's 'logical' that it would, but not proven.

That said, nitrox is very popular in Bonaire, usually included in a dive package, and worth getting certified for.

Regarding AOW, my feeling is that the quality of that course is very much dependent on the instructor. I am certain there are many excellent instructors on Bonaire, you just need to find one. Maybe try the ABC islands forum and ask for a recommendation.

 

[TMHeimer]

Just my 2 cents, but I prefer to take classes at home and just dive on vacation.

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Regarding the on-line version: If I understand it correctly, if you take the online version you don't get a book to keep? Not that the PADI books are great literature, but I'd just as soon have one to refer to later as not have anything at all, so for that reason I would rather not take the "book" part online.

 

[theduckguru]

Go dive, have fun and gain some skills along the way. There is always time later for AOW. Especially if this is your first exotic dive trip.

 

[TMHeimer]

Regarding the on-line version: If I understand it correctly, if you take the online version you don't get a book to keep? Not that the PADI books are great literature, but I'd just as soon have one to refer to later as not have anything at all, so for that reason I would rather not take the "book" part online.

No book? Can you copy the online material? I NEED a copy--I look-over all my manuals
regularly. No "book" to keep- not good.

 

[Togalive]

I know I'm waiting until I have atleast a full 20 dives under my belt before I do my AOW, just because I've read so many threads about people with less dives then that who seem to either freak on the deep dive, or have something else happen that just ruins it for them, and having a few more dives under my belt cant hurt either

So, by my calculations, I should be going from 7 dives currently, to about 32 by the time I get back from Bonaire (leaving tommorow!) haha

 

[galvanni]

You can't download or print the online material. I tried to do that when I did my OW part online. It sucks - you only get to view it online for a year. I would have preferred to at least have something tangible to read later on after paying that money. However, I must say that I did find the online version excellent with the annotations and video segments and quiz/test format. It's among the best I've seen with online type learning and testing.

 

[MikeSK]

Absolutely, go for AOW.

I'm of the opinion that any person that's even remotely serious about scuba needs to be at a minimum AOW, preferably Rescue. That way you'll more training to be more comfortable yourself, but also possibly a better buddy.

Bonaire is an awesome please. That's where i completed my AOW on a trip with the LDS. There's not a lot of classroom stuff, buts still very much worth it.

 

[tracydr]

You may also want to do nitrox. Bonaire is a perfect place to use it. I'd recommend the full class, though. Not the 1 hour, $99 special they have on the island.

 

[blackcloud]

I know the group you are going with I would take the advance class before you go but I would also get in the water as much as possible before the trip even if you don't do advanced before you go talk to the owner and tell her you want to dive and if you don't have a buddy shr will try to set you up with somebody have a great trip.