AOW: suggestions

[Thrillhouse]

I'm thinking of getting my AOW next week, as I'm going away on exchange and want to do a lot of diving abroad. I've so far logged about 15 dives and am comfortable underwater. I'm not a huge fan of depths and am much happier at around 30-40 feet than 60 and below, but I'm level-headed enough not to panic.

Still, what's the deep dive generally like? I wish it wasn't so murky here, as clearer water is always a lot simpler to go deep in. Also, if I'm a bit anxious but still calm and controlled while at 60ft, will my anxiousness manifest badly at depth as I begin to get narced?

Would greatly appreciate some feedback on what the deep dive is like and how people enjoyed it, especially in a cold-water setting.

 

[TSandM]

I did two "deep" dives, because I did the deep specialty. The first one consisted of going to 90 feet in a pretty featureless area and sitting on the bottom, doing math problems on a slate and trying to identify colors. It was about 20 minutes long, and was no stress.

The second dive was to 120, and was in a site with a lot of sea life. It was actually a fun dive, except I was worried about my instructor, who appeared to be narced, because he kept picking up dead leaves from the bottom and showing them to me. (They were actually ratfish egg cases, and pretty cool, but I didn't know that )

 

[robertarak]

except I was worried about my instructor, who appeared to be narced, because he kept picking up dead leaves from the bottom and showing them to me. (They were actually ratfish egg cases, and pretty cool, but I didn't know that )

that's just plain funny!

 

[Paco]

It will definitely be cold, no doubt about it. When we take students on the deep dive in these parts, we tell them that it will be so cold it will hurt, but tell them that it will not last that long before they are back up and warmed up. We tell them to focus on it not lasting that long. It is also good advice to make your exhales long to continually warm your second stage regulator. Rapid breathing in cold water can cause free-flows but slow relaxed breathing can help prevent this.

If you've been diving in murky water, you already know what that's like. You really don't feel any different at 70' than you do at 30' so relax, enjoy your dive and breathe easy.

I'm sure your instructor will have lots of advice for your. Don't hesitate to let him/her know your concerns or to ask her/him any questions you have before the dive.

 

[JeffG]

Would greatly appreciate some feedback on what the deep dive is like and how people enjoyed it, especially in a cold-water setting.

You probably won't even notice a difference. (and that in itself can be a good thing and a bad thing...which is why you take a course. Hopefully your instructor will tell you the answer.)

 

[Baconated]

Still, what's the deep dive generally like?

A little colder, maybe darker, a little more ear equalization. Honestly I don't notice much of a difference between 30 feet and 80 feet, aside from the ears and going through air faster.

Also, if I'm a bit anxious but still calm and controlled while at 60ft, will my anxiousness manifest badly at depth as I begin to get narced?

I'm not sure how you would deal with it if you were narced - it hasn't knowingly happened to me yet. The one time I hit 130 feet (In Hawaii, before my AOW deep dive) I felt fine for the 2 minutes we were down that deep.

Would greatly appreciate some feedback on what the deep dive is like and how people enjoyed it, especially in a cold-water setting.

I enjoyed mine. It was in cold water in Carmel. For one thing I was glad to be off the rocking boat and in the water. I was calm and looking forward to it though. I went down with a good small group, we worked our way down to depth, then swam around for a few and checked things out. Sometime during the dive one of the people lost one of the weight pouches from their integrated BC. That was the signal to end the dive and the instructor had to hold onto the person while we did our safety stop to they wouldn't float to the surface. A good time was had by all. The boat even had some spare weights on board so that person was able to do the second dive.

Nathan

 

[Parysa]

I can't really help you on the deep dive, as I haven't done mine yet (long story), but I will say that I was nervous like you are about that, only about the night dive. I'm not comfortable with dark water (too many horror movies, I guess). I got all worked up about it, and then I loved it! BUT, if you're not ready for going deep, don't do AOW yet. Just enjoy being an OW diver. Nothing wrong with that. Don't rush if you're not comfortable.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

For my PADI AOW, we went down to 100 fsw at Scripps Canyon (fabulous wall dive here in San Diego). My instructor had me open a combination lock while hovering a few feet from the wall. The rest of the dive was a lot of fun. We spotted lots of fish, gorgonians, some nudibranchs, and an angel shark in the shallows.

With the "deep" dive, I would expect it to be relatively dark. The viz here in San Diego can range from I-can-barely-see-my-gauge-in-front-of-my-face to 25-30 feet. It can be kind of like a night dive with the possibility of getting narc'ed. It was a little colder than I was used to -- low 50s if I remember correctly. Since my wetsuit was getting compressed at depth, I recall being surprised by how much air I needed to add to my BC during descent to achieve neutral buoyancy.

I learned that, when I get narc'ed, I tend to check my gauges a lot. Or maybe, I just get fascinated with how fast I can breathe down my tank at depth. Remember to ascend if you're feeling narc'ed...and you'll be OK.

Dive safe...

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I would guess it is the murky part of the dive that makes you anxious not the depth. I notice depth a lot more in murky water than in clear warm water. 85' feet in less than 3ft vis makes me more anxious etc.. than 130' in clear warm water could make out the outline of the boat if you looked up.

Enjoy your trip and your class!

 

[Steve_Dives]

The deep dive is neat. I got a kick out of the long descent. Gliding down the water column without much around to see was cool. You'll probably work a puzzle, lock, or math.

I have been deep in a wetsuit in water cold enough it hurt. Remember it will be over soon.

On reefs I generally like to be above 60 feet. But there are wrecks a little deeper, and they are more interesting for me. Knowing how much air it will take to reach the surface is a good thing.