AOW training and depth on first dive

[jbd]

Rick. I think one of the purposes of the deep dive in the AOW course is to get the student to realize that the effects of narcosis are there even if they are not felt consciously.

Can this be approached carelessly? Yes.

Can this be done safely as Rick indicates? Yes.

 

[gmount]

I had to do timed tasks at surface and at depth. Mainly to illustrate to me what is different in your reaction times. Also according to tables, What is the NDl at 120ffw assuming your on regular air?
I dive in quarries and often at 90ffw its about 50 some odd degrees, and according to the handy dandy RDP arent you supposed to go to the next depth for cold water dives and base your times on that.
(Id look it up but I have long since departed with my RDP, It wasnt friendly towards me)
-greg

 

[melfox26]

I hit a bottom depth of 92 feet on my deep dive during AOW training. We did not stay at that depth very long, then worked or way up the wall. I've spoken to other dive shops and they only bring their AOW students to 65-70 feet. While technically a "deep" dive, since deep is anything below 60 feet, I don't this adaquately prepares AOW students for the deeper dives they would most likely be doing after getting AOW certified. By going down to depths nearing 100 feet with their instructor, it better prepares them, in my opinion.

Mel

 

[Walter]

gmount,

"What is the NDl at 120ffw assuming your on regular air?"

NDL's for 120 ft:

Navy: 15
PDIC: 15
MDEA: 15 (recommends 10)
BSAC (36 m): 14
NAUI: 12
NASDS: 12
RDP: 10
Michigan: 10
YMCA: 10
DCIEM: 10

 

[Rick Murchison]

Walter once bubbled...
gmount,

"What is the NDl at 120ffw assuming your on regular air?"

NDL's for 120 ft:

Navy: 15
PDIC: 15
MDEA: 15 (recommends 10)
BSAC (36 m): 14
NAUI: 12
NASDS: 12
RDP: 10
Michigan: 10
YMCA: 10
DCIEM: 10

Navy(Doppler): 10
SSI: 10
NOAA: 15
Rick

 

[sheck33]

jbd once bubbled...
Rick. I think one of the purposes of the deep dive in the AOW course is to get the student to realize that the effects of narcosis are there even if they are not felt consciously.

Can this be approached carelessly? Yes.

Can this be done safely as Rick indicates? Yes.

Is there any real point in doing it? No

Yes the student might be supervised but the one doing the supervising is impaired too, the fact that they might have done it a 1000 times doesnt make the instructor/DM/'experienced diver' any less impaired. Too me, but thats just me, it looks like a futile excercise meant to prove something that doesnt need to be proven anymore.
:boom:

 

[Jarhead]

sheck33 once bubbled...


Is there any real point in doing it? No

Yes the student might be supervised but the one doing the supervising is impaired too, the fact that they might have done it a 1000 times doesnt make the instructor/DM/'experienced diver' any less impaired. Too me, but thats just me, it looks like a futile excercise meant to prove something that doesnt need to be proven anymore.

To each AOW student, it's just theory and hearsay. Once THEY do it, it's proven.

So yes, there is a reason to do it (the deep dive, not the cold deep dive).

Jarhead

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

I just completed my AOW dives this weekend, and the overview from the PADI Adventures in Diving manual includes doing timed tasks on the surface, and repeating them at depth. It seems to me the whole idea of this is to show you the effects of narcosis so you can recognize it in the future.

I totally agree that if one is going to experience it, it's best to do it under controlled situations where experienced instructors/divers are nearby to help out of needed.

We had a class of five students, one instructor and one assistant. We dove onto a wreck, the Captain Dan, and did our exercises on the sand beside the wreck. After that we had a quick tour of the starboard side and wheelhouse, and it was time to head back up.

I did manage to get 110' on my computer by lying it down on the sand. I don't expect to see that again anytime in the near future.

Marc