Contradictions for AOW, deep diver, and just diving

[freewillie]

My daughter will be turning 15 in April and will no longer be considered a "junior" OW diver. She is looking forward to having a "regular" PADI OW diver certification. But, we were talking about favorite things to see on a dive and nudibranchs are near the top of the list. I made the comment that the Ruby E in San Diego often has large numbers of the little critters on it and is a great dive to see nudibranchs. Now she wants to go.

The Ruby E sits in about 85 ft water and would be a deep dive. It is also usually combined with the Yukon which is 80 - 100 ft. depending on where on the boat you are diving. We would be doing simple recreational wreck dive and absolutely no penetration, just looking on the outside.

The problem with experience is that you have to have a number of dives to have experience. It has been stated here on SB numerous times that a PADI AOW deep diver course doesn't mean much in terms of training. You essentially are briefed that you may experience narcosis, play with a few locks in the parking lot then again at 100 ft, watch your SPG for a few minutes to get a sense of how much faster you use air at depth. That was pretty much my experience. The thing I took out of my course was that I was no longer afraid to dive to 100 ft. But, you have to start somewhere one dive at a time.

The conservative part of me will likely put her in the AOW course before we go to the Ruby E, if nothing else she would have the official card saying she was properly "trained" to go on the dive if asked. But, there is still a small part of me that is wondering if it would be "absolutely" necessary or "just a good idea."

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I think you should have a lot of dives to 100 ft and feel very comfortable before taking your daughter to 85 ft plus. Your profile indicates you are a beginning diver. I think it best to have her take an AOW course from a good instructor in the local conditions.

My advice is to go slow. Taking her on several shallow easy night dives (in safe conditions) is a great way to apply some stress to her, see how she reacts and still be in shallow conditions.

If you go on a charter, won't they require an AOW anyway?

 

[TSandM]

How many dives does your daughter have in Southern California? How many of them in low viz? How many involving direct ascents?

The AOW class will give her only one dive that goes deep . . . but it will give her five dives with an instructor, and if you pick that person right, she'll get fine-tuning on buoyancy control, situational awareness, and general dive management. THAT's worth something, when you are going to take her deeper than she has gone before.

 

[lamarpaulski]

Listen to the conservative part of you. They just had a fatality there. Read up on the posts regarding that accident and others at that location and you will want to err on the side of caution and more experience imho. My son is 15 years old and has more dives than you and is a fish...would not do those wrecks with him at this time.

 

[spectrum]

The Ruby E can wait.

You yourself are not an experienced diver per your profile and you want your daughter to make a deep "trust me" dive with you?

Have her pay her dues with training and progressive experience, she has along fascinating diving lifetime ahead of her. Meanwhile you will mature as a mentor.

Short answer: If you need to seek validation on an internet chat board you already know it's the wrong thing to do.

Pete

 

[Bob DBF]

I'm with DD on this one. Are you ready for an assist / rescue at 85' with such an important buddy who has no experience with the conditions you are planning to dive.


As for certification on a boat on the west coast, I always sign in with my OW card and no one actually has asked to see it, regardless of the dives involved. Of course I look well used and some of my gear is older than the DM, but I haven't seen anyone else checked either.



Bob
----------------------
I may be old, but I'm not dead yet.

 

[Quero]

freewillie, you're focusing on the wrong thing. Your daughter wants to see nudibranchs. Do some research that will help you satisfy that yearning rather than trying to figure out how deep is too deep. You will both enjoy your nudibranch-hunting dives just as much (and maybe more) at shallower sites with more natural light, longer dive times to do your poking around to search, etc.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

freewillie, you're focusing on the wrong thing. Your daughter wants to see nudibranchs. Do some research that will help you satisfy that yearning rather than trying to figure out how deep is too deep. You will both enjoy your nudibranch-hunting dives just as much (and maybe more) at shallower sites with more natural light, longer dive times to do your poking around to search, etc.

Yeah, I don't really know about your area, but if the goal is poking around looking for small invertebrates, less than perfect visibility is a very minor hinderance and shallow water makes for much more relaxed, longer and probably more enjoyable dives. She has got to be a lot colder and more stressed at 80 than at 28 feet.

 

[Bigd2722]

I got as much out of reading the book as I did out of the class itself, but it's still a good idea to take the class. I do echo the sentiments about going slow.

 

[fisheater]

Think broader.

Do you want to be teaching your daughter that training standards and guidelines are to be ignored?

I wouldn't. After all, teens think that they're immortal as it is. Then, if dad teaches her that it's just fine to ignore limits imposed on her by "the man," where does it stop? "That cave looks interesting, I can check it out." Or, "a couple of beers before I drive home is just fine."




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