Deep Dives

[CuzzA]

Hello,

I have the chance to go on a charter that will be going to sites in the 90 ft to 120 ft range.

I have 15 dives total at this point (deepest was 75 ft.). I also have my AOW and Nitrox certs.

If I go on the charter, it will be luck of the draw on insta-buddies or possibly no buddy as has happened before.

Ideally, I'd like to get a AL30 pony for thus dive, but probably not in my budget right now.


Anyone have any advice whether or not diving down this deep is a good idea or not at this point in my diving career?

Perhaps, I spend too much time reading the Diving Accidents forums.

Thanks!

How did you get your AOW cert without diving to 100 ft. per the required deep dive to earn the cert?

 

[drrich2]

I think with PADI your AOW deep dive just has to be over 60 feet, but not over 100 feet. Isn't that the standard?

Richard.

 

[Steve_C]

Personally I find 90 and below different than 70. Feel a need to make a point of staying focused.

I would go do a couple quarry dives with my pony before I took it to 100 ft for the first time.

 

[2airishuman]

How did you get your AOW cert without diving to 100 ft. per the required deep dive to earn the cert?

My AOW "deep" dive was to 60 feet and the instructor was bound and determined to go back up once we reached that point. He was afraid of freeflows and I think he might have been cold. We were diving wet and it was around 40 degrees. I believe Richard is correct regarding the PADI standards. I would have liked to go to 100 feet so as to have an instructor present for my first dive to that depth.

 

[Steve_C]

My SDI AOW was to 64 ft. My PADI Deep cert dives were to 80 ft

 

[CuzzA]

I think with PADI your AOW deep dive just has to be over 60 feet, but not over 100 feet. Isn't that the standard?

Richard.

You're probably right. It doesn't make sense to me, but I don't doubt it. When I took AOW we performed two dives to 100 ft.

 

[ResortDiver850]

In AOW went to around 65' in jettys. I was hoping it was going to be 100' also. So I could be narc'd with an instructor. No boat was available. I haven't felt narcossis to my knowledge.

Thanks all for the great advice. Seems getting more shallow dives would be the way to go.

 

[TMHeimer]

I've read all the posts and can't disagree with any. I would pass on the 120' with only 15 dives and no deeper than 75'. If you decide to do it, then hiring a one on one DM would be the obvious choice.
Again, you have all that stuff about conditions you've dived in and what they would be on this charter, but that's been mentioned.
I've only been to 120' a handful of times but man, your gas goes fast. You can almost see the analog needle moving down.

 

[USMC CPL.]

I think with PADI your AOW deep dive just has to be over 60 feet, but not over 100 feet. Isn't that the standard?

Richard.

I don't know depth limitations for aow but when I did my aow my deep dive was to 110. Of course alot of planning and pre dive briefing for the dive.

 

[Rocketman3]

One concern I would have - I believe that dive there is no hard bottom - it goes REALLY deep. For my self I want my deeper dives to have a hard bottom or at least a wall.

I haven't been deeper than 85' myself.