Is advanced open water worth it?

[fldiverfreak]

I have been diving for about five years now and I have done night dives, heavy drift dives, deep dives, night dives, wreck dives (including the Spiegel Grove) and alot of ledge dives. I have done pretty much all I need for an advanced open water but I'm not sure if paying an extra $200 to get a card is worth it considering I already have the experience. Any tips would be appreciated.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I have been diving for about five years now and I have done night dives, heavy drift dives, deep dives, night dives, wreck dives (including the Spiegel Grove) and alot of ledge dives. I have done pretty much all I need for an advanced open water but I'm not sure if paying an extra $200 to get a card is worth it considering I already have the experience. Any tips would be appreciated.

In your case I would say NO, unless you need the cert for more advanced courses such as divemaster.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

I had a few hundred dives, including most of the ones classified as "specialties" before taking AOW. Before my first trip to Hawaii, I was informed that I would not be allowed to make some of the deeper dives without the card. One of the instructors from the shop told me he would take me through Assistant Instructor for the price of the materials(plus helping OW classes for two years, house/dog sitting and helping him move twice), so I went for it. The only cards that I thought were worth it were Rescue and Divemaster.

 

[Uncle Pug]

I agree with Curt. As far as getting on dive boats if you've kept a dive log that would go a lot further than an AOW card.

 

[teknitroxdiver]

Will it advance your diving abilities? No.
Will it open the door to some advanced courses that require AOW? Yes.

If you want to take some more courses, or dive in a place that prefers AOW+, go ahead and take it. If not, don't worry about it.

 

[Dive-aholic]

Same as Curt and UP - It's all about the logbook, not the card.

 

[theskull]

I had a few hundred dives, including most of the ones classified as "specialties" before taking AOW. Before my first trip to Hawaii, I was informed that I would not be allowed to make some of the deeper dives without the card. One of the instructors from the shop told me he would take me through Assistant Instructor for the price of the materials(plus helping OW classes for two years, house/dog sitting and helping him move twice), so I went for it. The only cards that I thought were worth it were Rescue and Divemaster.

Dude! And I thought carrying all the tanks for one dive season was indentured servitude.

(Half-joking. I did carry most of the tanks when apprenticing but was certainly not required or even asked to. I still do so most of the time; easier than going to the gym for a workout.)

theskull

theskull

 

[limeyx]

I have been diving for about five years now and I have done night dives, heavy drift dives, deep dives, night dives, wreck dives (including the Spiegel Grove) and alot of ledge dives. I have done pretty much all I need for an advanced open water but I'm not sure if paying an extra $200 to get a card is worth it considering I already have the experience. Any tips would be appreciated.

I would say it depends. First, I got mine for $70 not $200 (although I am doing all beach dives, no boat).

The main reasons I am doing AOW:

1) I'd like to get Rescue at some point and you need AOW for that
2) so I get more "face time" with an instructor

seems like #2 doesn't apply to you It actually seems like you have done way more than you'd get from AOW, so unless you were ultimately interested in Resue or DM, then I wouldn't bother.

 

[lamont]

I've got a NAUI Rescue card, and no AOW. So far I've only been asked for "most advanced certification" and not explicitly for an AOW card.

 

[archman]

In your case I would say NO, unless you need the cert for more advanced courses such as divemaster.

Even then its not clear-cut. I've never taken the AOW class either, merely bypassed it via NAUI's Master Diver. That'll substitute in when going for professional ratings. I think an AAUS or NOAA scientific diver certification will too.

Now I help teach PADI AOW. Go figure.