Is it worth it to get my AOW in Cozumel?

[yak]

I think it depends...

If you plan on diving at home, IMHO you would be better served to get your advanced training in the more challenging environment of colder water, less viz, etc.

On the other hand, if you plan on only diving in tropical waters, then the previous point is moot.

 

[shark.byte.usa]

I think it depends...

If you plan on diving at home, IMHO you would be better served to get your advanced training in the more challenging environment of colder water, less viz, etc.

On the other hand, if you plan on only diving in tropical waters, then the previous point is moot.

It's a good point, I had the same thought. I also wouldn't want to use up all my precious vacation dives to do AOW. So that would depend on how long I was going to be there and how much diving I planned on doing, if 5 dives was a fraction of the diving I was doing, maybe, if it was all the diving I was doing, definitely not, I'd just enjoy the vacation diving and work on the skills I've already learned.

-Garrett

 

[Onecabernetnut]

Just got back from a week in COZ on February 24th. My family and I did our PADI AOW dives with Dive House while there. I would say absolutely do it with one word of caution. The study guide should be reviewed and the knowledge reviews completed before you do your dives to get the most from it. This means that you'll be spending some time reading and reviewing the material on your trip when you'd rather be doing something else. While this isn't as intensive as the OW material, it does take time to get through the five chapters that correspond with the dives you'll be doing. IMHO, it would have been better to have been able to review the material before we flew down. Our first evening in COZ was spent sitting poolside reading our books for the next days dives.

The diving was great. Lots of sea turtles and barracuda.

 

[Martha]

My husband and I completed our AOW with Blue XT~Sea last year and it was definitely worth it. We had a great time! We were asked to complete the material (reading & reviews) beforehand and then we went over it with Christi once we arrived in Cozumel. Of course, this was planned well in advance, but it wouldn't take too long to do the material once you arrive either.

 

[ottawascubalady]

I think you should send me your ticket and hotel vouchers so that I can be really, really sure it's the right thing for you to do. I won't charge you much for making sure that it is absolutely the best place for you to do your AOW. Just let me know.

FAT chance Paco, I almost didn't get to go this year. NOTHING is keeping me from this trip. The more the merrier though.
Thanks all for helping me make this decision. I'm pumped!!

 

[Fordan]

OK, silly question... With the current, how do you do the Navigation dive?

 

[Onecabernetnut]

OK, silly question... With the current, how do you do the Navigation dive?

Having just completed our AOW dives in COZ, for one leg of the dive you do have to swim into the current. We actually did a 100m swim into the current (timed and counting kicks) and a 100m swim with the current at our backs (timed again and counted kicks). This gives you an idea of the difference in distance covered. When swimming cross current, it was visual reference and compass headings. Since it took me four times as many kicks to cover the same distance while swimming into the current as with it behind me, it wasn't as difficult to navigate as one would think. We were swimming a box (rectangle course) BTW. Triangular navigation would be far more difficult to compensate for the current.

 

[marcus8]

OK, silly question... With the current, how do you do the Navigation dive?

Exactly what I was thinking. AOW isn't as tough as OW but you're still working skills during dives. Is that what you want to do on a dive vacation? I'm sure it'll still be fun and AOW is both a good and important class. But I guess I'm too much a lazy *** to spend time in Coz staring at my compass and counting kicks.

 

[Onecabernetnut]

Exactly what I was thinking. AOW isn't as tough as OW but you're still working skills during dives. Is that what you want to do on a dive vacation? I'm sure it'll still be fun and AOW is both a good and important class. But I guess I'm too much a lazy *** to spend time in Coz staring at my compass and counting kicks.

Hey, it's only two days (five dives) if you chose to do a night dive as one of the AOW course dives. It still gives you plenty of time to dive on your own. Plus, other than the navigation dive, you're really not doing a ton of skills underwater like you do in the OW check out dives. Our deep dive consisted of doing a simple puzzle on the surface and then again at depth. The rest of the dive was just for fun.

 

[dartref]

Exactly what I was thinking. AOW isn't as tough as OW but you're still working skills during dives. Is that what you want to do on a dive vacation? I'm sure it'll still be fun and AOW is both a good and important class. But I guess I'm too much a lazy *** to spend time in Coz staring at my compass and counting kicks.

My thoughts exactly. Any advanced certification is well worth the time and effort, but why waste that time and effort while on vacation? Personally, my choice was to get it done before I left home so I could enjoy every minute of drift diving in Cozumel. Having said that, Cozumel is the perfect place to complete your drift dive and boat certifications. I did do that in Cozumel, above and beyond the 5 required AOW dives just because it was so convenient and it really doesn't affect your diving while in Cozumel.

On the other hand, a lot of people have enjoyed getting all their certifications in Cozumel. To each his own.