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DocCarl...after I certify, I can be free on weekends with a 48 hr notice...my biggest fear is not having anybody to dive with before my vacation, I want to have at least 10 dives done b4 I go so that I know I'm really comfortable...I also plan on doing Advance OW before I go also.
Regarding AOW: I think that this is a wise decision. The skills and knowledge that you'll gain during your advanced classes will really allow you to make the most of your trip to Honduras. It's one of those thing that, if you don't do it, you probably won't know what you're missing. If you do complete the AOW stuff before going, I'm willing to bet that you'll be happy that you did once you get down south.
Most certification agencies require that you have a minimum number of logged dives ( 25 is a common number, I think? ) in addition to completing the other requirements for AOW. I'm confident that you can get that much time in the water before going to Honduras, as long as you get started early enough.
Hetland is spot on regarding the navigation class. Nav, deep, boat, and nitrox are often done as a package deal at Gulf Coast Divers. My roommate (you'll see her on here as 'Tessunderwater' tells me that she's planning to this package as early as she can this spring.
Of course the MOST important thing is learning to dive in the first place, and that means choosing where you will be doing your initial training. If you have specific questions about things to look for when choosing an instruction program, please don't hesitate to ask!
So when are you planning to get started?
Carl