PADI AOW Deep Dive Question

[sheck33]

Well, I can tell you what we did for ours. We did a math problem on the surface and at depth, and looked at a color chart. It was a very simple dive -- We got the in the water, swam down to 95 feet, sat in the silt and did our math and colors, and then swam back to shore.

Don't get me started on what you SHOULD do or know on a deep dive . . .

Lol, ditto here.

 

[Peter Guy]

Alright, so the basic idea is to become competent with gas management at depth. Also, the charts/problems will also show the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis. Is this correct, lol?

No, the basic idea is NOT to become competent with gas management at depth (whatever that means!) but to understand that there is a LOT MORE to "plan your dive and dive your plan" than you will get from your OW, AOW, Rescue and/or DM class. The "cheat sheet" is just that -- some information to allow you to "safely" dive to those depths with those tanks (safely being defined as having enough air to get you and your buddy back to the surface under normal stressful circumstances).

Nothing about the Cheat Sheet has anything to do with Narcosis. What made you think it did?

 

[shotthebreeze]

No, the basic idea is NOT to become competent with gas management at depth (whatever that means!) but to understand that there is a LOT MORE to "plan your dive and dive your plan" than you will get from your OW, AOW, Rescue and/or DM class. The "cheat sheet" is just that -- some information to allow you to "safely" dive to those depths with those tanks (safely being defined as having enough air to get you and your buddy back to the surface under normal stressful circumstances).

Nothing about the Cheat Sheet has anything to do with Narcosis. What made you think it did?

I wasn't referring to your cheat sheet. I meant the color charts and the likewise.

 

[rjack321]

Alright, so the basic idea is to become competent with gas management at depth. Also, the charts/problems will also show the effects of Nitrogen Narcosis. Is this correct, lol?

There's no gas management in PADI's basic OW/AOW/Rescue/etc. program. Some instructors add this good stuff - see Peter's cheat sheet as an example. Some (most?) instructors just tell you to "be back on the boat with 500psi". Which if you think about it, provides you absolutely no information/knowledge about what time/pressure you need to leave the bottom you achieve that. Find an instructor teaching those parts and you will be doing very well relatively speaking.

The color charts just show you the loss of different parts of the visible spectrum at depth. The timed test is about narcosis muddying your brain.

 

[Catt99]

I wasn't referring to your cheat sheet. I meant the color charts and the likewise.

The color charts aren't about narcosis -- water filters out light of different wavelengths as you go deeper. As a consequence, we start to "lose" certain colors at certain depths (they effectively appear dark gray unless you shine a light source on them). Red goes first, followed by orange, some voilet-purple, etc. The color chart is basically a series of colors, (it might read RED ORANGE YELLOW, etc.) all of which are clearly differentiated on the surface but which start to blend into a dull gray as you descend (i.e., the RED becomes RED at depth).

I believe Peter Guy (and TSandM) were indicating that the deep dive introduction for PADI's AOW introduces some concepts associated with diving deeper, but doesn't actually focus on more important (or critical!) concerns for a diver learning to plan and undertake deeper dives.

Edit: Stepped away and came back and hit post; cross-posted with rjack321

 

[bowlofpetunias]

Not sure if you will consider this totally off topic but the best thing I did to find out about the effects of being narced was dive dry in a chamber. I have done 30M and 50M chamber dives.
They gave us more challenging tasks, quizzes and so on. It was very worthwhile. I was pretty clear headed but for one thing..... tunnel vision.... got so focused on the task I never heard the technian give us a direction to stop our task. I did VERY well on the tasks but realize that inclination to tunnel vision is VERY dangerous! The Video they took of us in the chamber was very informative as well.
They split us up so we got to watch our dive buddy and they watched us while we were in the chamber. Great way to learn about yourself and your buddy's reaction to depth.
I was told people who are effected by alcohol more are more likely to get narked... it was the opposite with the people I did this with.
A couple of the DM's were off their faces at 30 M. I wasn't effected at all till 40M and I can't hold my booze (seldom drink) I count on the inconsistency of reactions and know I may be effected more on other times.
I do suggest anyone that has a chance to do a chamber dive... go for it... well worth the price