PADI OW to Adv and time constraints.

[Belaflek]

I'll be doing my pool dives soon and am thinking of going to Bonaire for a week with the group to do my check dives. If I like it as much as Im thinking I will, I may just get the five advanced dives taken care of while Im there. Is that feasable? I sent an e-mail to the instructor and am currently waiting on the response but I figured I'd see what said peanut gallery here thinks.

 

[scubapatton]

Yes. It will be a crash course and may wipe out your vacation to some extent. You will also fly through some things you may find a vested interest in slowing down to actually lock down, but Yes, you can get your OW cert dives in and still get your AOW done.

I did my OW and AOW certs in 5 days total in the Philippines years ago.

You can do no more than 3 instructional dives in a day, so if you talk with the instructor and let them know your intent/plans, you COULD do 3 OW dives on Day 1, 4th OW dive and 2 AOW dives on Day 2 and then the last 3 on Day 3 and viola... it is amazingly fast, and it would behoove you to actually go at a slower pace then break-neck speed, but if you are there a week, you should be able to do it. If you are thinking of doing that, you may want to get the Adventures in Diving book now and start reading. You will HAVE to do the Deep and u/w Navigation dives... the other 3 will be at the discretion of the instructor/available conditions/discussions with the instructor. But if you have the Deep and Nav done, then it will allow you to enjoy at least a little more of your vacation.

Good luck and have fun!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rstofer]

You also need to do the bookwork and pass a written exam. You can obviously do the bookwork ahead of time as long as you settle on which 5 areas are going to be covered. Apparently, it can vary. Or, you can just do the entire book. It's not that big of an undertaking.

The book is "Adventures In Diving Manual"

As long as you're at it, you might as well do the Nitrox course as well. You do all of the bookwork ahead of time and it only takes a couple of hours of class time to review, take the test and analyze some gas. There are no dives required.

Richard

 

[DiverBizz]

If you have already taken the OW courses no problem, just complete the 3 OW dives. For the AOW you need to have the knowledge reviews completed 1) Deep, 2) Navigation and 3 others decided by you and the instructor (These can be completed ahead of time and brought with you). Through PADI there are no written tests for AOW, just the dives.

 

[rstofer]

If you have already taken the OW courses no problem, just complete the 3 OW dives.

I thought it was 5 dives for AOW.

Richard

 

[rstofer]

You also need to do the bookwork and pass a written exam.

I am incorrect about the exam. Just the Knowledge Reviews. Piece of cake!

Richard

 

[Daveo957]

I dont think you could possibly be a true advanced diver doing it that way. you should get certified and do some diving get comfortable, than go on to advanced. If you could do advanced right out of open water it has to be a really weak advanced class. Make sure you are getting enough out of it and not just wasting your money for a card.

 

[String]

Why rush from course to course? Use the remaining days to actually go diving rather than ploughing through course after course. You'll gain more vital experience and enjoy it - the whole reason for learning to dive should be to enjoy diving NOT simply the fun in going from course to course.

 

[Belaflek]

Oh I just figured I'd knock it out. I love learning new stuff and the learning part would be a part of the pseudo vacation/learning trip. It'd would just be for those two classes and I'd chill out from there and figure whether I wanted to play around and do more. If Im going to be there and dive everyday might as well make it count to something. I am under no impression after taking the advanced that I would be anything other than a little bit more knowledgeable...the experience factor, I feel is the most important part. I'll solidify my decision in the closed pool section most likely.

 

[mikeyjoe]

I am under no impression after taking the advanced that I would be anything other than a little bit more knowledgeable...the experience factor, I feel is the most important part. I'll solidify my decision in the closed pool section most likely.

Sounds like a great idea to me - it is a great course to do on vacation, as long as you put the time into the bookwork ahead of time. Doing it right after, or a handfull of dives after, open water is just fine - that's how I did it - as you are going into Advanced with the right point of view, that is, having a PADI Advanced cert card does not make you an "advanced" scuba diver - a combination of good training and experience diving does.

Have fun.......