To certify or not to certify

[Freewillow]

Dear Dennis, try to go with your wife in, let say France, and try to bring your wife to 40m. In most places, you are up to a BIG surprise..

Please be aware that I am not trying to make fun of anybody. Just trying to show that some places are "unreal".

I was with a friend in the Tuamotu ( french Polynesia). He is a Padi Divemaster, Advanced Nitrox IANTD and was refused for diving because he had a pacemaker but only a certificate from his cardiologist and another one from his pneumologist. The guys insisted on having a certificate that he was able from a certified hyperbaric doctor.

 

[Hitdbeach]

Thank you everybody....lots of good experience talking. I haven't been anywhere that has turned me away....yet. But from what I'm reading here, some will eventually, so I guess I'll spend the 3 or 4 hunny and get it done. I know I'll pick up some nugget of info or technic that will help me get better. I'm still fairly new, I always learn something almost every time out. In the end I guess the 4 hunny I would have saved won't even pay for half of the fee for a two week dive trip so I'm probably stepping over dollars to save nickels. Also good to know DAN is the preferred carrier of choice. I've used them since day one. Thanks again

---------- Post added December 31st, 2014 at 07:10 PM ----------

Do you dive at all at home? If so, I'd be happy to meet up with you for a dive, and tell you at the end whether I think you would benefit from any further training.

I have not as of yet. I have a lot of preconceived notions about diving in the sound that are baseless since I haven't done it. In my mind I see donning a dry suit to swim around in 50 something degree water and 10 feet of murky visibility to see a bunch of gray seaweed. I know that is an over dramatization, I just haven't taken the time to learn more about our area. Been spoiled with warm water. On another note, I haven't been dry suit certified either. I see u r in my neighborhood. What's the best way to learn about options in our area. Dive shop, club, other?

 

[Bob DBF]

Since the reason some ops want AOW is that they want certification of training deeper than OW, You could take a Deep class and be covered with advanced certification to recreational limits. I would think this would be better than one "deep" dive in AOW and since you have the Nav cert the rest of the AOW could consist of Boat diver and the like. PADI has some other training requirements to take Deep which you may have already, SSI does not have training requirements other than OW, I don't know about others.

I just visited and dove in Port Townsend and If I was doing more than one dive a day I would be looking for a drysuit, and I regularly dive cold water.



Bob
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There are more ways than one to skin a cat, however the cat never likes it.