What To Do?

[shotthebreeze]

I've been considering taking AOW in my near future, but I have a conundrum: Should I take it where I normally dive in NE or should I take it while I visit grandma in Naples, FL? You see, I'm torn between the two because I know for a fact I will continue my education to DM or even instructor, so I thought it might be a good idea to take it in NE where I would be teaching. On the other hand, FL water is so warm and clear making the dives much more easy and interesting (there's just more different things to see as far as animals/plants are concerned). I took my OW in Boston Harbor if that makes much of a difference. Any thoughts from the peanut gallery? All help is appreciated...

 

[Doc]

Go enjoy some warm water diving while you go through the paces of AOW.

OW in Boston Harbor might have already pre-qualified you for AOW, but I'll have to check my manuals on that one.

This is all assuming that Grandma cooks pretty good.

 

[300bar]

IMO taking AOW in the warm clear FL waters will just make it to easy.
When you are doing PADI AOW. Deep and Nav. are mandatory,just conssider nav. in clear or in murky water,doing it in clearwater is just a joke.Take a heading to the next rock/coral and of you go.In murky/real low viz. you DO have to trust and understand your compass.
As for a deepdive,the dive itself in warm water is just much easier.Just try it,go to 100feet in warm or cold water and feel the differance.
For the other dives there is not so much differance.

just my 2 cts

 

[shotthebreeze]

Hmm...so the general consensus is split, lol. I'm thinking that I should take the AOW in NE to challenge myself, although I'm thinking it's pretty dark down there at ~ 100ft. I have an outstanding instructor; I just hate the cold water and the dark.

 

[300bar]

Hmm...so the general consensus is split, lol. I'm thinking that I should take the AOW in NE to challenge myself, although I'm thinking it's pretty dark down there at ~ 100ft. I have an outstanding instructor; I just hate the cold water and the dark.

I have an outstanding instructor

If so GO FOR IT you'll have a great time and a good training for AOW.
Just think about it,you'll learn under "bad"conditions.Do you think divers from the tropics will be able to dive your waters.
I can now tell you upfront they can not.We had a instructor from Curacao over here,a couple of years ago,and he came out of the water SCREEAAMINGafter just 3 minutes.Go figure.:14:

 

[don Francisco]

Go to Florida and enjoy the dives. Where you take this course isn't going to make a difference either way in your career.

If you plan to DM in the Norhteast down the road, you have plenty of time to get the experience under these conditions over the next months. In the long run it won't be where you took AOW that'll count, but the hours of real time experience in cold water diving.

 

[shotthebreeze]

Just think about it,you'll learn under "bad"conditions.Do you think divers from the tropics will be able to dive your waters.
I can now tell you upfront they can not.We had a instructor from Curacao over here,a couple of years ago,and he came out of the water SCREEAAMINGafter just 3 minutes.Go figure.:14:

Lol, there's no diving like Boston/Netherlands diving. You never know what you're going to find. While I have you here 300bar, what are they going to make me do at ~100 ft? I think a no mask swim would be the ultimate .

 

[300bar]

Lol, there's no diving like Boston/Netherlands diving. You never know what you're going to find. While I have you here 300bar, what are they going to make me do at ~100 ft? I think a no mask swim would be the ultimate .

Not looked at your profile yet. If your doing PADI they will make you do a timed test.
First they/he/she test you topside and then do the same test on 100ft.So what to expect.....
Do some knots,or some tables,or do some funny writing,like write your full name from right to left. or some other puzzle.
Have fun

And yes we DO have the best diving. Who needs all that clearwater diving.:rofl4:

That's just for those vacation divers.

 

[thedivekid]

I think you should dive naples. It is warmer and you can see better. I have been diving in NE but its better in FL. Its much more different if you have never in FL.

 

[thedivekid]

Im 13 and been out of the country diving (I've got over 100 dives under my belt. I'm a great diver) but I've got say FL im my favorite place to dive.