Which PADI AOW specialties

[Storker]

Back to topic, my AOW dives were deep, nav, night, PPB and boat.

PPB was probably the best of the electables. Not sure if night was compulsory or electable, but it founded my deep fascination with night dives, so I'd really recommend that. Boat was meh; I'd dived from boats before taking my AOW. But I guess I picked up a few minor tips. If I got something like Fish Identification as one of my AOW dives, I'd be rather pissed off. I'm still naïve enough to think that a general advancing course should make the student a better diver. Stuff like Fish ID or UW photo should be taken as a separate specialty IMO.

 

[stuartv]

Last I checked, PADI Rescue wasn't an adventure dive that could be taken as one of the PADI AOW dives. Are you perhaps thinking about Search and Recovery?

No. I meant Rescue. That's why I said "if they'll let you".

I have never taken a single PADI course, so I don't know the fine points. I just thought Rescue was another specialty course, like Wreck, for example, but with more prerequisites. So, I thought maybe you could do the first dive from the Rescue specialty as part of AOW. I figured it was a long shot.

 

[stuartv]

UW photo should be taken as a separate specialty IMO.

Properly done, U/W Photo should make you a better diver, too. You need to learn really good buoyancy and trim for doing decent u/w photography. And learning a good back kick is also really helpful.

 

[Storker]

I just thought Rescue was another specialty course, like Wreck, for example, but with more prerequisites.

Wreck is a specialty. Rescue is an advancing course that requires AOW and a certain amount of logged dives. It's also a prerequisite for DM (or, if you cross over, CMAS 3*).

 

[Storker]

Properly done, U/W Photo should make you a better diver, too. You need to learn really good buoyancy and trim for doing decent u/w photography. And learning a good back kick is also really helpful.

So... does an average PADI UW Photographer specialty include stuff like top level buoyancy control and trim, and back kicking? It certainly doesn't at my local PADI center.

 

[stuartv]

So... does an average PADI UW Photographer specialty include stuff like top level buoyancy control and trim, and back kicking? It certainly doesn't at my local PADI center.

I don't know. Like I said, I have never taken a PADI course. But, that is why I said "properly done".

 

[AZNetEng]

Back to topic, my AOW dives were deep, nav, night, PPB and boat.

PPB was probably the best of the electables. Not sure if night was compulsory or electable, but it founded my deep fascination with night dives, so I'd really recommend that. Boat was meh; I'd dived from boats before taking my AOW. But I guess I picked up a few minor tips. If I got something like Fish Identification as one of my AOW dives, I'd be rather pissed off. I'm still naïve enough to think that a general advancing course should make the student a better diver. Stuff like Fish ID or UW photo should be taken as a separate specialty IMO.

The only requisites for AOW are Deep and Nav. The others are all electable. Agree that Peak Performance Buoyancy was probably the best of the classes in terms of improving diving skill. My wife and I did Wreck, Fish ID, and Night as well.

 

[Bob DBF]

I'm agreed that PPB is your best choice. The instructor I had required PPB as well as Nav and Deep for AOW.


Bob

 

[tursiops]

S&R is really a great class, hence I don't like doing it for AOW, but a separate class.

I don't see why this is incompatible. Do dive #1 for AOW, then the other 3 dives can be done in one day.

 

[Diving Dubai]

I'll expand more of this in my DM thread..

When I took my Aow in 2011 (after 3 years non diving) I took PPB, Search and recovery, Navigation, Deep

Nav and Search and recovery are good if taught well

I had this convo with my (PADI) Instructors as I'm completing my DM as to which speciality was the one they didn't think should be taught

Their Answer = PPB The reason? It should have been taught during OW

Having seen the students in the pool begin horizontal and neutral I can attest to the instructors ensuring that trim and buoyancy is correctly taught.