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#36
Anyone Ever Take "Other than Advanced" 2nd?
NewtoScubaHB - 2/05/2012 12:27 PM
Category: New Diver Q&A
Replies: 23

Hello:

Certified in Oct 2011, so brand new. A little aprehenive about "Advanced" as my next class so I am wondering since you can take so many others it seems based on course prerequisites, if anyone has ever taken something other than "Advanced Open Water" as their 2nd course. To be honest, I am not in a huge hurry for night diving and going deeper than 60 feet. That is not what attracted me to diving in the first place. Just wondering, because I want to take something this year to continue as I do enjoy it. There are other classes that seem interesting to me and let me keep diving, however, it seems PADI really thinks everyone should imediately dive at night and go imediately go deep even when they say to avoid nitrogen narcosis "avoid deep dives" and that different people wll have it at different depths. I just find that interesting.....

I will probably have to break down and go take "Advanced Open Water" as the PADI gods will be upset with me if I do something else, as it seems at least on the Internet that no one takes any other classes as their 2nd...

Currious if I am wrong and someone else has bucked this "trend"....

Thanks All
#1729
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bhtmec2 - 2/05/2012 6:50 PM
Depends on what you want out of diving.

You can do some speciality courses while you develop your skills. Work on your trim and boyancy control is a Big One. There are lots of things to work on without jumping into AOW. Take your time and enjoy and do not let any LDS/Instructor push you into more advanced training unless you want it. Remember the PADI Gods are their Bank Accounts. You are in the door and the best thing you can do is find a good more experienced buddy and just dive.
#20384
LatitudeAdjustment - 2/05/2012 7:16 PM
Well my son is 35 and still diving on his "Junior OW", my daughter has done some advanced dives, mostly high current so AOW isn’t all about going deep or night dives.

An equipment class is a nice addition and helps you understand your gear more. Think about first aid, rescue and o2 provider but taking AOW depends on the types of dives you are doing. Some of the greatest diving is near you and much of it might be considered advanced.
#1729
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bhtmec2 - 2/05/2012 9:29 PM
Might also take a navigation course. I know you do a little in AOW but I am always seeing divers here that are totally lost as soon as they go under. Pri to Trim and Buoyancy should be #1 in my book....
#5050
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diverray - 2/05/2012 9:30 PM
Buoyancy control, Nitrox, navigation, photography...all examples of good further training, depending on your interests.
#8590
dalehall - 2/06/2012 6:21 AM
Remember, PADI "Advanced Open Water" is not actually an "advanced" course.. It is nothing more than you doing 5 specialty dives to show you what else is out there is out there in world of diving. Advanced is really not the word they should use after you complete this course.. Open Water Plus or something would be more fitting.. You are most definately NOT an Adanced Diver after taking the PADI AOW course. Don’t be afraid to take this course.. You’ll get a better appreciation of what’s out there for diving after doing it. As for actually getting any specialties, the only specialty I ever tell people to get is "Enriched Air NITROX" There is no other specialty out there that is mandatory for you to do that type of diving, but you must be EAN certified to dive NITROX. So that one is a must, in my opinion. Although, right now you think you’ll never have a need for it, believe me, there will be times that you will glad you have the cert when you really start to do some diving.
#2086
zielit - 2/06/2012 7:27 AM
Doesn’t PADI stands for Put Another Dollar In???

But seriously lot’s of people dive on basic OWD whole life and there is nothing wrong with it. Advanced just opens the doors to few more speciality courses and path to Rescue and Master Scuba diver. You don’t have to dive at night to get it. I don’t know who told you that, but only 2 mandatory dives for AOD is navigation and one "deep dive" which is usually around 30m/100ft and if you don’t feel comfy I wuldn’t be surprised if instructor would take you to 25m/85ft only. Other 3 dives are totally up to you to choose from (bouyancy, drift dive, photography would be my recommendation).

All in all AOW is not that bad and it gives you opportunity to explore other aspects of diving.
#8046
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Rich-D-Fish - 2/06/2012 8:20 AM
Also remember that PADI is only suggesting you not dive at night and go deeper than 60 feet. You are now licenced to do both with just your OW cert. I have many many buddies who do both night and deep on just an OW cert. But from a comfort level I highly recommend them. All of the specialty dives you can choose from in the AOW program will give you proper supervision to cover those "what if" scenarios and give you more comfort to try them. It’s good that you question the issue because it shows that you have a healthy respect for diving. Night is a good one because, trust me, there will be days you are diving on a cloudy day under a dense kelp canopy and it seems like night. And before long you will not notice the difference between 30 feet and 130 feet......it’s just part of the same dive :-)
#20384
LatitudeAdjustment - 2/06/2012 8:50 AM
It’s not PADI/NAUI/SSI etc. that sets the rules, it’s the boat Captain, DM or shop that says what dives are "advanced" or not and if they don’t know you will ask to see your AOW card, no card or other proof that you can handle it and you sit out the dive or trip.
#8046
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Rich-D-Fish - 2/06/2012 11:08 AM
To be honest my biggest reason for getting my AOW cert was to get better service from dive operators in tropical waters. It’s not always the case but I have experienced showing up in Hawaii and the boat crew looked at my OW card and said "ok, we are going to a nice easy reef in shallow water for the day." Even though I had more than 50 dives at the time in cold California waters..... they don’t look at your log book. The following year I used the same operator in Maui, and when I presented my AOW card the story became "hey, are you interested in diving the backside of Molokini and seeing some sharks on a deep drift dive?" I guess the cert gives everyone more confidence in your implied abilities ;-)
#1600
lerpy - 2/07/2012 10:21 AM
WarmWaterTurner has is right, just dive, get comfortable with your gear your skill and just being under water before worrying about more cards. As Rich-D-Fish says the card has more to do with boat captains and where they will drop you in than your ability to dive. The majority of my diving is in Lake Ontario, cold, deep, dark and I was doing that on my OW with no issue, and 60-70 feet down in lake Ontario is a low light, somedays getting cloe to no light dive. When you head south however the card might be needed, as it was mentioned, often captains, unless they know you, just go on your card, not your experience. I know people that go on vacation and get their OW, and right away the Advanced, but that does not make them "advanced" divers. It is however a great way to see what options there are in diving, while under the supervision of an instructor.
#1824
digitalman - 2/07/2012 3:38 PM
I’d take the EANx class next if you don’t want to take Advanced. I took the two at the same time, and did some of my Advanced dives on Nitrox for practice.
#8046
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Rich-D-Fish - 2/07/2012 4:57 PM
Forget the debate on classes Doug. Let’s just go dive! Shore conditions suck this weekend, but as soon as they are good lets hook up for a nice free shore dive. I know some great spots close to both of us. No substitute for experience.
#187
Scubaman7337 - 2/08/2012 10:18 AM
Hello,

I actually took the Advanced Adventure from SDI as my second cert. It was well worth it, as it gave me a taste of Underwater Navigation "Crutial for quarry diving", Night diving, Deep Diver, Underwater Search, and Underwater Recovery "using lift bags". Front that course, it enabled me to decide which other specialties I need, and in what order I needed them. I would highly reccommend this cert, along with Equipment Specialist & Nitrox. I know this can all be a bit confusing, hope you enjoy your continued education.
#3062
Indiana - 2/08/2012 3:31 PM
Dont rule out taking your AOW.Yes you have to do a deep dive .I believe you have to go at least 80 ft and a navigation dive.You pick the other 3 dives.You do not have to do a night dive.If go diving there maybe a AOW requirement on some dives you might want to do.Good luck and dive safe
#135
GrayT - 2/09/2012 4:45 AM
I am in Afghanistan as a contractor and only dive during vacation times. I certified O/W in December of 2010 in Thailand. The next time I did any diving was in Fiji, October 2011. While diving in Fiji, I asked about getting Nitrox certified. Completed the study portion in between dives ( at a liesurely pace ) and finished everything off with my Nitrox dives. Its an easy course schedule that pretty much keeps you in the water. Not too intensive, but definitely informative. You on’t have deep dives and personally, you feel alot better after diving on Nitrox. Look into it. You may find that once you continue your diving, it all comes alot easier for you. Next thing you know, you’re commenting about the awesome deep wreck dive you just experienced. Also, remember, diving isn’t all about the different specialty courses. We dive for the sake of diving... For the enjoyment of it. Just have fun!!
#2229
btw2459 - 2/12/2012 7:00 AM
After my OW class I went and did the Nitrox class and the equipment specialty class. The rationale was that the Nitrox would be need for when I eventually wanted to go deeper. The equipment specialty course was completed to start to understand my equipment and what I could repair/ service without missing a dive (I have used the information I received on this class several times when "o" rings needed replacing). In the end the best thing to do is go diving and become comfortable with your equipment and being in the water. One other course that would be worth doing before going and completing the AOW would be peak performance buoyancy. I did a little of this on my AOW and learned a lot. I probably would have had far better deep and wreck dives during the course if my buoyancy was better (wouldn’t have used as much air).
#8208
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GypsyDiver - 2/19/2012 9:10 AM
I recommend you do take the AOW. It does give you a chance to do Five dives with an instructor. It give you a chance to hone your skills with a professional. I would even recommend you continue your education by doing the Rescue diver course. It will give you a much great sense of your own skills. It helped me greatly when I first started diving. Everyone that has posted has given you great advice. PPB, Nitrox, Equipment Specialist, U/W Photo... The list goes on and on. Decide what type a dives you want to do. Maybe you want to take the DPVs out for a spin. You can do that if the shop offers the specialty and has the equipment. You have to decide what your goals are and what you can afford to do based on time and money.
#361
NewtoScubaHB2 - 8/03/2012 8:01 AM
Hi all:

Update from NewtoScubaHB2

First, thanks to all of you for your comments and suggestions. I really appreciate them and am considering each of them.

Thought I would mention this. It is amazing how much of scuba is really a mental thing and overcoming mental weaknesses . I realized as many of you had already said that I was never going to really get comfortable until I got myself back in the water with someone who knows what they are doing. So I was extermely fortunate, after procastinating for a few months of doing nothing, to find a very patient instructor, Russ, who is willing to go diving with me.

Thank you Russ for making it possible for me to continue diving and begin to actually enjoy it. I am a person where a few dives in a class just did not make it comfortable for me to go out diving with others who I am not sure are or are not "instructor level" or if they even want to deal with a slower than normal "comfort learner" (is there such a thing!). Russ has made it possible for me to dive and learn at my own pace and not that of PADI or that of another class. Hopefully someday I will eventually take another class, but for now just having a patient "certified instructor" person is exactly what I need. I think it is truely wonderful that someone who can train highly advanced students or scuba with highly advanced divers in general, is taking his time to spend with me; someone who tests his patientence and probably bores the "blank" out of him.

I guess besides saying thank you to Russ, my point is people like this are what make the sport of scuba diving possible to people like me who did have and still have mental phobias even though they overcome them briefly in a class to get certified. Cerification is great, but being completely able to enjoy diving is even a greater expericence. It is fantasic to find an instructor level person who is willing to work with people outside of classes and after their OW certification.

Doug
#3240
daz88 - 11/12/2012 12:32 PM
"Cerification is great, but being completely able to enjoy diving is even a greater expericence."

You nailed it! that’s what it’s all about, just the diving. Doing whatever you have to do to enjoying diving. To some people it’s the classes & the cert.s, to some people it’s all about the gear. Everybody has to find what works best for them. Find what works for you and keep doing it, if it keeps you in the water enjoying yourself......IT’S ALL GOOD! Doesn’t matter what anybody else is doing or how they got there.