Question about AOW?

blackbrd · 09-19-2007, 04:35 PM

Im thinking about taking this next and I also want to take the Nitrox cert. should I do these at the sametime or seperate...What would you guys recommend?

MgicTwnger · 09-19-2007, 05:16 PM

I've never heard of them being taught at the same time, both have a lot of info to asorb. AOW is basically a taste of different things: drysuit, deep, navigation, and I forget what else, some mandatory, others picked by the instructor or students. Nitrox is nitrox.

Scuba Mama · 09-19-2007, 06:18 PM

If you are doing PADI AOW, then navigation and Deep are your core or required dives. There are three other dives, they tend to be more based on local area diving and true interest.

I would also recommend you do Nitrox as a separate course. You can combine the training. In order to receive your Nitrox card, you must complete the class solely for Nitrox. You can use the Nitrox on your advanced open water dives.

Please note "deep" is required for AOW and when you take Nitrox you will discover "depth" is very important to the mix in your cylinder. With Nitrox you will have a limit as to how far down you can travel, as with air its limited for safety but the higher the mix, less distance down.

Scuba Mama

**dalehall** · 09-19-2007, 07:31 PM

Ok.. I"m going to go against the normal view here.. After you have done the home knowledge reviews for the Advanced, there is nothing to do but the dives. Your instructor will go over the details of the specialty dive while you are on the trip. Nothing to it.. NITROX is a 2-3 night home study course and then you take a test. PADI doesn't even require you to make the 2 dives anymore. Just the written test. One of my dive buddies did her home study for AOW, then studied the NITROX. She actually took the NITROX test while riding on the bus to the AOW check dives. If you have the aptitude to remember more than a couple things at a time, you can do both along the same time line, IMO..

Scuba Mama · 09-19-2007, 07:58 PM

Dale, I don't disagree. If your going to learn AOW, why not use the nitrox cylinders while you out there. This gives practical experience reading the gages and mixes, it also allows you to breathe from a new type of mix. Yes, PADI no longer requires the dives, so the course can also be taught just at the shop.

My caution is against task loading. Doing a deep dive takes a little more if you never been at depth before, now add watching and guessing what is normal for the dive and if something is wrong and your facing a problem from Nitrox.

I would use this after the deep dive. Just so you can separate the experiences.

Scuba Mama

**dalehall** · 09-20-2007, 12:52 AM

Understood and totally agree, Scuba Mama.. Since my Dive Buddy didn't need to breathe the gas, her only thing was to take the test. To be honest, how she took the test on a moving bus is beyond me.

I don't think she even used nitrox on her AOW trip.. But, we talked her into taking it because we were already planning the Oriskany trip and it was needed for those dives. She was actually worried about "task loading" but I told her I took my NITROX "class" during my open water segment and had no problems, so that eased her mind about doing durig her AOW and she did it with no probs..