10 reasons to do the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course

10 reasons to do the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course

In February last year we arrived in South America after six months of island hopping. I knew that we would spend more time on the mainland here than in Samoa, Tonga and Vanuatu, where I completed my Padi Open Water Diver course. Nevertheless, I was very interested in improving my diving skills because we plan to visit the Galápagos Islands with their excellent variety of marine life.

We held on the Atlantic coast of Colombia for a few days so that Kia could complete her open water diver course. Since I didn't want to sit around the beach for three days, I decided to complete the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course.

It proved to be one of the best decisions of our trip. Many aspects of my diving have improved dramatically, especially my energy and air efficiency. In addition, my self -confidence and my security awareness grew. I discovered that with my new skills I could enjoy my time under water even more. It is therefore worthwhile to complete the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course itself.

1. You don't have to be advanced

First of all, you have to understand that you do not have to be "advanced" to take part in the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course. The course builds on the skills that you have learned in the Open Water Diver course, and many divers choose to complete the advanced course immediately after the basic course. In this way, your skills and knowledge can be improved without giving them time to develop bad habits.

Others prefer to complete a few intermediate dives to ensure that they really enjoy diving. This prevents you from investing more time and money in a ability you will not use.

In retrospect, I wish I had completed my advanced course right after my basic course in Vanuatu.

2. Improve navigation skills

Five dives have to be completed for the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver course, including two compulsory dives: a deep water dive and a sub -water navigation dive.

During the basic course you will learn some basic navigation skills (swimming and navigate with a compass on the surface and in the depths), but always under the watchful eyes of your diving instructor. The advanced course builds on these skills and ensures that you can use kick cycles, visual orientation points and time to navigate more precisely over a longer distance. In waters with poor visibility or at night, these skills are indispensable and help you to get to safety if you ever lose your buddy or your group.

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3. Put on deeper water

The reality is that the most exciting dive sites are lower than 18 m (60 feet) and some require advanced certification just to be able to dive there at all. In Tonga, a diving company did not allow us to dive some underwater caves without the Padi Advanced Open Water Diver qualification. I listened to envy when an advanced diver told me about his experiences there.

The second obligatory dive of a Padi Advanced Open Water Diver Course is a deep water dive to a depth of 30m (100ft). This will open up a whole series of future options and help you to understand the effects of the deep diving on your body, the equipment you use and to understand the surroundings around you.

4. Improve your buoyancy control

I decided on the Peak Performance Buoyancy dive, which helped me to understand how important it is to do my weighting properly and control my breathing. I found that mostly I could control my position in the water with my lungs, so I didn't have to adapt my BCD so much and wasted air, time and energy.

The most important thing was that I was able to start with a little practice to forget the mechanics of diving and to concentrate more on what I saw.

5. Improving your breathing

Until the end of the advanced course I was always the first to use my air supply and often had to end my dive in front of the rest of the group. The advanced dives (especially the dive with tariff control) have really improved my breathing. When we dived on the Galápagos Islands, my breathing was under control and my air lasted as long as the rest of the group-some of which were more experienced.

An experienced diver will notice the difference in my breathing between a dive in front of the advanced course in Tonga, where I persistently suck air, and a more relaxed and more consistent approach after the advanced course on the Galápagos.

6. Be specialist

As already mentioned, two mandatory dives must be completed (navigation and deep diving) and then three other special dives of your choice. The special dives give you the opportunity to develop your interests and concentrate on certain skills.

Note that not all special dives in every diving center can be offered and the choice can also depend on the local conditions. The following are often offered, but visit the PADI website for a comprehensive list.

7. Dive more wrecks

One of my greatest regret of our trip around the world is that I did not dive the wreck of the SS President Coolidge in Vanuatu. The wreck is one of the best accessible of its size and kind, but it is at a depth of 20 m to 60 m - beyond that of an open water diverse.

Most immersed wrecks of the world are less than 18 m (60 feet). So if you want to explore more wrecks, you should complete the advanced course and select the wreck diver as one of your special dives.

If I could, I would travel back and complete the advanced course in Vanuatu and specialize in a wreck dive at the SS Coolidge.

8. Immerse yourself in deep sea corals and ecosystems

Sea creatures are the main attraction for most divers. That is the reason why we learned to dive at all.

Tiefseecorals and ecosystems differ from those in flatter waters, and the sea life that lives in is often unique in this depth. Deeper diving sites are also more original and private, precisely because they are unreachable for new and inexperienced divers.

Although they lose some light penetration, they will often see more in deeper, more remote ecosystems than in accessible places in flatter waters.

9. Use and understand more equipment

During my basic course, I learned how to use the necessary diving equipment, read diving tables, use a diving computer and a simple compass.

During my Padi Advanced Open Water Diver Course I got a few more gadgets into my hands and deepened my understanding of the equipment that I already used. I familiarized myself with my diving computer who helped me plan my dives better and make the best of my time under water. I completed a night dive, which meant that I also learned how to use a diving lamp.

Depending on what you choose from the special diving options, you will almost certainly get more equipment in your hands.

10. Use it as a gate for further adventures

When I was still very small, my parents took me to camp for the first time. Shortly thereafter, they took me to hike and then my father gave me a Swiss pocket knife when I was just four years old (for my mother's horror). Since then I have had a passion for nature - these first trips were my goal for a life full of adventure and travel.

Statistically speaking, the completion of the advanced course means that diving becomes a lifelong passion than just a vacation affair. If you liked your Open Water Diver course and you want to dive more, then the completion of the advanced course will definitely give you an appetite for future underwater adventures.

Get a lead and read the adventures in Diving Manual before starting your course.

How to exist the Open Water Diver course

Over 30,000 people used Atlas & Boots to prepare for their course. We have now summarized all of our tips, advice and learning aids in a practical issue. For only $ 2.99 you will receive:

• A list of all physical tests
• Examples of all 5 knowledge tests
• Immersion signals
• Over 100 index cards for revision
• A link to interactive index cards online
• To avoid beginner errors and more
• See complete table of contents

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