Share The LOVE The PADI Advanced Open Water Course Unleash your inner explorer and unlock a world of endless underwater adventures with the PADI Advanced Open Water course. Discover why this life-changing experience will elevate your diving skills, expand your horizons, and ignite your passion for the deep blue. What is the PADI Advanced Open Water Course? The PADI Advanced Open Water Course is a step up from entry-level courses, and it’s designed for scuba divers who want to learn more about their underwater world. The course consists of five specialty dives that you can complete as part of an instructor-led dive trip or through independent study. To get started, you’ll need to meet these requirements: To sign up for the PADI Advanced Open Water course, you must meet the following requirements: Be at least 12 years old (Junior Advanced Open Water Diver) or 15 years old (Advanced Open Water Diver). Be certified as a PADI Open Water Diver or have an equivalent certification from another training organization. Have completed and signed the required PADI forms, including the liability release and medical statement. Have the necessary scuba diving equipment for the course, including a dive computer and underwater compass. Some dive shops may include the rental of these items in the course fee. Be able to swim 200 meters (or 300 meters for the Junior Advanced Open Water Diver) without stopping or using any swimming aids. Be able to tread water or float for 10 minutes without any support. It’s important to note that some dive shops may have additional requirements or recommendations, so it’s always a good idea to check with your local PADI dive center or instructor before signing up for the course. How Long Does the PADI Advanced Open Water Course Take? The length of your PADI Advanced Open Water course will depend on several factors, including: Your experience level. If you’re new to diving, it will take longer than if you’ve been diving for years. The number of dives per day. If there are two or three dives per day instead of one or two, this will extend the length of time needed for the course by about half an hour per dive (depending on how long each dive takes). Weather conditions. If there’s bad weather and/or rough seas during your trip, it could add another hour or so to your total training time since more time would be spent waiting around before entering the water. What Does the PADI Advanced Open Water Course Entail? The PADI Advanced Open Water Course is a three-part program that prepares you to dive deeper and to improve your current diving level. You’ll learn new skills, gain confidence and build your diving repertoire as you progress through each stage of the course. The Knowledge Development Component is an online eLearning course where you’ll study for your PADI Advanced Open Water Diver certification by completing interactive lessons, reading material, and watching videos about topics such as: Equipment selection and maintenance Professionalism in diving Environmental Impacts on marine life Where Can I Do the PADI Advanced Open Water Course? If you’re looking for a PADI Advanced Open Water course, there are a few things to consider. The first thing is whether or not the location has the facilities that are required by PADI. You can check this using their Instructor Locator tool. The second thing is whether or not the location offers any discounts on equipment rental fees or other services like accommodation and transportation that may be required by your instructor during your training session. Benefits of the PADI Advanced Open Water Course The PADI Advanced Open Water Course is a great way to build on your diving skills and a lot of fun. You’ll learn how to dive deeper than you ever have before, as well as how to use your equipment in more challenging conditions. The course will give you more confidence in the water. The course lets you learn more about what interests you in your scuba life, fish Identification perhaps. You’ll also learn about different types of marine life so that when people ask questions about what they see underwater (and trust me, they will), you can give them an informed answer based on experience rather than guesswork alone. What Skills Will I Learn in the PADI Advanced Open Water Course? The PADI Advanced Open Water Course is designed to help divers build on the skills learned in the Open Water Diver course and introduce new ones to enhance diving experiences. You can do the PADI eLearning for the Advanced Open Water Diver, eLearning includes interactive lessons on all the courses and is a great way to get ahead before you show up to your course. The course requires five adventure dives, including two compulsory dives: the Deep Adventure Dive and the Underwater Navigation Adventure Dive. In addition to these two dives, you can choose another three Adventure Dives to build your skill set. I have outlined all the dives below to help you determine which ones are best for you. Remember that every area has different conditions. For example, if you are doing your AOW in Bali, the Liberty Wreck is there, so the wreck specialty would be a good choice. What Can I Choose? The following are your choice of AOW specialties and a brief description: Underwater Navigation – This skill includes planning and executing a dive profile while maintaining control over depth, direction, and speed throughout the dive site visit. Deep Diving – This skill teaches divers how deep they can safely go underwater without suffering from decompression sickness (DCS). DCS occurs when nitrogen bubbles form inside someone’s body after they surface too quickly from a deep dive; these bubbles can cause pain and injury if not treated properly by trained professionals immediately after surfacing. Peak Performance Buoyancy – This dive teaches divers how to control their buoyancy and achieve neutral buoyancy at any depth. It helps divers avoid sinking or floating too much when they’re underwater, which ultimately conserves energy and air consumption. Wreck Dive – This dive involves exploring shipwrecks and learning how to navigate through them safely. Divers will learn about the history of the shipwreck, techniques for entering and exiting the wreck, and how to avoid damaging the fragile marine life around the wreck. Search and Recovery – This dive teaches divers how to search for and recover lost items underwater. Divers will learn how to use search patterns, lift bags, and other equipment to locate and retrieve lost items. Underwater Naturalist – This dive focuses on the ecology of the underwater world. Divers will learn about different marine life, how they interact with each other, and how to identify different species. Drift Dive – This dive involves diving with the current, which allows divers to cover more distance with less effort. Divers will learn how to plan and execute a drift dive safely and communicate with their dive buddy while drifting. Fish Identification – This dive teaches divers how to identify different fish species based on their physical characteristics and behavior. Divers will learn about the different fish families and how to identify common species in different regions. Boat Dive – This dive teaches divers how to dive from a boat and how to plan and execute a dive from a boat safely. Divers will learn about boat safety, equipment handling, and how to communicate effectively with the boat crew. Dry Suit Dive – This dive teaches divers how to dive in a dry suit, which allows them to stay warm in colder water temperatures. Divers will learn about dry suit maintenance, buoyancy control in a dry suit, and how to properly weight themselves while wearing a dry suit. How Much Does the PADI Advanced Open Water Course Cost? The cost of the PADI Advanced Open Water Course varies depending on location, instructor, and additional fees. It is usually about half the price of the Open Water Course as it is half the time and theory. The price also depends on whether or not you choose to purchase other items such as dive gear or books related to diving while enrolled in this course. Tips for Successfully Completing the PADI Advanced Open Water Course The PADI Advanced Open Water Course is challenging but also a great way to build on skills you learned in the Basic Open Water Course. You’ll be diving deeper and spending more time underwater than before, so preparing mentally and physically for the challenge ahead is essential. Review- Review your knowledge of scuba diving theory by reading through the PADI Open Water Diver Manual (or another book about scuba). This will help refresh your memory on topics like equipment checks, dive planning, and safety considerations. If there are any areas where you feel unsure or need more information, talk with an instructor or divemaster at your local dive shop before starting this course so they can answer any questions you have about what will be covered during training sessions. Practice skills- so they become second nature when performing them underwater. Be flexible – things don’t always go according to plan! Be ready for changes in weather conditions or other unexpected situations that may arise during training dives. Take it slow – remember that safety comes first! Don’t rush through anything just because everyone else seems eager. If something doesn’t feel right, stop immediately until someone has checked out what might be causing concern before continuing into dangerous territory. What Equipment Do I Need for the Course? Mask Dive Computer Fins Snorkel Wetsuit (optional) A regulator, buoyancy control device and dive computer are all required for the Advanced Open Water course. You must also have your dive knife, underwater flashlight, and slate. So, what have you learned? The Advanced Open Water course is a great way to build on your knowledge and gain new skills. You’ll be able to dive deeper, stay underwater longer, and navigate more confidently with the help of your instructor. You’ll also learn how to manage your equipment in different conditions so that you can dive safely anywhere in the world! Written By: Teagan Kane (Teagan the Vegan) PADI Master scuba diving instructor and Molchanov’s Wave 3 instructor. Ultra runner, and vegan lifestyle advocate. See author's posts
