Students can either do the eLearning or use the PADI Adventures in Diving Manual. Deep Diver and Underwater Navigation are required dives with the student choosing three more dives based on your interests and availability. We dive from the Silver Dolphin out Stamford, CT.
We meet Tuesday night before the weekend. The instructor will brief you on the dives you will conduct off the Silver Dolphin in Long Island Sound and make sure you have all the appropriate equipment for the weekend. Peak Performance Buoyancy is the first dive we do, so we will have a pool session making sure we are properly weighted so we can get right into diving from the boat.
The open water component is really where the practice and education takes place in the Advanced Open Water class. Students will plan and conduct five dives as part of the course. These five adventure dives can then count towards the respective specialty dives that they represent. PADI requires both a deep dive and underwater navigation dive. The other three dives we conduct are Peak Performance Buoyancy, Boat, and Navigation. On Sunday we will complete the Deep dive and Wreck dive.
In addition to basic scuba equipment, which you can rent from Pan Aqua Diving, students will need their own personal gear. These items include a mask, snorkel, boots, and fins. A pair of dive gloves are also essential and are available for purchase.
Open Water Diver or Junior Open Water Diver at least 12 years of age is eligible to take the Advanced Open Water Course.
Course Price: $550 (includes Tues. orientation, boat fees, instructional costs, certificion fees, tanks, and weights). Roundtrip train fare via Metro North is about $25/day.
Course Materials: Either purchase the Advanced Open Water manual and read the appropirate chapters or purchase the eLearning.