I took my advanced open water class so I could stretch beyond the simple diving I had been accustomed to and to not be a hot mess underwater when diving!
I learned many different and more effective ways to work a compass. I learned to contend with current, not just in diving but also accounting for it when navigating. Prior to these training dives, I really hadn't been put in the lead position, which to be honest, I find with several divers. If a diver has a friend comfortable in navigating, they rarely volunteer to lead the dive - they just follow and for many dives or years, really have no navigational ability to speak of.
I learned about boats - and not just where the head was. I got to refresh the many different boat exits and entries while gaining confidence. Perhaps many of you (men in particular) don't realize how daunting diving off a boat for women can be. We don't have the upper body strength you do. I was worried I wouldn't have the strength to get back on the boat with all my gear. In the PNW, you carry up the big ladder what you jumped off the boat in. I felt those same nerves the first time I dove doubles off a boat, the "Oh crap, what if I can't get back on!? Everyone will be looking at me!"
I extended my dive depths with my good friend and dive instructor by my side which was a confidence booster. I really worked on buoyancy. I recalled watching Melanie hover over a huge coral ring, flip inverted with her arms crossed casually in front of her and she exhaled in a head down position into the coral ring. With a slight kick of her fin, she rotated herself looking into crevices of the coral, other divers likely have never seen. Then she inhaled and came back out. I instantly knew that I wanted to look
just like that.
I can still remember night diving for the first time, the thrill and the terror of it. I certainly knew looking at the black water, there was a shark waiting for me. In fact, I think I recall seeing a ring a teeth representing an open mouth just below the surface of the spot Melanie said I was to enter the water.
I did the smart thing and offered the gal behind me the polite opportunity to go ahead of me, "Oh no you are ready, you go ahead of me - I don't want to be a bother." I now simply yell "Throw the bony ones in first!" but I still slip quietly into the water...
I absolutely came out of my training much more confident having contended with new diving circumstance I likely would not have ventured into on my own, lead navigating, diving with current, night diving, and deep diving.
My two most useful specialized certifications have been Fish ID and my Enriched Air certification and my most recent certification that I also thought was well worth the time and well taught was my Altitude Specialty course I just took less than 2 months ago. My most exciting and envelope pushing certification was trimix, but that also describes my instructor who knew just how to challenge me.
Definitions of "advanced training" may differ, but to me that is simply a time wasting word game. If any training outside of a diver's original certification course interests him or her, then I would absolutely encourage the diver to seek it out.
