Next Specialty

[underwaterdan]

My wife and I both took the AOW course have a specialty in Peak Bouncy, now I am wondering what is next. I think I would like to get one or two specialties a year and eventually take the rescue course(that makes me a dive master right?). Anyone recommend what other specialty to take? I am going to Cozumel in a few weeks I thought maybe boat diver and or drift diver would be fun to do there, esp if it rains one day.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />

[TxHockeyGuy]

I agree with ReefHound. Most specialties really don't teach you a whole lot you can't learn on your own. If you are interested in specialty certs Nitrox is a worthwhile one to have, deep as mentioned might also be worth while. Another cert that might be interesting to get would be like a DAN o2 provider course. Most others do not appear to be terribly helpful, at least to me.

As for becoming a dive master I believe you mean master diver.

A dive master is a professional rank which requires a lot of study, pool, and OW time with not just instructors but also working with students. These are the people who help with classes and lead many dives at your Caribbean and other dive destinations.

A master diver is a recreational rating. In PADI I believe it consists of 5 specialty cards and rescue. In NAUI on the other hand it is a different course entirely and fairly challenging from my understanding. It gets into a lot of the physics of diving and in fact you have to pass the master diver exam to become a dive master with NAUI. I hope to start going that route next year (NAUI DM).

[cummings66]

I think some of them are or can be useful. Around here two shops I know of that do the equipment speciality will actually go beyond the how to hose it off bit and show you how to take them apart and do basic repairs you might need. Say you're on a boat and it breaks, can you fix it safely?
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Nitrox is very useful.</DIV>
<DIV>I think the photography one is useful for the tips you can get, of course you can do the same over time and end up at the same point, the course just gets you there faster.</DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Night diving, useful if you're timid and want to do the dives in the presence of an instructor who will help you overcome that initial reaction to darkness.</DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Probably others as well. But many of them are a joke, one of my shops I visit jokes a lot about boat diving.</DIV>

[jdarnall2001]

I also recommend nitrox. I just completed the class a couple weeks ago so I can use it when I go to Bonaire. Depending on where you dive, dry suit might be good as well. (Great in my area as all the water around here is cold.)

[cummings66]

Yeah, I forgot drysuit is well worth having. 99% of my diving is in a drysuit and I'm very happy about that, except while sweating to death prior to getting under.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>Sometimes you wonder if it's a suit leak or just plain sweat and then a week later you realize it was sweat when even the dog won't go near the suit.</DIV>

[Doug B]

Boat Diver... whatta joke.
<DIV>Letsee... here's the bow, the stern,starboard, port, oh and here's the head. OK, you're certified.</DIV>

[lucidblue]

Originally Posted by ReefHound

To be honest I would just enjoy Cozumel and leave the specialties for back at home.

Having just been there, I definitely agree with this.

[woody]

Before you go Nitrox. <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" />
While you are there Drift Diving (If you get a real education and not just a couple of dives)
Other good ones are Navigation and Search &amp; Recovery
If you have the right instructor you can get a really good Photography Specialty class, but the instructor should have a passion for underwater photography. If you are an active diver I would suggest getting your rescue class soon. This class is essential to making you a better diver and a better buddy.
W.

[cummings66]

IMO rescue is a course ALL divers NEED to take ASAP. There are things in it that could really save your butt, i.e. you're taught things in OW that are find and dandy, but what they didn't teach you was the possible outcomes and how to deal with that. Not to mention self rescue, there's a lot of good stuff in it that I highly suggest every diver learn.
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV>It should be a manditory course.</DIV>

[bubba105]

I agree that you should just go to Cozumel and have fun. If after diving in Cozumel you feel the need to take courses in boat &amp;/or drift diver, then knock yourself out. I've been to Cozumel at least a dozen times and unless you're doing strictly shore diving, you're going to be a boat diver. And, unless you plan on kicking against the current, you're going to be a drift diver. I guarantee you'll like drifting more than kicking.