PADI Advanced Open Water Certfication

Overview

The Advanced Open Water Diver Course (AOW) from PADI is the next step in learning advanced skills directly applicable to scuba diving. Frequently, an AOW card is just the ticket to diving at a variety of more sites. Dive operators know that PADI Advanced Open Water divers have learned the skills and have experience necessary for advanced level dive conditions such as currents or deep, blue water, environments. (For example, at Mikomoto, the requirement is AOW certification and a minimum of 50 dives in accordance with the rules and regulations of the Mikomoto Diving Association.)

There are a total of 5 dives necessary to complete the course. The required 2 Core dives are Deep and Underwater Navigation. You can choose the remaining 3 Adventure Dives. This course is for newly certified divers as well as divers with more experience who wish to expand their knowledge and practical skills. Also, if you do not have enough time to complete the full AOW course, the Adventure Diver rating is awarded after completion after any 3 Adventure Dives.

Prerequisites

Certification as a PADI Open Water Diver or equivalent rating (entry-level scuba certification with a minimum of four open water training dives). Students must be 12 years of age or older.

Note: Divers who are 12-14 years old may obtain PADI Junior Adventure Diver or Junior Advanced Open Water Diver certifications. Junior Diver certification cards carry the requirement that the individual must dive with a certified adult.

Course Details

There are a total of 5 dives necessary to complete the course. The required 2 Core dives are Deep and Underwater Navigation. The remaining 3 dives are the diver's choice. We offer the following Adventure Dives: Boat, Underwater Naturalist, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Night (beach dive at Atami or Osezaki, requires underwater light), Underwater Photographer (requires student camera or rental, or loan of digital camera and housing), Underwater Videographer (requires student video camera or rental), Wreck, AWARE Fish Identification.

Scheduling and Recommended Sequence

For those who want to complete the course over a weekend, we suggest the following sequence of Adventure Dives: Dive 1: Boat or Underwater Naturalist (boat), Dive 2: Underwater Photography or Peak Performance Buoyancy (beach), Dive 3: Night (beach) (3 dives the first day), then Dive 4: Deep (boat) and Dive 5: Underwater Navigation (boat) (2 dives the second day) for a total of 5 dives.

Most people do the course in a weekend, but you can proceed at your own pace. For example, if you are doing a 2 tank fun dive trip, you can do an Adventure Dive on the 1st or 2nd dive and just do a fun dive on the other. You have up to one year from the date of starting the course to finish.

Cost and Package Details

The AOW course package price is 68,250 yen and includes:

Adventures in Diving course materials (Adventures in Diving manual with Deluxe Dive Carrier is standard and included,
All academic sessions at location of your choosing
Certification card
5 ocean dives (4 boat dives and 1 beach (night) dive: Boat or Underwater Naturalist or AWARE Fish ID, Underwater Photography or Peak Performance Buoyancy, Night (3 dives the first day), then Deep and Underwater Navigation (2 dives the second day).

Not Included in Course Fee

Multimedia (available for 2,100 yen extra)
Accommodations and transportation expenses to/from dive sites from Tokyo.

Why Should You Take the AOW Course?

Open Water Divers have learned the basics, the "how" of diving. After a few dives, there is a need to expand that dive knowledge and learn practical skills which can increase your enjoyment of diving. Ever surface far away from the boat and have a long surface swim back? With the Navigation dive, you will learn how to prevent that situation, using compass as well as natural navigational aids to assist in your underwater journey. For deep diving, there are special concerns, and as an Open Water Diver, you are certified to dive 18 meters/60 feet. After completing the AOW course, that level is extended to 30 meters/100 feet.

Other Adventure Dives are for you to explore other aspects of diving, such as concentrating on underwater life, plants, fish, corals during the Underwater Naturalist dive. The Boat Dive will assist you to understand the different types of dive boats, and important differences between dive boats in Japan and dive boats/liveaboard vessels in other countries. Peak Performance Buoyancy will help you on the path to mastery of the hardest skill in diving.

Underwater Photography or Videography will teach you the skills to learn how to capture those dive memories on film or video. We have a digital camera and housing so that you can gain instant feedback and see your underwater photos, or a video housing and digital video camera available for loan. Please contact us for availability.

Not Sure? Try Adventure Dives

If you are not sure if you want to get the complete AOW certification, there is a great way to get more guided experience in what you are interested in. For example, start with your choice of Adventure Dive. For the cost of open water dives plus certification card (addition 3,780 yen), the completiong of 3 Adventure Dives, you earn the Adventure Diver certification, and once you complete the 2 core dives and 3 Adventure Dives, you earn the AOW certification. This requires the Adventures in Diving manual, Deluxe Dive Carrier, and DVD (rental/loan), available for 6,300 yen.