PADI Advanced Open Water Course

My PADI Advanced Open Water Experience

This past weekend (9/28), I completed my PADI Advanced Open Water course with Dean’s Dive Center in Ft. Myers, Florida—the same shop where I earned my Open Water certification.

The class was eye-opening. It highlighted areas where my skills were strong, but more importantly, it showed me where I still had work to do. That’s exactly why I’d recommend the Advanced course to any new diver who wants to grow.

Before taking it, I watched tons of YouTube videos to prepare. One of my favorite resources is Divers Ready. James has a great breakdown of the Advanced course, and while I respect his advice about waiting until you have 25 dives, I chose to take it after just 8—and I’m glad I did. For me, the course revealed weaknesses early on that I can now improve through practice.

Here’s a breakdown of the dives I completed and what I learned from each:

Peak Performance Buoyancy – Sunset Reef

This dive reinforced that while my buoyancy is decent, current really challenges me. Takeaway: keep practicing in different conditions.

Underwater Navigation – Okinawa Wreck

A baby Goliath Grouper hung out beside us while we practiced navigating—pretty awesome. I got a lot out of this dive, but it’s definitely a skill that needs constant practice.

Drift Diving – Florida Current

Learning to dive with the current was invaluable. We also worked on surface signaling and navigation—great skills for Florida diving.

Deep Dive – Lady Luck Wreck (100 ft)

This was the dive I was most nervous about. As the wreck came into view at 42 ft, my nerves quickly turned into excitement. By 100 ft, I felt comfortable and fascinated by how the colors shifted at depth. We even tested for nitrogen narcosis by playing patty-cake with our buddies (all clear!).

Wreck Dive – Lady Luck Wreck

We explored more of the wreck, including a swim-through of the bridge, where “Gary” the resident barracuda greeted us.

My Personal Takeaways from My Advanced Open Water Course

On Sunday, during our deep and wreck dives, the waves were the biggest I’ve ever experienced. Granted, I only had eight dives under my belt at that point, but with Tropical Storm Imelda just off the Florida coast, conditions were definitely rough. Up until then, I thought carrying a snorkel was optional—something only Open Water students needed. Wrong! In those kinds of waves, a snorkel isn’t just a “nice-to-have,” it’s a must-have. If you surface low on air and still have to swim back to the boat—or wait for your group at the descent line—it saves your gas and your nerves. Especially if, like me, you breathe like a “pissed-off dragon” (shout out to James at Divers Ready for that perfect analogy).

Wetsuit vs. rash guard? Wetsuit wins—every time. I learned the hard way that wreck diving in just swim shorts and a rash guard is a bad idea. It’s easy to scrape yourself on railings, doors, or other parts of the ship without even realizing it. Next thing you know, you’re bleeding at 100 feet—and for the record, blood doesn’t look red down there, it looks black. Between sharp surfaces and strong currents, a wetsuit covering arms and legs is the smart move.

Know your dive computer inside and out. On my way to a safety stop at 42 feet, I learned that my AI reserve pressure warning didn’t mean I was “almost out of air.” Turns out, the alarm was set to 700 psi, which I’d never reached before. I acknowledged the alert, panicked briefly, then realized I was actually fine. Lesson learned: your dive computer is only as useful as your understanding of it. Since then, I’ve read the manual cover-to-cover and know my Shearwater Peregrine like the back of my hand.

SAC rate matters. I also learned my Surface Air Consumption (SAC) rate is about 38–40, which isn’t great. At 6’1” and 240 lbs, I know I burn through more air than most, but now I understand exactly how much—roughly 40 psi a minute. That knowledge helps me plan my safety stops better (3 minutes = 120 psi, 5 minutes = 200 psi). Having real numbers takes away the guesswork, reduces anxiety, and, in turn, lowers air consumption. Progress already!

Full face masks have their place. I’m certified with my OTS Guardian full face mask and decided to try it on my navigation dive on the wreck Okinawa. Big mistake. While I love the mask for some types of diving, navigation at 70 feet isn’t one of them. I chewed through air way too fast and had to cut the dive short. Lesson learned: it’s great for things like reef dives or shark tooth hunting, but not for every situation.

Final Thought:

I walked away from this course with a ton of valuable lessons and a whole new perspective on diving. I’d highly recommend the Advanced Open Water course to anyone who’s completed their Open Water certification. Next up for me: the PADI Rescue Diver course, which I’m super excited about. Until then, I’ll be getting in as many dives as possible—lots more adventures ahead!