Advanced Open Water Diving Certification

A Home Beneath The Waves

     After earning my Open Water certification in Destin, Florida, I felt like I had unlocked the door to a whole new world. The underwater world, once distant and mysterious, was now within my reach, thanks to the skills I had developed. Yet, my journey was only beginning. The experience had given me a solid foundation, but I was eager to dive deeper, both in terms of depth and my understanding of the ocean. When the opportunity arose to visit Puerto Rico in the summer of 2022, I knew it was the perfect time to take the next step in my scuba diving journey: The Advanced Open Water Certification.

The Next Step

     Staying in the lively city of San Juan, I was just a short five-minute walk from the dive center. I finished the e-learning portion of the certification in approximately a week from the comfort of my own home. When the time arrived to get back into the water, I was relieved to find that the practice would take place off a beach rather than from a boat. The gentle waves and sandy shore provided a calm environment that made the learning process feel more like a natural progression than a challenge. This time, I was fortunate to work with a private instructor, allowing for personalized guidance as I refined my skills and gained new ones over 2-3 days of focused training.

Navigating New Challenges

     A key part of the Advanced Open Water certification is the ability to choose specialty dives tailored to your interests. For me, I wanted to push my boundaries with a deep dive, master underwater navigation, and immerse myself in the vibrant marine life through fish identification. Learning underwater navigation was both challenging and rewarding. Using a compass to chart my course and navigate back to shore gave me a sense of comfort in the underwater world. For fish identification, I was equipped with a slate, allowing me to identify and record the various species I encountered. It was like diving into a living aquarium, where every moment brought new things to discover. But the real highlight was the deep dive, which will take place during a wall dive. The idea of descending alongside an underwater cliff that plunged into the abyss was exhilarating, and I could hardly wait for the experience.

The Wall Dive...

     The night before the wall dive, however, was anything but smooth. We had to drive from the northern part of the island to the southern coast, and the small hotel where we stayed was far from comfortable. Mosquitoes swarmed, loud music played all night, and the room itself was tiny, with a sink no larger than a dinner bowl and a bed that barely fit me. Sleep was hard to come by, and by the time 5:30 AM rolled around, I was groggy and unrested. Yet, the early start was necessary, as the calm morning waters promised ideal diving conditions. As soon as I entered the water, all the discomfort of the previous night melted away. The wall dive was nothing short of breathtaking. Coral formations clung to the sheer cliffside, which dropped away into an endless, dark void. It felt as though I was floating on the edge of the world, with the abyss stretching out beneath me. The entire experience was surreal and made every challenge leading up to it worth the effort.After returning home, we regretted our choice to stay in that cramped hotel, thinking it might have been better to wake up at 4 AM and drive directly to the dive site. However, these are the experiences that make a vacation more memorable.

Another Milestone

     A few days after flying back home, my Advanced Open Water certification card arrived.  I felt a deep sense of pride and excitement because I was now one step closer to achieving the Master Scuba Diver rating, a goal that felt even more within reach after this incredible journey. Puerto Rico had not only given me a new certification but had also deepened my connection to the underwater world, leaving me eager to explore even further.