Advanced Open Water

The PADI Advanced Open Water Diver course at Big Fish runs over 2–3 days with five dives. It extends the certified depth limit from 18m to 30m and introduces structured dives in navigation and deep diving — the two mandatory adventure dives — plus three elective specialties from whatever the centre offers and conditions allow. Minimum age is 10 years and a valid OWD certification is required.

The deep dive component in this course reaches the deeper end of Big Fish's site map. El Meridian sits at a flat 30m and is accessible by boat from Los Cristianos; Cueva de las Morenas goes to 38m at its deepest point and is the other AOWD-tier site in the nine-site rotation. Either entry gives a first controlled experience at that depth range under direct instructor supervision, before it becomes an unsupervised limit after certification.

Elective dives can include wreck work at Pecios Gemelos (15–20m), night diving, navigation at various sites across the rotation, or other adventure dives depending on what's scheduled that week. The variety of terrain across the nine sites — sand, reef, cave, wreck — means elective sessions cover genuinely different conditions rather than repeating the same dive with a different label. Equipment, van transfers, dive insurance, and study materials in English, German, Spanish, or Polish are all included in the 350€ fee.

Luca, who works across recreational and technical diving and has over 5,000 dives on his log, leads a significant portion of advanced training at the centre. Completing the AOWD opens the full Big Fish site list — including both deep sites — and makes a week in Tenerife substantially more varied. Divers who finish and want to continue toward Rescue Diver can book that course immediately at 450€.