Cold in the Water - What you SHOULD know!

[soltari675]

Plan for higher air consumption when diving in cold water. Your body needs more oxygen to keep itself warm, so your air won't last as long as it does in warm water.

 

[TSandM]

A couple more things: Be aware that the slide into hypothermia begins in the parking lot. If you are diving in the wintertime, be VERY careful with your "thermal units". Wear your undergarment TO the site; wear a windproof coat and hat. Keep moving, and stay sheltered from the wind. Get into your dry suit first, and then set your gear up. Do all the checks you can on shore -- once you are in the water, you should be DIVING. In very cold water, you may want to set a slightly faster pace; muscle activity generates an amazing amount of heat.

Also, with respect to 2nd dives -- and this goes for the tropics as well as cold water sites -- remember that you are not truly core-rewarmed until you sweat. Just because you no longer feel cold does NOT mean you are warm. Heat loss through evaporation is HUGE -- much more than heat loss through conduction. So the guy on the dive boat in Hawaii, sitting in the wind in his wet wetsuit, maybe losing core heat as fast as someone diving in 45 degree water.

 

[Akimbo]

While we are at it, we should also discuss hyperthermia on deck and the rapid shift to hypothermia after hitting the water. I have felt closer to passing out waiting to get over the side in a drysuit than I ever felt from getting cold. Both pretty much suck and can’t be good for you. A lot of boats provide hot salt water for wetsuit divers. How about a cold water hose for drysuit divers?

 

[Jax]

While we are at it, we should also discuss hyperthermia on deck and the rapid shift to hypothermia after hitting the water. I have felt closer to passing out waiting to get over the side in a drysuit than I ever felt from getting cold. Both pretty much suck and can’t be good for you. A lot of boats provide hot salt water for wetsuit divers. How about a cold water hose for drysuit divers?

You can get too hot?!?!?! Who knew?!?!?



Okay, seriously -- heat cramps / heat exhaustion / heat stroke can happen when you are baking that black outfit in the hot sun. If you cannot get a cool hose, find out about bailing the dive water over your head.


Never had to do any of that, myself.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Hypothermia effect on muscles: Hypothermia results in a significant loss in muscular strength. In cold water, the diver needs to plan for significant decrease in physical capacity which can be a big problem if the end of the dive requires scrambling up rocks etc.

Also, cold muscles are much more likely to cramp up. If you have a choice of cold arms versus cold legs, pick cold arms.

 

[Insta-Gator]

Cold in the Water - What you SHOULD know!


What you SHOULD know is, WARM water is better.

edit: internet died for a minute.

Actually, if a diver or hiker knows they are going into a cold environment, always monitor your self for mental and physical impairment. Hypothermia is insidious.

 

[Akimbo]

… If you cannot get a cool hose, find out about bailing the dive water over your head…

Easier said than done when you are all geared up and still underway. I often climb down the ladder to cool off before putting on any gear past the suit when the schedule allows or we aren’t investigating Sonar/GPS targets.

 

[fjpatrum]

I always keep a "space blanket" with my gear. Actually several of them. I wrap up in one between dives (since I dive wet) when it's even remotely chilly outside. The "disposable" ones are about $3 at any pharmacy and can be refolded fairly easily if you want to keep them. I have two in a first aid kit that goes everywhere I am going to be "in nature" and everywhere my car goes. I also use one of the reusable ones, that's more like a tarp. Either will make a significant difference when you're hypothermic... don't ask how I know.

During the dive, as others have said, any impairment (especially mental) should be a giant red flag that you should consider ending your dive.

 

[VooDooGasMan]

TS&M not to step on your toes here, if you are skinny, and get cold easy, possibly suit up in DS. For me and a fella 20 years older I have been diving with everyday, if we were to put DS on we would sweat and then that is worse as we are wet in drysuit, so what works for you does not actually work for every one.
So be comfortable and relaxed before a dive, even in cold water.

 

[Jax]

Of course, bioprene makes a difference. However, once your core cools down, it's very hard to warm it back up.