Columbia "Bricks"

[TheRedHead]

PF, I think I was chilled on the surface interval. The wind was blowing out of the north and felt very cold. I'm also beginning to think that the Henderson Hyperstretch is not as warm as some others. Plus my suit is a tad too short and big and my ankles were exposed. I can't find a women's wetsuit long enough, but that has never been a huge problem before.

Thanks opalobsidian and Christi for Herman's address. I've written it in my dive log and will defintely visit his shop next trip to Cozumel.

 

[ggunn]

Hope I get a chance to dive Columbia again. As I remember it is a magnificient site. Be interesting to see if it has cahnged due to the storm.

Redhat, women always get colder than men on dives, why?, but the breeze and lower temps on your SI would have made me cold too.

It is different from what it was, but it is still a great dive. Earlier this month we dove it twice because we liked it so much the first time we wanted to do it again.

My wife dove in just a swimsuit, and I wore a 3mm full suit with a beanie. She never got cold, but I did.

 

[pilot fish]

PF, I think I was chilled on the surface interval. The wind was blowing out of the north and felt very cold. I'm also beginning to think that the Henderson Hyperstretch is not as warm as some others. Plus my suit is a tad too short and big and my ankles were exposed. I can't find a women's wetsuit long enough, but that has never been a huge problem before.

Thanks opalobsidian and Christi for Herman's address. I've written it in my dive log and will defintely visit his shop next trip to Cozumel.

Once chilled during SI it's hard not to be cold on the next dive. Your core temp is already lower and being back in the water will not warm you. I have a Henderson hyperstretch too, 1 and 3 mil and it seems ok. How old is your suit? Don't the molecules compress or something, after so many years?

 

[pilot fish]

It is different from what it was, but it is still a great dive. Earlier this month we dove it twice because we liked it so much the first time we wanted to do it again.

My wife dove in just a swimsuit, and I wore a 3mm full suit with a beanie. She never got cold, but I did.

I love that site. Are there still furrows between the reefs. It's maze like. Any bigger swim thrus open up?

 

[ggunn]

I love that site. Are there still furrows between the reefs. It's maze like. Any bigger swim thrus open up?

It's hard to say what's different, but yes, it has the furrows, swimthroughs, etc. I love it.

 

[Hank49]

I hear stories of "bricks" found floating or washed ashore here in Belize...that also are from Colombia....

 

[TheRedHead]

Once chilled during SI it's hard not to be cold on the next dive. Your core temp is already lower and being back in the water will not warm you. I have a Henderson hyperstretch too, 1 and 3 mil and it seems ok. How old is your suit? Don't the molecules compress or something, after so many years?

So true, it seems that I got colder after every dive. My suit is less than a year old; it's the Aquaseude, but still hyperstretch. It doesn't dry as quickly as a lot of suits. My hooded vest is a Scubapro with the slick lining and it drys much more quickly. Doesn't stretch much though and rather hard on the ears when donning and doffing. My buddy wore a Mares 3mm and his had latex seals and I think the seals kept him warmer - along with the fact that it dries faster. My wetsuit was never completely dry during the week. If you're inclined to be cold, I would bring a 5 mm along with the 3. The 1mm is not enough this time of year.

I suppose warmth and thermal protection are a matter of preference. One DM I dove with wore nothing but shorts and hooded vest while the other wore an Aqualung 7 mm with a red fuzzy lining and side chest zipper - and he wore that will full foot fins???


Columbia still looks magnificent and I know you'll love it just as much as ever!

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

I'm also beginning to think that the Henderson Hyperstretch is not as warm as some others.

It definitely is not as warm. Hyperstretch and similar extra-stretchy neoprene runs counter to what makes neoprene warm. Those fancy stretchy suits will compress more at depth so you get colder.

The warmest wetsuit will always be the one that fits best (to minimize water flow) and is the stiffest neoprene (to minimize compression).

Anyway, with a 3mm, how hard can a stiff suit possibly be to put on? I've never understood why all the vacation divers have Hyperstretch. 3mm is so thin anyway that my el cheapo 3mm is a breeze to put on. I can't imagine how much easier I would want it to be. Now, with a 7mm, I can understand wanting some stretchy places...

 

[pilot fish]

It's hard to say what's different, but yes, it has the furrows, swimthroughs, etc. I love it.

Nice to hear it's as good as it was and not at all dimisnished by Wilma

 

[pilot fish]

I hear stories of "bricks" found floating or washed ashore here in Belize...that also are from Colombia....

I think those come from Atlantis. Could we be solving the mystery?