In-water temperature gradient. What's the biggest delta you've experienced?

[Lorenzoid]

Let's see: In NC during the summer at the quarry over 98 f at the surface and at about 26 feet 47 f. OTOH in Fla diving the caves, surface was in the 30's and the water temp was 72 f.

Years ago, before I even bothered to look at temperatures, some friends and I tried a quarry dive (in NC, I think). It was nice and warm until I hit that thermocline, at which point I said to myself "no way!" and thumbed the dive. On the surface, my friends said when we hit the thermocline my face turned white as a sheet.

How do you don a drysuit for those summer cave dives without drenching yourself with sweat? I have a drysuit class coming up, and that is something I am very curious about. I have heard "just do it quickly and get in." So far, I have only tried on the drysuit and undergarment at home, but even with my living room at 68 F I am sweating profusely before the suit is even fully zipped.

 

[ajduplessis]

Morrison's Quarry.Temperature dropped to 3.9C (39F) @ 120' from 18C (64.4F) at the surface.

View attachment 367823

Now thats what you call a big drop. You canadians are not well

 

[divad]

How do you don a drysuit for those summer dives without drenching yourself with sweat?

Ice water on head helps a little.

 

[ajduplessis]

I don the suit and then take a quick splash before kitting up. The wet drysuit cools down quickly especially with a slight breeze.