Are cold water divers better?

[vladimir]

Are cold water diver's better divers?

The short answer is "yes." Ceteris paribus, cold water divers are better.

[waterpirate]

I think Komodo was a greater challenge, to be honest. I don't think it's the water temperature that does it

If Komodo has swimming Dragons like the ones I saw on the animal planet channel? You win, most difficult.

I think divers that dive adverse conditions on a regular basis are more comfortable, ergo if you remove the adversity they are under low or no stress. The same is not true reversed.
Eric

[powereng03]

I guess I will give my opinion on this a try. I do think that cold water divers are typically better at handling diverse conditions, but on the other hand, if it was not for cold water dives, I would typically only dive 2-3 dives per year. Experience is what makes you or I better. Take every opportunity to get wet is how any diver gets better. Typically the vacation divers are the ones who only dive a couple of times per year, and don't bother to refresh their skills before going out diving. That is why there is a belief that cold water divers are better. It is because we dive....

I admit, I love diving the tropics. It's nice to be able to drop 30 lbs of lead, and my dry suit. I find the warm water very easy to dive just on the lack of extra equipment alone. I've dove in quite strong currents, and surf and just like diving in cold water. Practice makes it easier. I guess all I can say is DIVE DIVE DIVE... that is how to get better.

[down4fun]

I think that cold water divers think they are better divers.

Just like many people have said cold water diving makes you good at cold water diving it does not necessarily mean that you will do well in other environments.

It seems like cold water divers have this assumption that because you dive in warm water you cant be a serious diver. That we all just don a bc, drop into 60 feet of blue water and flounce around with no purpose. Just because you dive some where warm, like me in Florida, doesn't mean that those blissful conditions are all that we deal with. We have our days of rough seas, we have days with 2-3 knots of current where the only way you are going to get to the wreck is to hot drop to it and drift while doing your deco. We have days of poor viz where your navigation skills are tested.

For our trimix class we did it in the summer which is when the seas are actually worse, the surface temperatures are in the 80's, but redundant lift required that we dive dry. Getting geared up in 88F in a drysuit and 150# of gear in 4-6 foot seas was far from comfortable.

Every environment is different and requires adjustments. Humility is key.

[highdesert]

In one sense this discussion is totally academic, IMHO ...

We dive only warm water, with the exception of occasional trips where we spend time below a thermocline. We are also no strangers to ripping currents. But we have no interest whatsoever in becoming cold-water divers. Is that a negative remark? Absolutely not ... we have great respect for the divers who choose to go that route, and we're cognizant of the challenges of diving in those conditions ... it's just not for us.

If I'm comfortable in my chosen medium, and can come away from each dive having at least incrementally increased that comfort level, if not having also worked on a new skill, I'm happy with that.

[evad]

It seems like cold water divers have this assumption that because you dive in warm water you cant be a serious diver.

What gave you that assumption?

[Akimbo]

I think that cold water divers think they are better divers...

My conclusion is based on observation. I learned to dive in the Central California area, which is pretty mild compared to Alaska and Norway. I moved to San Diego, which is still considered cold water by many people, but is a great deal warmer, averages better vis, and much calmer seas. The difference in skills was striking to me as a young man.

Obviously, I also met some great divers San Diego. There were just a lot more poor and mediocre divers that I had to sort through to find them. I also moved to Norway’s west coast in the early 70s. Those divers, on average, made Central California divers of that era look sloppy and ill-prepared. The difference is the dedication required to survive and thrive in the environment.

It is just human nature. A highly dedicated individual will invest what is required intellectually, physically, financially, and emotionally. More stringent testing, the environment in this case, weeds out less capable candidates.

[down4fun]

It seems like cold water divers have this assumption that because you dive in warm water you cant be a serious diver.

What gave you that assumption?

see below

My conclusion is based on observation. I learned to dive in the Central California area, which is pretty mild compared to Alaska and Norway. I moved to San Diego, which is still considered cold water by many people, but is a great deal warmer, averages better vis, and much calmer seas. The difference in skills was striking to me as a young man.

Obviously, I also met some great divers San Diego. There were just a lot more poor and mediocre divers that I had to sort through to find them. I also moved to Norway’s west coast in the early 70s. Those divers, on average, made Central California divers of that era look sloppy and ill-prepared. The difference is the dedication required to survive and thrive in the environment.

It is just human nature. A highly dedicated individual will invest what is required intellectually, physically, financially, and emotionally. More stringent testing, the environment in this case, weeds out less capable candidates.

[iztok]

A diver who learns to dive in cold water, but has no exposure to surf will still be a complete newbie in surf conditions, regardless of water temperature.

How true! I had several boat dives and quarry dives (probably around close to 100 total) when I came to LA and tried surf entry. Pacific handed my b**t on a platter and rolled me twice while my dive buddies (including several women half my size) had no problems lugging heavy tanks and entering through surf. I wasn't prepared for what was in store for me. I called a dive and waited the rest of the team on the shore while they did a dive. No regrets but I am better prepared and that place is the only one for me on "to do" list of do-overs.

[RonFrank]

There are a lot of things that divers may have to deal with that will make one a better diver.

CA (or west coast) may address the most things at one site. Cold water, low vis, current, kelp (entanglement hazard) and deep profiles make some parts of CA challenging. Shore diving entries and exits also make shore diving the west coast challenging.

I've seen divers completely fall apart in low vis conditions. IMO low vis is one of the most stressful of challenges. In the FL Keys we had 10'- of vis (like a night dive) and 6 out of 8 divers had major issues and had to be retrieved. Fortunately it was a shallow reef dive so 20-30' and 10' is not bad vis but unusual for FL.

If you have not dove a dry suit there is a challenge. It takes a few dives to get the buoyancy down. I've seen divers struggle with buoyancy in a dry suit for a long time, but most figure it out quickly.

All of these factor increase task loading and stress UW. I think its best not to combine things until one has got a handle on each issue separately. So before you deal with current have your drysuit weighting and buoyancy together for example.

Dive safe, have fun...