I need salt water advice

[sparky30]

I'm going on a dive cruise in a few days and I was wondering of some freshwater divers could give me some salt water advice..
I've only got two salty dives so far (Both were in B.C.)..
Apart from the obvious about not trying to swallow salt water (persoinally I think it tastes disgusting), does anybody have any other advice?
I know I can do mask removals in salt water (been there, done that)..
Any other advice... How about any keeping your gear clean?
Just wondering.. I like to be prepared.. must be the boyscout in me.

[Tractor Tom]

...in fresh water after you get back from diving and hang it up to dry.

I was Ocean diving during our cruise ship vacation in January and was careful to rinse everything out well in fresh water before putting it away.

I do still have some salt stains on my new dive bag, but think that makes it look well used and sexy....

Remeber that salt water is more dense than fresh water, so you'll need a couple pounds of extra weight to be neutral. Other than that, ENJOY.

Who are you diving with, and where? I wish I was going, with it being 10 degrees here in Saginaw and all....

[wetman]

I did some diving in north carolina in july last year, then did cozumel in december so i've only got about 20ish saltwater dives altogether.

The one thing i noticed - in NC the salt water noticably bugged me more than cozumel. By mid week in coz, i didn't even notice it that much - so i think you get used to it fairly quickly.

steve

[SneakyB'tard]

Speaking of Salt Water, I am going to Puerto Plata --Bahia Principe in 2 weeks, any suggestions for diving or operators?

[cudachaser]

Dive equipment is pretty tolerant to salt water. My gear plus 4 student units have rarely seen fresh water...my oldest units are approaching 5 years old and see about 50 to 100 dives a year. With minor maintanence they have all performed almost flawlessly. Repairs I have seen are more generic than those caused by salt water degradation.

If I'm doing multiday dives...I don't bother rinsing until I've returned from the trip as long as the equipment stays damp. When the equipment dries you get salt crystallization which can create problems.

For rinsing...I just throw everything in a tub of freshwater and hang it up to dry.

My opinion, the worst thing for equipment is exposure to UV and to a lesser extent...pool chlorine.

Joe

[sparky30]

Thanks for all the info... Now all I have to figure out is how to keep my stuff damp on a Blackbeard's trip.. I guess I'll just improvise..We are leaving opn the 22nd.. Woohoo.. Only 14 more sleeps until I fly to Miami..
I wonder how much extra weight I'll need.. I'm a pretty big guy and with a drysuit and an Aluminum 80 I used 40lbs on the West Coast.. And towards the end of the dive I was still a bit light.. Could have used an extra 5 pounds.. My TransPac holds 30 pounds, so I'll have to wear a belt.. (I hate weight belts)...Hopefully they have enough lead on board.. LOL

[Butch103]

I have about the same number of sleeps before my wife and I head south to Barbados...........woooooooohooooooo!!!!!!!!

But I have a question for you.......do you need a drysuit where you are going??.......I would think a lighter suit ergo less weight.......I am just taking a core warmer..therefore 12=14 lbs max for me......and I am also big.....about 280 lbs.......

[sparky30]

Actually I am only taking a 5mm suit.. The Drysuit got used when I was diving in BC later last year...
I tend to run a little hot anyway, so 5mm is plenty.. I also just ordered myself a 3mm suit for pool sessions and nice summer quarry dives.. I'll take that as well.. I heard the water temp is 72 degrees right now.. That's warm enough for me..

[Butch103]

I thought boy i hope you are filling that drysuit with ice cubes before your dive ;) :D ......I am just takeing my core warmer, with my diveskin.....I am thinking of just wearing my diveskin for the first couple dives and then adding the core warmer as I become accostomed to the water temp.....My last dive was in 43F....will be quite a shock to hit 70+F.......:eek:

[cudachaser]

Check this site out:

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/imag388.html

[ABQdiver]

cudachaser once bubbled...
Check this site out:

http://www.weatherimages.org/data/imag388.html
That's a Awesome site. Tons of information.

Thanks for posting it.

[divedude]

sparky30 once bubbled...
I wonder how much extra weight I'll need.. I'm a pretty big guy and with a drysuit and an Aluminum 80 I used 40lbs on the West Coast.. And towards the end of the dive I was still a bit light.. Could have used an extra 5 pounds.. My TransPac holds 30 pounds, so I'll have to wear a belt.. (I hate weight belts)...Hopefully they have enough lead on board.. LOL
Sparky!!!! Your just a little guy!
I just use a 3m down south and keep the same weight. I take about half the gear south with me as I use up here. Don't take your dry suit. Most of the time I dive in shorts and a T-shirt. Its not like any of the diving we do up here. Hope you have a great time.