Cold water diving is a PITA

[billt4sf]

You guys have access to several sites where the entries are pretty easy a lot of the time. It isn't rocket science to navigate a simple dive out along the Breakwater and back, or to swim out to the sand channel at Lobos and back. Both places are such that, if you got totally turned around, you could surface and swim in -- that's like our Cove 2. Go spread your wings and give it a try!

Thanks for your encouragement, Lynn. We actually have four tickets to Pt. Lobos this weekend -- two more than we need. Maybe some kind person will offer to help us a little bit, in exchange for a free entry to Lobos on Saturday. Any takers out there?

- Bill

 

[TSandM]

Be sure to look at the very good map information that BAUE has for Pt. Lobos!

You don't have to go very far at Lobos to find great stuff to look at, although the viz tends to get better if you get a little further from the boat ramp.

 

[Groundhog246]

I definitely lean to the wrist seal with rings for gloves. As someone else said, post a photo of the rings and maybe someone can help. According to this thread, you CAN use Si-tech (and probably other) ring systems with DUI Zip seals http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/dui/300363-dui-zipseals-compatible-si-tech-rings.html

 

[Ouvea]

Thanks for your encouragement, Lynn. We actually have four tickets to Pt. Lobos this weekend -- two more than we need. Maybe some kind person will offer to help us a little bit, in exchange for a free entry to Lobos on Saturday. Any takers out there?

- Bill

Wish I could assist you guys, but I plan on heading a little further south to Soberanes Point, if conditions allow. Point Lobos is a great place. Please do me a favor and be extremely careful on the boat ramp. The green algae that grows on its surface is extremely slippery. Use the boulders that straddle the boat ramp for balance and walk slowly. Be sure of your footing before you take your next step. The ramp drops into about 10-15 feet of water, so make sure to have some air in your BCD.

Also, since we are now in the summer season, you will find that the kelp forest will most likely cover the majority of Whaler's Cove. Manage your gas supply wisely, to avoid a nasty surface swim through the kelp forest. As TSandM recommended, visit the BAUE web site. It has superb detail on the may points of interest.

Looking forward to reading your favorable dive report!!

 

[Wolfie]

Reading all these drysuit issues make me want to just stick to wearing a wetsuit. Seems much more carefree.

That's like saying you like ms dos because you've used it since 1986. May be carefree but its cold and wet.

---------- Post added June 12th, 2013 at 01:23 AM ----------

Quite often the neck seal leaks because of seating issues. Not folded the right way, look in the wrong direction etc. if you really need to replace I suggest the zip seal for quick replacement.
for gloves, you may have sitech or other ring systems. My last dry suit I used wet gloves. Now I have zip seal blue smurf gloves. It's nice to have dry hands yet they are easy to puncture, expensive to replace, difficult with donning and doffing. Hard to set. I'm really wishing now I had a ring systems.

---------- Post added June 12th, 2013 at 01:30 AM ----------

Just my thoughts

---------- Post added June 12th, 2013 at 01:49 AM ----------

Just babbling on, took three dive for someone to seat my neck properly because its impossible to do yourself. Then tore a hole in my smurf glove while buckling my weight belt. Yup, still want a ring system. Then I could suit up seal my neck. Put my electronics on, tighten my weight belt, then,,,,,, put my gloves on. With the zip gloves I am depending on my buddy to finish dressing me after my hands go in the sleeves. And having buddy help me until the sleeves come off. Btw not many buddies will pull you're neck seal off and as stated before, you can't take your hands out till the neck seal comes off and pulling the neck seal with smurf gloves is nearly tearing and hoping you didn't rip it.

---------- Post added June 12th, 2013 at 01:53 AM ----------

But when your diving cold waters. Dry is still much better. I love getting out and not needing a shower or a towel.

 

[Vegan Shark]

That's like saying you like ms dos because you've used it since 1986. May be carefree but its cold and wet.

Haven't gotten to experience the joys of drysuit diving yet, but I'm sure once you go dry you don't go back. What about exposed face/head getting cold in a drysuit? In a farmer john set up the only time I'm a little uncomfortable is the icecream-style brain freeze I get when I first descend. Does a drysuit setup eliminate that?

 

[ScubaSteve]

Haven't gotten to experience the joys of drysuit diving yet, but I'm sure once you go dry you don't go back. What about exposed face/head getting cold in a drysuit? In a farmer john set up the only time I'm a little uncomfortable is the icecream-style brain freeze I get when I first descend. Does a drysuit setup eliminate that?

I wear an awesome Pinnacle merino lined hood and it does a fabulous job of keeping my big noggin "warm". Yes my face still gets cold but my last dive was 3 weeks ago in 39° water for 55 minutes and I found my core was chilled at the end, not my head/face. This indicates I need to look at a change in my undergarments but not my hood.

I had 300 or so dives in a wetsuit before I bought my drysuit and I loved every single one. The drysuit however, extends my season and makes the dives that used to be wet and cold, dry and comfortable (or chilled at worst). I would have no problem diving a wetsuit here at home in the summer months but I prefer to keep consistent with my set-up so my simple brain does not have to think about which rig I have on all the time.

 

[fisheater]

Otter Bay hood = underwater warmth.

 

[Groundhog246]

I dive dry when conditions warrant, wet when it's warm enough. Dry gloves with rings, still have wrist seals if I flood a glove (only once so far). My selection runs a 3/2 mm full body wetsuit, a 7 mm full body wetsuit, a 7 mm vest with hood, a USIA shell drysuit with 2 different weight undies. I have dry gloves, an assortment of wet gloves, different weight hoods. All in, my favourite is warmish waters in 3/2 suit and light cap type hood (I almost never dive bare headed). I also have 2 different back inflate BCDs. A Sherwood outback for colder diving and a lightweight Aqualung for warm water. The constants are my mask, fins and reg.

 

[eelnoraa]

Otter Bay hood = underwater warmth.

No kidding, I used to think it is just hype, but one dive later I am a believer. You can literately feel the sweat on your forhead in a warmer day in Monterey.