Warm to Cold: Tips for making the transition between dive environments?

[Kamala]

Since my certification and entire dive experience was in the warm, clear water of the Florida Keys, I'm seeking advice and tips on making the transition to the Puget Sound dive environment (typically 45-50 degree water and much more limited visibility than the water off Key Largo). My buddy and I are planning on hitting the water off Whidbey Island a few weeks from now.

I'll be diving a wetsuit and I've read several threads with tips about keeping warm during, between, and after dives, so I'm really looking more for thoughts on all the other new environmental aspects with which I'll be dealing, particularly the ones that a soon to be former WWW (warm water weenie) may not have in mind.

For the instructors and generally properly cautious folk of Scubaboard, I'm aware of the limitations of my training and the conditions of not diving beyond that training that are inherent in obtaining a C-card. I will be diving very cautious profiles only at slack tide or in otherwise no current conditions with an experienced Puget Sound diver. Although I have dived in current, I think it best to minimize taskloading while dealing with new conditions and equipment.

Thanks in advance for all your advice!

 

[MaxBottomtime]

http://www.whidbeydive.com/site_keystone.htm
This is one of the easiest shore dives around. Lots of metridiu anemones, lingcod and giant octopus for a very short swim.

 

[kalvyn]

Thanks in advance for all your advice!

I would strongly suggest doing a few dives at someplace like Seacrest (Alki Cove 2) to get your bearings diving cold water before hitting Whidbey Island. That way you can determine what you will need weight and exposure suit-wise in a nice controlled environment.

Send NWGratefulDiver a PM. He's always willing to take out folks and as an instructor he can help you make the transition to real diving (just a JOKE, folks!) that much easier.

Oh, and get a drysuit. It's the only way to go around here.

Jimmie

 

[Rick Inman]

Oh, and get a drysuit. It's the only way to go around here.

Jimmie

Agree with Jimmy (with the hours he has in the Sound, it would be foolish not to.) It would be worth the extra time and money (if you have it) to get the training and rent (borrow??) a dry suit.
Otherwise, 7mm with hooded vest or farmerjohn style and short dives. Also, a jug of warm water you can pour into your suit before & after the dive. Dry towel, hot liquid.
Bring a light, even in the day.
Dive with someone who understands the currents. And, yes, do some easy dives at cove2 or Edmond's Underwater Park first.
You're gonna' LOVE the diving right in your own back yard!

 

[Kamala]

Wedding is coming up and we want to be able to pay for ridiculous things like a honeymoon So the drysuit will just have to wait. One of my buddies has been going with a .5 under the 7 and swears by it. With Dad-in-law living in Key Largo with his own boat, can't hurt to have a .5 hanging in the closet anyway, so I might try it. Not a bad fringe benefit to true love

I think we'll be doing the Langley Tire Reef, which the various reports tell me generally doesn't have much of a current issue. Is that correct?

Thanks for all the advice so far!

 

[OE2X]

I think we'll be doing the Langley Tire Reef, which the various reports tell me generally doesn't have much of a current issue. Is that correct?

Nope it shouldn't. One thing to consider is if it has been raining a lot and the rivers are flooding your vis will be BAD. Right now I wouldn't recommend going there. Wait for a dry period. I think a better dive though is cove 2 . More to see and you can still dive a shallow profile. Current is never an issue.

One thing that is nice about Langley is that the bathrooms have heated floors. Great place to change...

 

[ChrisA]

Wedding is coming up and we want to be able to pay for ridiculous things like a honeymoon So the drysuit will just have to wait. One of my buddies has been going with a .5 under the 7 and swears by it. With Dad-in-law living in Key Largo with his own boat, can't hurt to have a .5 hanging in the closet anyway, so I might try it. Not a bad fringe benefit to true love

I think we'll be doing the Langley Tire Reef, which the various reports tell me generally doesn't have much of a current issue. Is that correct?

Thanks for all the advice so far!

Is that a typo. Did you really mean "zero point five"? "five point zero would be reasonable to put under a 7mm suit but 0.5mm is next to useless. Seriuosly you will want a 7mm at least a 5mm hooded vest under the full 7mm suit. A 5mm hooded shorty would be better,

Bring a thermos of hot ware to dump in the suit. And buy one of those huge knee lenght dive jackets. That is the best thing I've bought

You will be wearing a lot of weight so surf entries may be harder for you as you may have up to 30 pounds, depending on your size and AL vs. steel tank. Also you will really need to watch your bouency. It will be harder as you are not used to suit compression. You will need to put a lot more air in the BC and vent it out too.

You will have to learn how thick of a wetsuit you need. I think anything below 50F is drysuit time although I can stand high 40's if it's only for a few minutes down deep but I have 20+ pounds of insulating "blubber", Thinner and smaller people get cold quicker.

 

[eod]

I suggest you take the first dive to train on mask removal and other skills. It is quite a bit different when using thick gloves and a hood.

 

[scottfiji]

I want to reiterate the ChrisM's point about putting air into the bc, and venting it out. Especially the venting out part. You may not be used to the buoyancy changes, and it can be very dangerous on the way up, causing you to rapidly ascent if you aren't used to venting. Just be aware of it, and be careful during any ascent.

imho, you will need a 7mm wetsuit + at least a 3mm hooded vest underneath, 5mm or shorty underneath would be better. Extra hood on the outside can't hurt either.

Scott

 

[kalvyn]

I think we'll be doing the Langley Tire Reef, which the various reports tell me generally doesn't have much of a current issue. Is that correct?

I think you still have to choose your time wisely on that dive, but I've only dove there a couple times so I'm no expert on that one. OE2X is right about the vis, though. We dove near the Langlely tire reef yesterday and the vis was pretty bad. Wait for a dry spell before hitting that site. Today at Three Tree North we had at least 30' vis, but the entry and exit was a little tricky due to wind-driven waves in the 2-4 foot range.

When I dove wet here, I dove a 7 mil farmer john with a 7 mil hooded jacket over the top of the farmer john. That was a LOT of neoprene, but I was warm. Between the dives is when diving wet really sucks.

Lastly, and this is just my personal opinion, I like Cove 2 or Edmonds Underwater Park better than the tire reef at Langley. That may just be because Langley is a long way to go for me, and I expect more bang for my buck when I've driven a long ways to dive.

Jimmie