Abhorrent cold!!!

[northernone]

Broke a personal rule of diving last week. I was chilled on a dive.

I decided I'd never be cold during a dive again after my early years flirting with the stages of hypothermia in pursuit of photography. The risks are too great.

The last 1200 or so dives I haven't been cold on a dive.

Adequate thermal protection (haven't had a catastrophic drysuit flood yet with deco obligations) can make most dive conditions comfortable. (No heated vest yet either). In the Caribbean I'm in a 5mm and almost always a hood.

Just a post reminding people there's very few advantages to being cold while diving.

Getting chilled on a dive doesn't need to be the normal experience.

Anyone else committed to avoiding freezing during a dive? What brought this resolution?

Perhaps a 'near miss' flavor to this post would be suitable.

- Cameron

 

[TMHeimer]

I see where you're from. Do you dive locally in James Bay? I've been around there (Moosonee) and have swam in Hudson Bay end of Sept. with snow on the beach (Churchill, MB). If you dive in the Bay, what do you see? I have no interest in sub-arctic diving, though winter here in NS can be cold, limiting me to one dive in a day in my 7 mil farmer john. If I do things right I can avoid freezing.

 

[northernone]

I see where you're from. Do you dive locally in James Bay? I've been around there (Moosonee) and have swam in Hudson Bay end of Sept. with snow on the beach (Churchill, MB). If you dive in the Bay, what do you see? I have no interest in sub-arctic diving, though winter here in NS can be cold, limiting me to one dive in a day in my 7 mil farmer john. If I do things right I can avoid freezing.

I sure do, I'm across from Moosonee on the Quebec side, Waskaganish (Rupert house or Fort Rupert) Once we're far enough out in the bay to hit salt water it's clear and with the arctic flavored sea life, jelly fish suprised me, bright coloured eels and the various sponges. Fascinating and the region hasn't been documented yet carefully. Most of my local diving is the muddy rivers though as I don't have a boat or dependable captain to dive with yet.

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In a wetsuit I need to tape the joints and prime it with warm water. If you have the urge to return to the north I'd have you're welcome to.

 

[lowviz]

...//... Adequate thermal protection (haven't had a catastrophic drysuit flood yet with deco obligations) can make most dive conditions comfortable. ...//...

Anyone else committed to avoiding freezing during a dive? ...

Yes, I do now.

I remember one episode in particular. I was extremely uncomfortable. I tend to skip meals and it caught up with me.

 

[Bogtrotter]

That sounds incredibly cold. I would be fascinated to see some photos of the sealife in the bay- do you have any posted online?

 

[Stoo]

Many years ago, when I first went "dry" a dude I dove with "dissed" my decision to abandon my wetsuit. Some crap about "being one with environment"... he stopped diving 30 years ago.

Being cold is stupid. It isn't always avoidable, but for the vast majority of divers, there's simply no excuse. Mrs. Stoo, all 97 pounds of her, is a perfect example of someone who has it worked out... Down south, she's in a 5mm Henderson, almost always with a hood, and frequently in a 3mm hooded vest. Up north, she's in 400gsm and an underlayer and stays toasty.

Ya, cold sucks.

 

[Imla]

I am too old to be cold. Cold is never fun... I like fun!
So... A good drysuit, proper hood and gloves, a nice heated vest, proper undergarments...
Hours and hours of fun... even in 4c northern Norwegian caves, or decodives on our beautiful west coast.

 

[Akimbo]

I started as an skinny 11 year old kid diving the Monterey Peninsula in 1962. Blue lips and shivering was a way of life until 1970 when the Navy sent me to Dick Long's Diving Unlimited dive shop in La Mesa California for a custom wetsuit. That is also when I saw my first hot water heated wetsuit. Dick didn't invent hot water suits but he made them work really well. He also made the best wetsuits I have ever seen.

Divers credit the inventors of different breathing apparatus all the time but neglect to recognize the real enablers in the industry, developers of thermal protection.

 

[sunnyboy]

When I first certified, I was larger and younger than I am now. I could get a full suit flood in a mountain/glacier fed lake and not feel cold until I took off the drysuit.

Now, I'm cold in my house in winter with the heat on, and wear socks to bed on the cold nights. I have some pretty good dive undergarments, dry gloves and a thick hood, but I can still get cold on longer dives. I bought a heated vest a few years ago and it helps, but the hands can still get pretty cold on a dive in winter. Brrrr!

So no, I don't like being cold on a dive either.

 

[Compressor]

Cameron (Northernone): What suit and equipment do you use?
I looked up your location. Very remote. Sorry for my ignorance but what are the logistics of diving in such an area interms of supply of scuba equipment. Of course you don't have to share this info.

Thank you.