markfm:
You might want to budget a bit of time, assuming that you'll be switching to a drysuit, to really get comfortable with DS diving. No magic, of course, but practicing the various ways to get out of a feet first ascent is probably good to do.
Personally, I do notice a bit more task loading diving cold -- drysuit is more cumbersome than wet/warm, the effects of the cold itself. Acclimation time -- practice with a buddy, and/or in a pool, plus buddy dives in unfamiliar locales, is probably not such a bad thing.
Safe diving!
I agree with Markfm on this.
There is more task loading on the descent as well as on the re-ascent with a drysuit.
For the descent, my own procedure is this:
Squat and squeeze the air out of the drysuit on deck before I put on my weight belt and tank(s).
Keep the dump valve on the drysuit open all the way during entry and descent.
Enter the water, then vent air from the wing until I can begin to descend slowly, then stop venting.
Put air/argon into the suit to control suit-squeeze during my descent and to slow down.
When near the bottom, put air into my wing to stop my descent completely.
Adjust my dump valve on the suit (normally closing it 1/4 turn).
Then you must maintain neutral buoyancy at all times during the dive, sometimes a combination of both the suit and the wing, depending on your suit squeeze, or need for additional warmth, etc.
For the re-ascent, my own procedure is thus:
Open the dump valve on the drysuit all the way.
Shake my arm to vent excess air from the suit before beginning the ascent.
Begin my ascent by kicking up slowly.
Control my ascent by dumping air from my wing.
Shake my arm to dump air from my suit from time to time.
Neutralize my buoyancy for the 3 min stop.
Surface and then inflate my wing almost completely.
There are thus several steps involved with the drysuit that you do not have with a wetsuit. This you will need to practice.
It also helps to take a drysuit class from an instructor. The store where you buy the suit will often offer this class for free, since you bought the suit there.