Bob DBF
Contributor
And hitting that learning curve will leave a mark on occasion. Knowing when to pass on a dive...priceless.
Bob
Colder Water Isn't Just Colder Water
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And hitting that learning curve will leave a mark on occasion. Knowing when to pass on a dive...priceless.
Bob
dhaines429
Registered
An interesting post and some valuable lessons. Cold water shore diving can present challenges to the unprepared. I have only dove cold water (other than the pool) and have only worn a wetsuit twice just to see what it was like.
I have dove in some pretty nasty surface conditions at a couple of our popular local sites but they are also sites I'm familiar with.
Weighting is one of those things a lot of people don't think about when they change gear but can end a dive before it really starts. I was out with a buddy who was diving a new drysuit with new undergarments and he was underweight when we tried to descend after surface swimming out. He figured weight would be the same as usual. I had to go down and get some rocks for him so we could continue with our planned dive. Lesson there, always weight check with new gear.
I have dove in some pretty nasty surface conditions at a couple of our popular local sites but they are also sites I'm familiar with.
Weighting is one of those things a lot of people don't think about when they change gear but can end a dive before it really starts. I was out with a buddy who was diving a new drysuit with new undergarments and he was underweight when we tried to descend after surface swimming out. He figured weight would be the same as usual. I had to go down and get some rocks for him so we could continue with our planned dive. Lesson there, always weight check with new gear.
11lbs extra was never going to cut it.
A new full body 5mm is 18-20lbs of lift at the surface.
A new full body 7mm is closer to 22-26lbs of lift at the surface.
Depends a bit on wetsuit size... if it's an XXL you might need to add a bit on top of that.
My first cold water dive(41F bottom temp, 46F surface) was in a 7mm semi-dry with a 5mm shortie on top. I had 26lbs of weight on my belt, on top of using a steel high pressure tank that's at least 10lbs heavier than an aluminum CU80.
A new full body 5mm is 18-20lbs of lift at the surface.
A new full body 7mm is closer to 22-26lbs of lift at the surface.
Depends a bit on wetsuit size... if it's an XXL you might need to add a bit on top of that.
My first cold water dive(41F bottom temp, 46F surface) was in a 7mm semi-dry with a 5mm shortie on top. I had 26lbs of weight on my belt, on top of using a steel high pressure tank that's at least 10lbs heavier than an aluminum CU80.
HalcyonDaze
Contributor
Like the OP, I started out in FL, so I can relate to the cold water adjustment - first doing a semester in South Australia and then relocating to Southern California (after that I put in time in Puget Sound, which was enough to convince me I belonged in the tropics). Beach entries and exits were also a new wrinkle.
In Southern California I wore a 7-mm suit with a built-in 5-mm vest and hood. With an AL80 I used 16 lbs on the belt plus my 6-lb steel backplate; when using an HP100 I cut that to 8 lbs on the belt. Then again, I'm one of those people who can't do a dead man's float - everything south of the ribcage sinks. In FL with a 4:3 suit I typically don't even bother with a weight belt (still have the backplate; if I'm diving with my old LP120 water heaters I upgrade to a 40-lb wing to give myself some reserve buoyancy).
I don't recall having many issues on my beach dives in SA, but my first one in CA - Shaw's Cove - ended amusingly. I was wading out of the surf with my fins in hand and unfortunately, my reg was not in my mouth. The pull on my legs was my first hint that things were going to go sour and then I got knocked to my hands and knees and forced under. Stayed calm, held my breath, and then once the water receded I made sure to pop my reg back in while I trudged up and down the surf zone looking for my fins. Probably had a few other times where I got knocked arse-over-teakettle in the surf, but at least then I remembered to keep my reg in.
Probably the biggest issue I ever had with cold-water diving was having a mask flood. The first time I really had my mask severely flood with 58 F water, I tried to breathe normally and couldn't - at the time I thought my regulator had crapped out. Turns out getting cold water on my face was enough to make my breathing reflex shut down; I had to consciously command myself to take a breath. When I did skills checks in Puget Sound, mask-clearing was challenging for that reason.
In Southern California I wore a 7-mm suit with a built-in 5-mm vest and hood. With an AL80 I used 16 lbs on the belt plus my 6-lb steel backplate; when using an HP100 I cut that to 8 lbs on the belt. Then again, I'm one of those people who can't do a dead man's float - everything south of the ribcage sinks. In FL with a 4:3 suit I typically don't even bother with a weight belt (still have the backplate; if I'm diving with my old LP120 water heaters I upgrade to a 40-lb wing to give myself some reserve buoyancy).
I don't recall having many issues on my beach dives in SA, but my first one in CA - Shaw's Cove - ended amusingly. I was wading out of the surf with my fins in hand and unfortunately, my reg was not in my mouth. The pull on my legs was my first hint that things were going to go sour and then I got knocked to my hands and knees and forced under. Stayed calm, held my breath, and then once the water receded I made sure to pop my reg back in while I trudged up and down the surf zone looking for my fins. Probably had a few other times where I got knocked arse-over-teakettle in the surf, but at least then I remembered to keep my reg in.
Probably the biggest issue I ever had with cold-water diving was having a mask flood. The first time I really had my mask severely flood with 58 F water, I tried to breathe normally and couldn't - at the time I thought my regulator had crapped out. Turns out getting cold water on my face was enough to make my breathing reflex shut down; I had to consciously command myself to take a breath. When I did skills checks in Puget Sound, mask-clearing was challenging for that reason.
EireDiver606
Contributor
Wingy
Contributor
Like Bob I also am not above admitting having crawled on my hands and knees out over sharp rocks in Vanuatu on one of the less dived Islands. I know Vanuatu is "tropical" but I had the only 5mm in the country it seemed and everyone I dived with said how freezing they were in winter in 3mms. Also crawled and ended up flopping around swearing at tulumben.
And people ask me why I dislike shore diving
And people ask me why I dislike shore diving
Here in SoCal we often begin with the formula 10% of body weight plus 7 lbs for our lead. I generally dive with more weight than that guideline so I can remain more stable when filming.
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