Dangers of diving in cold water?

[Rick Inman]

One more factor.
Wetsuit diver diving with drysuit divers. The tendency is to try and hang with the group even past the point of cold.
When everyone is wet the tendency is to thumb the dive sooner before the cold is as deep.

Remember, if doing multiple dives to rewarm between dives.
You are not fully rewarmed until you are SWEATING.

Diving cold water can be done fine wet but it is best if the whole team is wet and plan SHORT dives with lots of rewarming time.

Didn't realize I was reading an old thread when I ran across this post - which really weirded me out, and then saddened me. RIP Pipedope...

 

[sohel001]

Winter freedivers in Vancouver waters enjoy increased visibility, breath-taking scenery (no pun intended) and empty beaches. The water temperatures around Vancouver vary from 6-9 degrees Celsius on the surface and 4-6 degrees Celsius at depth. Lakes are usually 4-6 degrees Celsius on the surface and 4 degrees Celsius at depth. The air temperature falls in the 0-10 degrees Celsius range with the occasional sub-zero day. Conditions are often calm and sunny.

If you're thinking of winter freediving, it is best to have a plan in mind. Think about all the ways you can minimize your exposure to cold water and cold air. Some tips include the following:

Pre-Dive
Minor Repairs: Reinforce seams, fix small holes and tears in your suit. A small trickle of fresh, cold water is often the difference between a 45-minute dive and a two hour dive.

Dry Your Suit!: Take the time to completely dry out your suit, gloves and socks before your next dive. Avoiding a chill before you get in the water is crucial.

Warmth: Create a checklist and fill it the night before:

 

[mpgunner]

I don't mind the cold water diving in a wetsuit but it is the time between dives that kills me. I've got a drysuit now but I miss the wetsuit diving.

 

[Thalassamania]

Off the top of my head, some of the symptoms of hypothermia are confusion, shivering, numbness, clumsiness, and impaired judgement.

I'm not a doctor, but I have heard of people walking out of freezing water and onto a warm boat, seemingly safe and alive. The unforturtunate thing is that they all died as soon as they were warmed up because the cold blood from their limbs flowed into their core.

Cold water is nothing to sneeze at.

It's called paradoxical cooling and I know of no such cases as you have described it. It is the reason that you do not immerse the limbs of a victim of severe hypothermia (way past shivering) in hot water when attempting to rewarm the victim.

BTW: Many have dove wetsuits in water as could as -2 C without ill effects.