extended time in cold water?

[j yaeger]

it's all what you're geared for and what you need to accomplish...
or what you do for fun
we just got out double dipping at 50*@ 85' for 40 min
old dude in a 7mm semi dry was fine
young buck in dry was cold
it's all relative
i call it quits when i can't pee enough in my wet suit or.....
gotta go so bad i cant stand it in my dry suit!!!!
have fun
yaeg

 

[TMHeimer]

At 50f or higher I do my normal dive max time of 40 mins. in the 7 mil farmer john--due to a need to pee (no, haven't peed the suit yet). This is my dive time if it's as warm as about 60 as well, same reason. Above 60 I only use the 7 mil top, and above about 63 a shortie--both of which permit inwater peeing. Below 50 my dives tend to be shorter (30 mins.?) and below 40 20 mins. or less. As pointed out, with a wetsuit you start considering one dive only because of the SI and colder air temps.

 

[ajtoady]

I think I'm the old dude Yaeg was referring to!!! I usually wear a 7mm semi dry with hooded vest, 3mm socks, 6mm boots, 7mm hood, and 7mm gloves in fresh water at anywhere between 33-55* F. Typical dives are about 60-80' deep and I am comfortable for about 45 minutes. I will upon occasion load the wetsuit with warm water. The worst part is changing into dry clothes and the air temp is 9* F above zero. I am thinking about a drysuit investment because as I found out when I do start getting cold I tend to really suck down the air. Am I going to stop until I do get a wetsuit? HELL NO!!! The fall and winter vis in the St Lawrence is way to good.

 

[bwade]

All my dives are between 32F and 39F. With the proper gear the cold water is a non-issue, even hanging on a line for Deco is boring but not cold.

 

[Bob DBF]

Has anyone spent extended periods of time in cold water (say, 10C/50F)? How long? What is it like? Thanks.

Three dives in a 7mm farmer john, but I move around in the water and tolerate the cold OK. The SI can be bad if you are in the wind and/or it is cold and/or there is no sun out. Hot beverages are good, you can drink them or pour them in the wetsuit.

Watch out for hypothermia, it is not your friend, when in doubt get out. I have seen a few people stop functioning due to the cold and they had no idea what was happening. If they were not led out of the water they would still be there.


Bob
-----------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[soltari675]

I dive in springs, quarries, and lakes here in the mid-west. It's always cold. Up until this month, I did it in my 5mm, hood and gloves. I managed down to 42 for about 45 minutes or so. My dive buddies all call me a polar bear. I can do a couple dives like that, and by the third I am getting pretty cold. Dove up at Lake Michigan like that. Now though, I have my new dry suit. Much more comfortable

 

[shoredivr]

After 60 minutes or so in 36f water on a winter dive, my lips are numb.

Drysuit all the way.

 

[DivemasterDennis]

About 11 years ago I and a buddy went to a local reservoir for the "last dive" of the season. We were never deeper than 30 feet, viz was about 30 inches, and the idea was to see how much time we could get on a single 80 cu.ft. tank. Water temperature at the surface was 58F and at 30 feet, 55F. I wore a 6.5 mil semi dry, with 3 mil hood and 5 mil boots and gloves. He wore a dry suit and other gear the same as mine. After 87 minutes on the first dive my buddy had a regulator issue, so we surfaced and he switched to another reg he had brought. He said we needed to begin again, I was younger and had nothing else to do, so we switched to new tanks and went for a second dive. We lasted 77 minutes, according to my log, and despite having air to stay much longer, we ended the dive, because we were cold, each of us. Just though I give you that data for your survey.
DivemasterDennis

 

[ChrisMk]

Thanks very much for all replies. Answered my question definitely.

 

[j yaeger]

sooo......
you're getting a new 7mm????for christmas?????
the water is always open at prescott, but....
it's freakin' cold getting out!!!!!
my computer once gave me a 30* at 5o' there!!!!
...and shortly after,my buddy's stuff free flowed........
have fun!!!!
yaeg