Few tips for some new divers in cold water please =)

[elliptikal]

Hello everyone!

My girlfriend and I got certified in the Caribbean in May and are excited to continue on with some diving now that we are back home in Vancouver, BC.

I have a few questions please. We are new to the cold water climate and want to do a shore dive or two this weekend. I'm very familiar with the area but not so much with the region underwater. I have purchased a local dive guide for the sunshine coast and
plan on doin some beginner or "easy" dives without an instructor or divemaster. We only plan to dive to 35-40 feet max (if that) to stay within our limits and really get a feel for wearing a 7mm suit and heavy gloves and such. Pretty much we just want to go out there learn more about boyancy control with a heavy wetsuit and have some fun.

We also plan on doin a dive at one of the lakes close to our cabin by Garden Bay. It's my first time in a lake and I think it will be fun since there are no motor boats allowed in there. I imagine I need to be careful around logs and other obstructions and stay off the bottom incase of stirring up too much sediment. Mainly we just want to get out there and dive since we both have full gear.

I was just looking for some tips from any seasoned divers who have useful information to pass on or things to look out for. I've already taken in to consideration the fresh to salt water boyancy differences and weighting we will be doing our boyancy tests with.
I have also purchased a float and reel this weekend to warn people using boats and such on our ocean dive. Another thing is we haven't done a shore dive or used a float and reel before..all the dives we have completed have been on a diveboat with an anchored line. We are both very comfortable in the water and are constantly refreshing our knowledge to keep sharp.

Any information would be most appreciated. Sorry about the note form at times, I'm at work slacking off hehe. Thank you kindly in advance! If you made it through this whole little post I thank you as well =)

 

[abitton]

Although I'm really not a seasoned diver by any standard, I've only dived cold water (hey, that's what we get for living in Canada instead of Belize)...

I think you have the right approach by going at it slowly. A caveat I may add is to make sure you get someone to show you how to use the reel and float, if you've never used them before. It's not that difficult, but can get a bit tricky depending on the environment and the current.

Perhaps a good idea would be to hook up with some more experienced divers and follow them for a while? Maybe your LDS has outings that you can join..

Congratulations on your certification!!! And don't let anyone tell you that cold water diving is inferior!!

Good luck!

Alex

 

[wcl]

Hi,

Very cool that you want to dive more! My wife and I are not yet what I would call seasoned, but we are continuing to grow by divng more and more ... just got our new drysuits to keep it up for a longer season hereabouts.

You are correct to take it slow. I would add this advice: With the new environmental challenges (cold water, potentially numb lips and fingers, lower vis) and new equipment (gloves reducing dexterity, hood, and more exposure protection affecting range of motion, ...), do a first dive where you simply review and practice (in the new situation) the basics (reg recovery, octo drill for yourself anf buddy, mask clearing and replacement, ...).

Could be all that will be trivial for you, but it may be that one or another skill will be altered enough in the new environment to surprise you and need some adjustment or practice ... and you definitely don't want to find that out under fire.

Good diving to you!

Cheers,
Walter

 

[scubatwinned]

Hello fellow Canadian divers!! I have not dove the main land coast but have dove Van. Island north to south. some amazing dives in your backyard.
Using the guide, find dives with little or no current to get used to the float. Go slow with letting the line out so not to tangle yourself.
The water temp changes about 9 degress between winter and summer if I remember correctly in winter a steady 64F, take a cooler with hot water in it to put the wet suites in between dives. Or just pour a little at a time in the suite while on and leave the gloves and hood in the hot water between dives.
Take a compass bearing before you enter the water, you want to know which way is home.
Fishing line can be a problem, if its been there awhile there will be sediment or algea on it but keep an eye out for that sort of thing in the lake.
Boats make alot of noise when you under water so you will know when one is near.
Have a blast!!

 

[elliptikal]

Everyone, thank you very much.

I totally agree with practicing our skills again in the colder climate. I actually enjoy doing the skills for it's never trivial to me..thanks for the advice!

Also, thanks for the tips about the float and reel and about the hot water in the thermos. I'll be sure to get a good briefing before we go and stick to the lake or a bay which has a very low/no current. I'll be sure to check my tide guide as well.

If anyone has anything else to add...please feel free. I'm all ears when it comes to scuba advice =)

 

[Mike Nebel]

I agree that getting someone experienced to go out for a dive or two is a good idea. If you don't want to pay a Divemaster, hang out at your LDS and get to know some divers. Be sure to check the tide tables and understand the currents where you dive. Everywhere from Port Hardy to Puget Sound can have days with currents you can't swim against. Ask your LDS about protected sites where the current is minimal. Spend a few minutes getting your weight right, and stay shallow until you are comfortable with the extra gear.

 

[DiverDebbie]

hi there,
Sounds like you've got a pretty good plan for the transition to cold water diving, and you're getting some good tips already, but seeing as how no one from Vancouver has replied yet, I thought I'd welcome you to our local dive world
I assume you already have an LDS you deal with? (if not, let me know and I can recommend you to mine If you contact them you can probably find some other divers willing to show you around, but if you do want to venture out on your own, a couple of very popular sites that are also good starting points, are Whytecliff and Porteau Cove. Both are used by the LDS around here for open water classes. If you start out in the bay at Whytecliff, along either side, you can keep your depth shallow and still see some life. The viz. varies day to day, but generally if you get down a bit, below the thermocline and plankton bloom it tends to improve (and get away from all the students! lol) Porteau is another popular site, as it's a marine park set up for divers with a few smaller wrecks, a tire reef, "jungle gym" and such. The depths are shallow enough everywhere but the Nakaya for starter dives. Just watch your tides and weather conditions when you go. The currents can run pretty strong there, and can make for a tiring swim back in. There are other sites, some more advanced, so wait with those until you're more comfortable in the cold water.
If you have more questions... feel free to ask... and do jump into the Western Canada section for more local posts. Have fun!

 

[spectrum]

We just got certified here in Maine as the mercury was climbing into the 90s for a near record setting day. Be carefull in the sun and heat with your 7mm sut etc. Get everything as staged as you can because you won't want to be dubbing around all zipped up in the sun. Have some cool water on hand to pour in or on the suit to cool you and set up some evaporated cooling.

Prep your gear together and then keep in sync as you suit up. Don your gear and get into the water. Just getting in thigh deep can do a lot to dump excess heat. Sometimes we will wait that long (same routine when we are skin-diving) to don gloves and pull hoods over. This of course assumes a tranquil dive site.

Think it through and minimize the heat exposure if it's that sort of day.

The warm water in the booties and suit is a great jumpstart in cooler times but I've stopped doing it till fall. Remember that with a shore dive you may be easilly 5-10 degrees F warmer at the entry point than published surface temps. A short surface swim to diveable depths is usually enough time to let your suit get wet and for you to warm the wetness.

Have a great time.

Pete

 

[elliptikal]

Awesome help guys. I do deal with a LDS of course an plan on doing a bunch of dives with them. We did our first 5 modules here in BC then redid them in the caribbean..I plan on running throuh most of them in shallow depths this weekend again.

There's quite a few bays around our cabin with minimal current and sheltered from the winds.... that's about the only place we might try. If the conditions don't look ideal...we'll aboard the dive and try another time.

Thanks for the tips everyone =) We really appreciate it!

 

[ktrjc]

Once suited up in the 7 MM wetsuit you may want to jump in the water to cool yourself off, then get the rest of your equipment on. We had to do that this weekend in Ohio, made the suiting up bearable.

You also may want to let a family member or close friend know where you are going for your dive. Call them before and after just to let them know you are OK. Good luck and enjoy your dives.