First cold water dives

[KDAD]

Glad to hear your mask issues are getting better. Maybe stop smiling so much under water and the mask will leak less

 

[Marie13]

Marie13,

Many divers, including myself, will get colder faster without a base wicking layer. The base layer doesn't have to be expensive, and it can be quite thin. (I prefer really thin, actually.) Gotta get the moisture away from your skin!

Forty-eight degrees F is not that cold for a drysuit diver. Are you sure your hood fits well? Also, you'll be warmer if you put more air in your drysuit (so that your underwear fluffs). Some underwear (e.g., Thinsulate) is less likely to compress and, so, keeps you warmer. And if your socks make your boots fit too tight, your feet will get cold (since circulation will be impeded), and, so, you will feel cold. Similar with gloves or liners that fit your hands too tightly.

And if you get cold, you'll lose strength. Your not having energy left in your legs to kick suggests to me that you let yourself get too cold. (Or maybe you were simply worn out from two days of diving, and not sleeping well.)

FWIW.

Safe Diving

rx7diver

Yes, my hood fits well. I considered these to be "shakedown dives" to test diving in cold(er) water, how I was with my undies, etc. I consider it all experimentation.

 

[_Ralph]

Nice work!

I remember my first cold water dives .... 8C (so very similar) first time in a drysuit and a patient (but relentless) instructor .... I think I went through 3-4 80's to her 1 on the first day ....

And I found it freezing cold! Now I laugh at buddies who complain that 8C/high 40s is cold as most of my diving is around 2-4C (40F).

You'll figure out what works for undergarments, what constricts, what lofts, how much squeeze, etc.

Do get a base layer, such as merino wool (not as scratchy or itchy as you may think) or sports layers (ie Under Armour) are great if you don't use them already.

_R

 

[Marie13]

I've got some thin polypro to try. I don't do wool. Period. It itches, regardless of the type. I've tried merino, Smart Wool, etc. Itch, itch, itch.

 

[Jack Hammer]

Forgot to mention on the bouyancy thing... make sure your hood is vented and there isn't air trapped in it. It can get there pretty easy from exhaling through you mask, even on a well fitting hood. I've has a few sizable bubbles in mine before. It shouldn't make a dramatic difference but it can be more lift than one might expect.

Oh, and hope you had some great dives!

 

[guruboy]

Didn't see anyone mention this yet- Part of your buoyancy issues might have been due to your breathing. You mentioned being both nervous and cold.

 

[diver0008]

Maybe it's just me, but I have never heard of anyone practicing to dive so much and having actually dove so little.

Once the OW is attained, I think you just need to get out into the OW and experience.

All this discusion about buying tanks and ponys, etc. when the only dives have been in pools and quarries just seems so inverted to me.

Perhaps someone can help me to understand.

I am curious why you ended up underweighted and having to hang onto a DM in order to conduct a dive? I don't want to sound critical or negative. You have spent all this time going over this stuff on this forum, attempting to fine tune and tweek all aspects of your configuration, asking for constructive criticism, engaged in several pool dives and then when you finally get in open water, you are inadequately equipped?

Obviously the OP is intelligent and diligent and seems to be somewhat meticulous about trying to get things right, but ended up with a fail. Not to make a big deal about it, it is a learning situation, but it is still a messed up dive and made the diver dependent on another, which is something to be avoided in openwater.

Again not being negative here. If it were me, with a ton of experience and no real knowledge of how much lead I would need with a new dry suit and undergarments, I would have had a ton of lead at my disposal and been prepared to drop lead off on shore.. especially if I was diving in a quarry which would make the logistics of this simple - as compared to jumping off a boat and having to come back to the boat to fine tune things. But I would have had MORE than enough lead.

I wonder if the reason for the modest underweighting was that the OP has heard over and over on here that a "good diver" does not need a lot of lead? Is it because we constantly hear about people bragging about how much lead they shed as they progressed? Did she try to fine tune and optimize her ballast because she was influenced by so much of the discussion on this topic on this forum?

She would have been much safer and better served if she wore 8 lbs too much lead, reports back that she had a little trouble with the bubble in her BC - that she was not satisfied with her trim - and next dive she will drop 4 lbs and see how it goes. To me, that would have been a much safer and more desirable outcome, but it runs 180 degrees to so much of the advice and discussion I read on this forum.

So am I am curious, was she influenced by this optimization (and minimization) of lead (theme) which caused her to end up having to hold hands to do the dive?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Everyone is different. I bet if she lived where I do and had shore dives in 80 degree water, where you walk 150 ft from your car and can expect 15 to 45 ft of visibility, and can dive for free, I doubt she would be in a pool. She is having fun and practicing and seeking advice. ... She will probably advance quickly.

It is a recreational activiy and that encompasses a wide variety of choices, not for me or you to criticize.

 

[AlexL]

Perhaps someone can help me to understand.

for some, diving is second to location/environment, for others, location/environment is second to diving.

to explain the latter to the former is an exercise in futility... and believe me, i've tried.

 

[KDAD]

Part of it is being certified late in the season and living in a cold weather/water location. Not as much opportunity to get the dives in and the practice done. The current apprehension should diminish as she gets a few more dives in. Nothing wrong with baby steps.