Question Florida folks: What's your cold threshold?

[heftysmurf]

What's a wetsuit? When you're built like a manatee, you get to dive like one. I dive year round in a t-shirt and shorts. Temps vary wildly here from 68F to 70F, unless I hit warm pisswater. We call that a urinecline.

Bwahahaha! Here I am on a meeting and wasn't muted and people heard me laugh.

I have a manatee mask strap cover as it's my spirit animal! I want their life!

 

[PEDiver]

I mostly dive the Florida springs where the water temp. is between 68-72 degrees so naturally I love my drysuit if I'm ocean diving, it's usually in a 5mm or a 3mm shorty in the summer. I really don't love the boardshorts and t-shirt approach, have always felt more comfortable in a wetsuit.

 

[The Chairman]

Bwahahaha! Here I am on a meeting and wasn't muted and people heard me laugh.

I have a manatee mask strap cover as it's my spirit animal! I want their life!

Glad to be a distraction for you. Yeah, other cavers will often do a double take when they see me swim by. My back and life has kept me mostly out of them for 2 years now. I can't wait to get back in.

 

[The Chairman]

I have a manatee mask strap cover as it's my spirit animal!

I am their Terran ambassador. I speak for the Springs.

 

[34109411]

What's a wetsuit? When you're built like a manatee, you get to dive like one. I dive year round in a t-shirt and shorts. Temps vary wildly here from 68F to 70F, unless I hit warm pisswater. We call that a urinecline.

 

[BrackaFish]

Just curious what everyone's cold threshold is as we start getting warmer in South Florida. I ask because I got certified in November and have right at 50 dives since then and I've only used a 3mm shorty. Last weekend in Dania Beach, water temp was 74 and the coldest I've logged since November is 71. I'm almost at the point to go in board shorts and a rash guard when temp is 77 or so.

Wondering what other's feel is suit free? I know north Floridan cave folks will always be in a wet suit...Or...are you?

For myself, I will always wear at least a skin or 1mm as things that sting seem to love me. For springs at least a full 5mm and if doing tec work a 7mm. The saying “The older I get, The colder I get” certainty applies to me. I used to yell at my parents to stop keeping their apartment at 85 degrees. Now I understand, so Sometimes Wisdom Does Come With Age. Be Safe

 

[johndiver999]

This may not apply to you, but often newer divers are "fast" and stay fairly warm due to lots of movement. As buoyancy and propulsion efficiency improves, movement decreases and temperature tolerance becomes less.

Very true, the more efficient you are, the less air you use, the less calories you expend and the colder you get. Also, even if you are not fully aware of it, becoming (gradually) chilled, will elevate your metabolic demands and increase air consumption. A positive feedback, the more comfortable you are, the less stress and the less air you will use.

I am wearing a full 5mm with a 5-7 hooded vest right now in SF, and generally don't feel cold underwater.

 

[Kev59]

I thought I could handle colder water - when I certified, it was in a 5mm/45 degree water. I suspect I tolerated that because I was so excited to dive. I doubt those dives are a good benchmark for my tolerance. Since then, I’ve done at least a 3mm when diving in Florida. This week, I’m visiting Destin, FL and aside from the red flags/riptides, I’m not going in the water because it’s too cold. I brought a 3mm, just too lazy to put it on. I didn’t find a dive buddy beforehand so I didn’t bring anything but snorkeling gear; decided to just make it a sit on the beach in the wind vacation

 

[PatW]

I used to dive with a skin at 78 degrees and 3 mm was fine for 70 degrees. Now I need thermo protection. Caribbean diving has been so warm that nothing has been an issue. My last two trips got down to 77 degrees and my old beaten up wet suit was not enough. So I got a new one. How far down it is good for, I don’t know, The coldest place I am likely to dive is the Blue Heron Bridge. Every other place I am interested in has coral reefs which tend to be warm.

 

[Belzelbub]

Apparently, my cutoff is right around 80. I had to check, and my dives in the 70s all had me in a thin wetsuit. Rash guard and skin for dives in the 80s.