I wanna go diving...

[darron]

...and since I'm pretty newly certified I don't know this:

Do people still dive in Alberta and BC year round?

I'm not talking ice diving, just regular diving when there's snow on the ground. Like today.

I don't think the water temperature fluctuates too much seasonally and would need to make sure I was wearing a dry suit.

Am I just crazy? I just don't really want to wait until Spring to go again. Already getting antsy.

 

[akirawut]

Lots of diving in BC all year around. Might be a bit harder to avoid the ice in Alberta?

 

[Roko]

I think some people dive in AB (especially in Minnewanka) until the ice starts to form. I'm not sure when that is, as our dive season generally came to an end when the campgrounds started to shut down in the fall. (too cheap for hotels)

As Akirawut mentioned, lots of year-round diving out on the coast

 

[nadwidny]

...and since I'm pretty newly certified I don't know this:

Do people still dive in Alberta and BC year round?

BC yes. Alberta not unless you go to BC or want to ice dive.

I'm not talking ice diving, just regular diving when there's snow on the ground. Like today.

I don't think the water temperature fluctuates too much seasonally

Alberta lakes, absolutely it does. BC coast, not so much.

and would need to make sure I was wearing a dry suit.

You always want to wear a dry suit.

I think some people dive in AB (especially in Minnewanka) until the ice starts to form.

That's pretty much how it goes although ice forming happens at different time for different lakes. Minnewanka is one of the last Alberta lakes to ice over and it usually doesn't do so until Christmas time. Ice diving at Minny starts February-ish. Further north near Edmonton Twin Lakes ice diving starts around Christmas although I'm sure people could start going out a week or two earlier if they wanted.

As Akirawut mentioned, lots of year-round diving out on the coast

Kootenay Lake as well for those that don't want to make the drive to the coast.

 

[oggy666]

Winter has the best viz for us

 

[TheWetRookie]

Time for you to move to the coast and dive all year round

 

[askdjasd]

could also just buy a swimming pool and fill it with tap water... best vis ever!

 

[Roko]

Time for you to move to the coast and dive all year round

That's what I did

Though I do miss diving in the Rockies in the summer... but not the 4 hour drive to get there.

 

[darron]

Thanks for all the responses guys - looks like I am going to have to do a little more travelling than I wanted to - but all good. If I moved back to the coast, I'm sure my family would be very happy - but that's not in the cards anytime soon.

Does anyone know if there's a nice deep swimming pool that's friendly to scuba in or around Calgary?

I really just want to work on dry suit buoyancy. I found that once I hit about 25 feet I just inflated and couldn't dump air fast enough to stay down.

Just wanna practice and get that right - need some time under the water - don't really care where it is.

 

[akirawut]

Dunno about pools to practice in. With the drysuit I had the same problem while learning. I now keep the added air to just enough to stay warm and reduce squeeze, and I make sure to stay proactive on the releasing of air. Don't wait until you know you have to, then it's a problem.