Keeping in mind that this is BASIC scuba...

[psychocabbage]

I have a question for those who are fairly new but choose to dive in less than optimal conditions.

If you dive in the cold (anywhere you need a 5mm or more) and where vis is typically less than 10ft, why do you dive?

What do you get out of it? What are you doing there?


I really am curious as I know I will never ever dive cold or with low vis. Seems quite pointless to me. I do want to know what would make some that just took this sport up do it though..

I understand that some people are just going to dive where ever they can due to their financial and geographical restraints.. but what is down there that pulls you in?

 

[imasinker]

HI Cabbage!

I live in Toronto Ontario Canada. During the diver months we experience many types of viz from 60 feet and some from anywhere 5-20 feet. It depends on what lake or great lake your diving. Most common I would have to say is about 20-40 range or when you drop below the thermo the viz does tend to get better. I have been on a few dives with a bit of a current that helps to get the viz nice and clear. We see alot of wrecks up here and to tell you we have some of the worlds best fresh water wrecks going. Old paddle wheelers to steamers and ferries. Being fresh water of course they last longer and stay intact more. We don't have sharks but we have fish that get as big as 4 to 5 feet called Muskie, pickerel, bass larg and small mouth, crey fish sunfish all that nice underwater stuff. We have caves, deep dives if your into that. Hey don't forget Ice diving....ever tried it? Having bad viz is not all that bad. It gives you time to practice navigation, makes you more aware of your surroundings, your dive buddy and helps to really improve your diving skills. To sum it up, it is what we call diving the same as what you call diving down there. If you have a good light you'll be amazed at what you see. It's all we have here unless we hit the warm clear waters down south, and we do that too, but we have a saying here... I fear not the deep...I fear not the cold..for I am a Great Lakes Diver!

 

[ahava]

Even thought I am not new to the sport I think you could relate it to playing football. You play where you live. Be it Florida (hot) or Minnasota (cold). I think its the thrill of the unexpected, the fact that what you do may scare or make someone say "no way will you get me down there in the cold darkness". Not all diving has to be beautiful reefs and colorful fish to be fulfilling. Plus with a nice drysuit and a 10-20 watt HID light you have plenty of warmth and light.

 

[imasinker]

Even thought I am not new to the sport I think you could relate it to playing football. You play where you live. Be it Florida (hot) or Minnasota (cold). I think its the thrill of the unexpected, the fact that what you do may scare or make someone say "no way will you get me down there in the cold darkness". Not all diving has to be beautiful reefs and colorful fish to be fulfilling. Plus with a nice drysuit and a 10-20 watt HID light you have plenty of warmth and light.

YA YA...what he said......

 

[Hepcat62]

I'm still a newb diver, but I'm a newb diver who dives in Monterey, CA. The diving is great - there's lots of interesting life to see if you stop and look, not to mention beautiful kelp forests. Cold water and limited vis are just the price of entry, and provided you're well equipped and trained for those conditions then it's really a non-issue as far as I'm concerned.

 

[String]

If you dive in the cold (anywhere you need a 5mm or more) and where vis is typically less than 10ft, why do you dive?

What do you get out of it? What are you doing there?

Same reason as i do any other dive - to see things. You dont need lots of vis to see things on a dive. If the vis is lower you simply concentrate more on the smaller things in front of you rather than the bigger be that macro life or small details of a wreck.

Ive had a large number of great dives where the visibility is 3-6ft and quite possibly more enjoyable than some ive had where you could see 100ft.

As for the cold, with a drysuit, good undersuit and maybe drygloves theres no problem. Ive been cold to the point of being near hypothermic in a 5mm suit in Malta - ive NEVER been anywhere near that dangerously cold in a drysuit despite much colder water.

 

[psychocabbage]

interesting..

Honestly. Its just not for me.. Its snowing right now in Houston and I am hating every second of it..
I do not like the cold one bit. Make it cold water and then I have issues.. Just do not like it at all.


For me, diving is just fun for lack of a better word. I can be entertained shore diving off playa del carmen where there is nothing around.. Like an underwater desert.. thats fun.. as long as the water is clear and warm I enjoy it.

I have done deep dives and was not thrilled. did the speigel grove out off key largo.. did 116ft in lake travis which went pitch black after 30 ft. me, my wife and 1 other were the only ones to complete that dive as planned (was for our advanced training).. I didnt particularly enjoy it. I didnt have an issue being there but I could not understand why so many people were there to do this.. they seemed to enjoy going into the abyss.. Sure I can understand the practicing the navigation concept.. but I guess I dont see much payoff for it when all you see is 1-3 ft in front of you and its just silt and tree limbs... and the occassion monster catfish that you startle..

Thanks for the answers.. We will just chock it up to "Different strokes for different folks!"


I wont be doing any caves or tech diving.. I really would be happy with a 130ft deep pool with nothing in it.. I would dive every day and have a blast..

 

[SouthSideScubaSteve]

At this point in my limited experience, I do not need a reason other than it is a chance to breath underwater!!!

 

[Peter Guy]

While I suppose I'm not a new diver, I'll play since I do dive in cold water with poor viz and often a "night dive" at noon. Here are a few reasons why:

Alabaster Nudi

Dendronotus Dalli

Dendronotus Diversicolor

Friends

Wolf Eels

OK -- How many critters can you identify?

Here, in Puget Sound, the amount of life is amazing and 10' of viz is plenty to allow us to see all those critters that make diving fun. The secret is to take the time to actually SEE the life that is all around you.

While I take frequent trips to warm water destinations, the reality is that cold water diving is MUCH more interesting IF you are a critter watcher.

 

[DwayneJ]

I really am curious as I know I will never ever dive cold or with low vis. Seems quite pointless to me. I do want to know what would make some that just took this sport up do it though..
?

Because lobsters like it cold, dark, and wet ... and I like lobsters.