Salt or Fresh Water?

[metridium]

Fresh or salt, it doesn't matter to me. In fact, some of my best dives have been both. Love those halocline cavern dives!

Water temp doesn't matter much either. I haven't been below 40F yet, but hey I can always throw on some extra insulation.

The true limiting factor is visibility. If it's less than 10', I'm staying on shore. I don't fancy bumping into Mr. GW in the ocean, or a corpse in freshwater.

 

[wrecNcaver]

As a Michigan diver I am very proud to say we have some of the best wreck diving in the World. Where else can you find a intact wooden wreck that is over 100 years old and it is all due to the cold fresh water here in the Great Lakes. If I dive warm, well it is the caves of Florida and Mexico, again fresh water.

 

[chepar]

All my experience has been in salt water, as you are probably aware that here in Hawaii we are a bit lacking in the lakes department.

To be honest, due to this lack of exposure to fresh water, most of my life I have had this aversion to even the thought of getting into a lake - this stems from some weird idea I came up with that lakes were all generally silty, muddy, full of leeches and other nasties, etc. In my mind's eye I guess I was thinking more of a pond. With pond scum.

However, just having returned a few days ago from New Zealand (beautiful country, by the way), I got more than an eyeful of its many lakes and rivers - some of them the water being amazingly clear. I wouldn't be averse to trying some dives in fresh water - just as long as I was assured the leeches to humans ratio worked in our favor.

 

[Diversauras]

I will admit to having been in fresh water a few times, but since I am not a caver, give me salt water.

Fresh water is good for washing your gear tho....

 

[dkerr]

So far only the ocean for me. Never realy thought much about lake diving until I found this board. It has peeked my interest, so I am sure I will find a lake to dive sometime in the near future.
DKerr

 

[Diversauras]

There is a place in Iceland, Stremsvik, near the aluminium factory, where the outflow of fresh water into the ocean is so great that you enter and exit through fresh water but dive in salt water. It is however very definately dry suit territory.

 

[MSilvia]

I like 'em both, but I think it's hard to generalize. I've been in salt water with better vis than freshwater, and vice-versa. I've been in freshwater colder than the ocean, and in the ocean when it was cold enough to turn freshwater solid. I've seen beautiful wrecks in both places, eaten tasty critters from both, and seen interesting wildlife (seals, porpoises, beavers) in lots of different bodies of water.

In my experience though, the ocean is a lot less predictable, and I'm willing to rinse off salt in exchange for adventure!

 

[ebbtide]

as long as its wet i am there !
i am one of thoes leo (water loving cats)people .
the only diff in salt or fresh for me is the amount of light and visability

 

[noshow]

I have only been in the oceans but I am looking forward to my trip back home this summer to explore the freshwater lake where I grew up (Big Whiteshell Lake, Winnipeg, Manitoba) and retreive some of those fishing lures I lost every weekend! Should about pay for my new gear!

Is freshwater diving that different than sea? What if any are the differences?

No Show

 

[Rooster1]

if you want good wreck diving then its the fresh water.
if you want lots of marine life then its ocean