Satisfying your needs

[FionaH]

Buy a drysuit and head for the bigger hardboats - Scapa Flow is an ideal site in mid winter - personally I prefer Karin or Jean Elaine, centrallly heated boats, in cold can always stand under the shower in your dry suit with a brew in hand - rarely get blown out, visibility tends to be better than in summer - what's not to like Sound of Mull is another good, sheltered option with Lochaline boat charters, as are some sites out of Oban

 

[Buliwyf]

One or two 7 day vacations in the Caribbean every year. Coz and the Keys are pretty much going to be a yearly thing for me now. Spring I do a couple weekend jeep or dirtbike trips. They jeep, I dirtbike.

I don't need to vacation in the summer or fall. Never again. It's perfectly nice up here. Hit the quarries in the summer.

 

[Aanderson81]

I think that a lot of people think they need a dry suit for cold water diving. For a fraction of the cost you can get a 7mm wet or semi-dry suit that can suit the purpose. Maybe its just that I grew up in New England and have a different measure of cold, but New Years day I did a dive where I believe the surface and water temp were both 45*F. I was quite comfortable with my 7mm wetsuit and was in for about 40 minutes.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yeah, drysuit is always debatable. Some here on the FL panhandle in "winter" use one in temps. that rarely dip below 55F...this winter not below 65F. But, I "satisfied my needs" yesterday in Panama City Beach in finding a 6" True Tulip shell in the jetty rocks (among other less impressive stuff). One more dive day here then back home in March to 35F water and one dive wet weekly (4 full tanks await me on this wondrous adventure....).

 

[chubadoodman]

Cant get enough practice in a pool I think...there are always things to work on. Im still new so getting in any diving for me is exciting. I even walk around with my bp/w on sometimes and my roommate gives me weird looks.

 

[Jerome O'Neil]

A drysuit isn't a requirement for most cold water diving, it's a convenience for most cold weather diving. Once you get over the initial brace of cold water in the wetsuit and you warm it up (using the method of your choice) it's comfortable.

Where the drysuit pays off is when you climb out of the water in mid-January and it's 38 degrees, howling wind, and snowing. In the wet suit, you freeze your sack off. In the dry suit, you unzip and walk around in your thermal like a boss. In summer, I'd almost rather dive a wetsuit. If I get over heated, I can just hop in the water too cool off.

I dove year round in Puget Sound in a wetsuit for years. So I deal with it by just going diving.

 

[TMHeimer]

Yes. Right on re the sack. If I didn't snowbird 2-3 months mine would be in a drysuit. Then 2 dives in a day, any day.

 

[NYCNaiad]

I do dive-related activities such as dive travel planning, writing dive articles & playing around here.

 

[Bob DBF]

A drysuit isn't a requirement for most cold water diving, it's a convenience for most cold weather diving. Once you get over the initial brace of cold water in the wetsuit and you warm it up (using the method of your choice) it's comfortable.

I dive wet on the NorCal coast where the water ranges from the high 40's to the low 50's F. In the winter when the weather gets overcast, windy, and cold, the number of dives in a day decrease as one has a harder time warming up after a dive. I can't see dropping that kind of cash for a convience I would use a few times a year.


Bob

 

[Phillipus2005]

This is exactly what I am doing all the time.
I had to stop looking at equipment though, because I ended up with 4 PDCs, 2 BCDs, 3 suits, 3 reg sets and so on.
Maybe I should have just bought a dry suit instead.

As a substitute, I became active on SB.
And created this silly thread.

I have exactly the same problem! Joining a local BSAC club to pool dive and practice skills on regular basis. Researching/buying new kit. Printing photos. Planning next dive trip.

Feel your pain