This is Why I Need a Drysuit

[xyrandomyx]

What a bunch of warm water wussies. Here is my wetsuit and I dive in SoCal where "bottom" temperatures can hit the upper 40s at times!

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Seriously though, I understand why divers there and in cold regions such as Puget Sound need drysuits. There is something to be said for warmth and being dry upon emergence from the water. I find it especially important for videographers who want to avoid camera shake, especially when they are being still in the water and not generating much muscle heat. I used to dive a 3mm shorty in the summer here (temps of 65-72 F) but when I started taking video I noticed how much my arms were shaking and went to a full 7/5mm year round in our waters... well, maybe not exactly "full" as you can see in the picture above!

Haha! If that wetsuit tears any more, you're going to find yourself wearing nothing but boardshorts under the water. I don't know how you manage that. I can't stand the cold. It gets down to the upper 40s here in summer on the Atlantic side of the Peninsula. I can only manage 20 miserable minutes in that water with my 5+7mm wetsuit before I'm too cold to go on. There are a few guys here who seem comfortable in wetsuits all year round, just 5mm with no hoods when the temperatures are in the mid-60s and up. They're mostly all built like (and possibly related to) harbour seals.

 

[xyrandomyx]

My drysuit is back with a new zip (it was apparently leaking from both ends of the zip) and smaller cuff seals. I'll be trying it out this afternoon, with the dry gloves. Hopefully I'll finally have a completely dry dive.

I do, however, have a bit of a PR problem to resolve. A conversation with my girlfriend earlier this week went something like this:

Me: Do you want to go for a dive on Saturday? The host's going to Photographer's Reef. It's one of my favourite sites and an easy dive, max depth around 14 metres. The wind is going to pick up a little, but nothing wild.

Her: But it's going to be cold!

Me: It won't be that bad. Besides, the vis is always better when it's cold.

Her: That's easy for you to say. You'll be in a drysuit.

Me: No, I won't. It's still in for repairs. I doubt I'll have it back by the weekend.

Her: Hrm, OK. The vis better be good.

Since cold misery loves company, she is quite unimpressed that I'll now be doing the dive dry. I'm going to be in all sorts of trouble if the vis is disappointing.

 

[eelnoraa]

If I were to do another week long live aboard in Andaman sea, I will bring a drysuit.

 

[xyrandomyx]

Well, the vis was a bit more than 10 metres (which is very good for these parts), so my girlfriend was happy. The drysuit was still not entirely dry, but closer -- my left forearm was still wet. I did reposition the seals on that wrist at the last minute, though -- I'm hoping that's the cause.

 

[Dive Bug Bit Me]

If you figure out how to keep your forearms dry let me know. I've just accepted that as part of dry suit diving these days.