What do you do over the winter?

[cubbiegirlem]

OK I didn't read EVERY post so apologies if somebody already mentioned this but check out the Bonne Terre mines. 69 water temp year round and only a 5.5 hr drive from Chicago so easy for a weekend. I haven't been but plan to go this winter.

Love all you folks on the coast who dive in the winter. . Sadly not an option in Lake Michigan, since unlike the ocean lakes freeze! (Even though Lake Michigan doesn't usually freeze over, I think there's usually too much ice for the small boats and in the marinas.) No dive boats are in the water in winter and shore diving is prohibited (at least in Chicago unless you're CFD and want to dive in one spot along lakeshore drive they're allowed to use for training).

 

[manni-yunk]

I didnt read the whole thread...but I thought I would answer the original question. What do you do over the winter in cold climates?....We dive. Many years I keep the boat in all year in NJ and we dive all year. Its on top that the thermal change is noticeable. Boat has heat, coffee, hot food, etc. Vis is great. On years that I pull the boat - at least one of my friends keeps theirs in all year.

 

[Chavodel8en]

Im a Monterey/Carmel wetsuit diver ... so I dive up to New Years (Holiday break is great for diving as long as no storms) and then lie fallow for Jan & Feb. (occasionally scrape the money together to go on a trip - this coming Dec. I'll be in warm water for the first time in years (Cancun & PdC), but only have 2 mornings to dive (bc of non-diving spouse).

Locally, the water temperature is not the issue, no big deal, its cold all year round, but for us wet divers, its the air temperature that makes dead of winter diving miserable (cue ice divers calling me a wuss). March actually brings the coldest water of the year, but the surface interval is bearable then.

If I lived in SoCal, I could see going out all year round, but up here I'll take a two-month break.

 

[Killerflyingbugs]

I agree that the wind makes it worse.

I did my share of cold water diving when I was a hard hat diver, no more, the winters are why I moved back to the Keys. Growing up down here with only 2 seasons and it never getting colder than 40 deg F left me ill prepared for 4 seasons and temps below freezing. I am in a wetsuit at temps a lot of you still find warm! Like at 75 deg F.

 

[Marie13]

It was great to be in the pool (on site at local dive shop) for about 90 minutes this morning with two dive buddies. Pool is kept at 90F, so I was a wee bit warm in my FE Xerotherm under my dry suit. Got really wet for the first time as I thought my zipper was done all the way up, but discovered it wasn't when I was in about 5 feet of water. Did it up really quick, but my left side was wet and my left sock was really wet. Well, better in a very warm pool than in a cold quarry.

ETA. New mask leaks some. Seems when I go to equalize I get water in. Forgot to try the silicone grease.

My kick and buoyancy need work. A lot. I've contacted one of my instructors for some private sessions over the winter. A properly done flutter kick hurts my left hip (sciatica). I need to learn how to frog kick properly. I've tried it on my own and I'm not getting it.

 

[Storker]

What do you do over the winter in cold climates?....We dive.

Seconded.

An extra layer of wool under the undersuit, perhaps a couple of kilos extra on the belt, and down we go. Below-freezing temps topside require a little extra care, but down to -10C (15F) it's quite doable. Good thing is, winter viz is pretty darned great (a least compared to local viz during the summer months), so there's a good reason to continue diving when the weather gets cold.

 

[gopbroek]

After work on my Friday (Saturday) I walk to the next terminal and catch the next flight to Cancun and then make my way to Cozumel in time for the 8AM boat. Dive as much possible for the next 2 days and then head home on Tuesday. Repeat as often as my wife will allow. If the water temp drops to 80F or below I add a core warmer under my 3MM, I do not want to get a chill

 

[lowviz]

Forget about tropical destinations! I've been enjoying myself reading about Great Lakes shipwrecks.

OMG! What to do? Short trip to your next door state. Fairport Harbor Museum!

Climb the tower, see the cat. Plan to be there for a while. Linger, so much history in there, wonderful curators, lovely place...

Or maybe the Mather is more to your taste: Steamship William G. Mather Maritime Museum - Wikipedia . If you go, turn around and look up at the top of the door frame in the safe room. The code is scribbled there. The guide said that he had been trying to open the safe for years. Old safe, count the number of digits, go all the way around that many times to get to the next digit, one less turn with each succeeding digit. It opened...

I've been lurking on your thread since you started it. Owe you for the amusement. Paybacks:

I'm now getting the pool ready for winter. Don't use it much in the summer. See pic. The pool is next to a huge deck with a hickory tree growing through it. Large limb did a pike dive sometime yesterday during a windy spell. Literally just got back from patching it. 15' round, 4' deep.

Get a pool and a chainsaw.

 

[Marie13]

Uh oh! Silly tree limb doesn't know better than to take a dive into your pool.

 

[lowviz]

Ha!

I'm easy, all are welcome...