BorderCollieSam
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Hi Guys,
Relatively new to diving, did my PADI last Summer in Greece, and been diving throughout the winter here in the UK in swimming pools.
Doing the Advanced Open Water next month and my instructor said i need to get some lake diving experience prior to the course, hadn't dived open water in the UK up to that point.
Had my first dive open water in the UK on Friday (Good Friday), had been really looking forward to seeing what its like in UK lakes, however i read a lot of reports that you NEED a dry suit to dive in the UK.
I only had a 2 piece 5mm Scuba Pro Everflex wetsuit that i was lucky to get off Ebay, only worn 3 times and is like brand new, unfaded, and in perfect condition and fits me well, really happy with it.
I went to the lakes on Friday at around 10am, a group of around 10 guys had just got out in drysuits, and were saying there hands were freezing, water temperature 4 degrees, looked at me and said you seriously aren't going into that lake in a wetsuit are you?
I explained that for one, i don't have a drysuit (can't afford one yet), and for two i haven't done a drysuit course yet.
They were laughing at me and having bets how long i would last, 1 min, 10 mins max etc.,
My experienced buddy said that if he sees any sign of me shivering he will call the dive off.
Well, lets just say that i did the whole dive as planned, 25 mins, went to all the sites we planned to visit, and returned not due to the cold, but due to my lack of lake experience and my experienced buddy not wanting to push me to far.
We then did a repeat dive about 1 hour afterwards.
I didn't feel the cold at all, was really comfortable.
The only bit of cold i felt was when a water trickle went down my back due to me not tucking my hood into my wetsuit (put the hood on last!!), but that soon warmed up in no time at all.
So, for those new divers like me, wondering whether you NEED a dry suit, my advice would be to try it first and see.
I certainly won't be going to buy a drysuit anytime soon after Fridays dive thats for sure, as i doubt i will be diving in water any colder than that unless i go into the arctic then maybe i will consider a drysuit!
Relatively new to diving, did my PADI last Summer in Greece, and been diving throughout the winter here in the UK in swimming pools.
Doing the Advanced Open Water next month and my instructor said i need to get some lake diving experience prior to the course, hadn't dived open water in the UK up to that point.
Had my first dive open water in the UK on Friday (Good Friday), had been really looking forward to seeing what its like in UK lakes, however i read a lot of reports that you NEED a dry suit to dive in the UK.
I only had a 2 piece 5mm Scuba Pro Everflex wetsuit that i was lucky to get off Ebay, only worn 3 times and is like brand new, unfaded, and in perfect condition and fits me well, really happy with it.
I went to the lakes on Friday at around 10am, a group of around 10 guys had just got out in drysuits, and were saying there hands were freezing, water temperature 4 degrees, looked at me and said you seriously aren't going into that lake in a wetsuit are you?
I explained that for one, i don't have a drysuit (can't afford one yet), and for two i haven't done a drysuit course yet.
They were laughing at me and having bets how long i would last, 1 min, 10 mins max etc.,
My experienced buddy said that if he sees any sign of me shivering he will call the dive off.
Well, lets just say that i did the whole dive as planned, 25 mins, went to all the sites we planned to visit, and returned not due to the cold, but due to my lack of lake experience and my experienced buddy not wanting to push me to far.
We then did a repeat dive about 1 hour afterwards.
I didn't feel the cold at all, was really comfortable.
The only bit of cold i felt was when a water trickle went down my back due to me not tucking my hood into my wetsuit (put the hood on last!!), but that soon warmed up in no time at all.
So, for those new divers like me, wondering whether you NEED a dry suit, my advice would be to try it first and see.
I certainly won't be going to buy a drysuit anytime soon after Fridays dive thats for sure, as i doubt i will be diving in water any colder than that unless i go into the arctic then maybe i will consider a drysuit!