Fort Lauderdale winter diving -- how to stay warm?

[Texasguy]

This is my first winter in Ft. Lauderdale. Would like an advice on how people stay warm when boat diving.

So, you have 2 dives and a surface interval with not so warm wind. Then the 2nd dive that is usually much colder.

1) What wetsuit thickness do you use to stay warm during Jan-Mar?
2) What do you do to stay warm after the first dive when you are on the boat?
3) How do you do the 2nd dive without chilling?

I was thinking to dive a drysuit but I get a bit sweaty in it and during a surface interval I don't really want to be out with a tad moist clothes standing in the wind.

Thus, I have not figured out how to dive in winter without a possible chill. Yet, not to over dress. Should I just opt out for a 5mm and a windbreaker for surface interval?

Please let me know how you do it.

 

[DiverDownD3]

I took a 5mm down in Pompano in late March and broke the zipper before a dive and ended up having to dive my 3mm and I was fine. There were some people on the boat diving dry and were complaining they were still cold. Everyone has a different tolerance for cold.

I think you would be fine in 5mm for January and February, maybe pack a hooded vest just in case.

 

[sportxlh]

For me, it's a 7mm wetsuit with a hood or beanie and fleece jacket for the SI

 

[Steve_C]

The secret to staying warm during the SI is not the wetsuit so much. Out of the water, water evaporates and physics tells us that that absorbs heat. In other words the wetsuit that warms you in the water becomes a cooler. I carry a very light weight but wind proof rain coat in my boat bag. If I feel a need to stay warm I just put on the rain coat. Evaporation stops and the suits returns to keeping me warm.

I dove in Ft L last weekend, well Jupiter actually. Worked like a charm on a breezey afternoon.

 

[Texasguy]

For me, it's a 7mm wetsuit with a hood or beanie and fleece jacket for the SI

Seriously? What water temps?

 

[sportxlh]

I get cold easy but temps can be in the low 70's sometimes in the high 60's. I also get long dives with my big tanks and nitrox. While drift diving, you don't work your body the same as you might on a static mooring ball site that requires a lot of finning. I never get cold with the 7mm.... given its front zipper, I can unzip a bit if I feel hot. I'd much rather be warmer than optimal than cold

 

[scubadada]

I dive in Boynton Beach, West Palm, and Jupiter year round. I have a 3mm, 5mm, and 7mm full suit and wear each of them every year, with or without a 5/3 hooded vest. It's obviously individual, I wear the 3 mm down to the high 70s, the 5 mm from low/mid 70s to high 70s, the 7 mm low 70s and below. You are often not doing much work while drift diving, it decreases my cold tolerance. One of my most valuable pieces of equipment is my boat coat, I happen to have a really nice one from truWest. I put it on over my wetsuit as soon as I doff my gear. A thermos of hot coffee or chocolate is a nice addition. I have no problem with 2 dives, sometimes the 3rd and 4th can be a challenge

 

[reefman]

I was a bit chilled last week with a 5MM full suit with 3/5MM hooded vest, water temp was 78/79F, two 90+ minute dives. I'm donning the 7MM from now till spring. BTW, many dive professionals here in the upper keys wear dry suits during the winter


Reefman
Key largo

 

[RyanT]

You've gotten quite a bit of variable information on the in-water part of the diving...pretty clear that there is a lot of variation in cold tolerance. Regardless of what you decide to dive in the water, get a good boat coat. I just bought a surf fur and just wrapped up in it over my wetsuit on a dive in NC this month. It was worth it's weight in gold and made my day so much more enjoyable!

 

[mi000ke]

I'm always the one who gets cold first, and I've dived Florida in the winter in a 5mm suit w/5mm hood with no problems. Also dive the springs (72 year round) in the same gear and feel pretty toasty. Also dive the Caribbean 80 - 85 degree water in the same gear and feel real toasty. I use a polar fleece jacket between dives if air is going to be cool, as it holds its warming properties when wet.