Cold fresh vs warm salt water diver quality

[boulderjohn]

Adding one example. I've seen a highly experienced Great Lakes wreck technical diver unable to smoothly handle a blue water ascent on an ocean drift dive. You can be a rock star in one environment, but change environments significantly, and you are in many ways a newby all over again.

This is definitely true of technical divers. When I was teaching technical diving in my home area, I had to do the instruction in a deep sinkhole. I also dived in the ocean in South Florida, and there is definitely a serious learning experience moving to the open ocean.

I don't think it is as true with single tank, NDL diving, though. When the dive shops I worked for certified divers locally, it was in shallow, murky, cold water, and they then would immediately go on a trip to some tropical resort. I never heard of any having any problems with that.

 

[Marie13]

From what I’ve seen, the cold water divers who dive locally tend to dive more often than the warm water divers who might only dive a bit each year. Unless the warm water divers are local to water water diving.

 

[TMHeimer]

In general (Great Lakes excluded) I would say there are less factors to consider diving fresh water, though my experience there is limited. No tides, currents, not much surf. No big predators (sharks), spiney urchins, jellyfish, etc.

 

[Bento.Box]

I would say there are less factors to consider diving fresh water, though my experience there is limited.

As someone who does both, I find salt water much easier.

In Freshwater, I'm responsible for everything, from preparing my gear to setting up my flag. Equipment is much more complicated, bulky. It's dark, cold, visibility is less and entry/exit can be much more challenging than jumping off your typical liveaboard boat.

First time in the ocean felt really easy.

 

[8mb]

Like in a toilet?

Bathtub, full gear.

 

[rick00001967]

I don't know how to ask this even. I've only dove in cold fresh water with various visibilities. This includes inland lakes, quarries as well as the great lakes now. I've read repeatedly how some divers are judged for being 'quarry' or 'spring' divers then not being prepared when going out on a reef or whatever in the ocean. I'm trying to find the logic in this? In my very limited experience, it seems like diving in crappy visibility with 7mm wesuit or a drysuit, gloves, hood, and 20+lbs of lead is a little more complex than your vacation to Cozumel dive. Just looking for thoughts and to align myself with reality.

i completely agree with the exceptions that you may not be familiar with boat diving and/or diving in heavy current.
it was a real eye opener on our first dives on coz when the current was ripping.

 

[Wheeler925]

i completely agree with the exceptions that you may not be familiar with boat diving and/or diving in heavy current.
it was a real eye opener on our first dives on coz when the current was ripping.

Boat diving is definitely a thing in the great lakes. I'm far more concerned with the currents, as I hope to get to Cozumel in the nearish future, but then I look at the people who've been there and my fears are somewhat alleviated.

 

[Captain Bravo]

Boat diving is definitely a thing in the great lakes. I'm far more concerned with the currents, as I hope to get to Cozumel in the nearish future, but then I look at the people who've been there and my fears are somewhat alleviated.

I've done both clearwater quarry diving and saltwater/warm diving.

As other have mentioned, Cozumel is drift diving. The boat follows our bubbles and we often surface 1km or more away from the spot we dove into the ocean.

Some divers new to Cozumel stay higher compared to the sea floor and have to swim against the current to avoid being separated from the group. Having perfect buoyancy, staying horizontal without effort, and being able to glide only inches from the bottom while not finning, adjusting your depth with the air in your lungs, you'll drift much slower, have a lower SAC, and a longer dive before you have to surface. Hiding behind a large sponge also helps.

Don't overthink it though. Go to Cozumel and just enjoy the experience!

 

[TMHeimer]

As someone who does both, I find salt water much easier.

In Freshwater, I'm responsible for everything, from preparing my gear to setting up my flag. Equipment is much more complicated, bulky. It's dark, cold, visibility is less and entry/exit can be much more challenging than jumping off your typical liveaboard boat.

First time in the ocean felt really easy.

Agree. I was just comparing shore diving for both.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

In general (Great Lakes excluded) I would say there are less factors to consider diving fresh water, though my experience there is limited. No tides, currents, not much surf. No big predators (sharks), spiney urchins, jellyfish, etc.

Try diving in the St. Lawrence Seaway, 8 to 9 knot currents, low visibility, freighter traffic over head, or the St. Clair river, 7 to 8 knots current,3 or 4 back eddies across the width of the river, low visibility, freighter traffic overhead.