Cold Water Die-Hards vs. Warm Water Wimps

[String]

I love diving and want to dive. Living where i do means the water is cold and murky. So if i want to dive at all i have to dive cold murky water - warm isnt an option.
THAT's why i dive cold water - because its my local condition.

First time i went abroad i couldn't believe how easy it was wearing just a 5mm wetsuit and a few kg weight. Basically a huge warm clear swimming pool with fish. Incredibly easy compared to what i was used to.

 

[Laustimus]

I have done both.. Colorado has some damn cold water.

But I prefer to dive warm anyday.. not just for comfort but being able to see more then 10 feet is kind of neato to me.. call me a loon but it's just cool. Plus I think tropical fish are cooler then trout and coral is neater then mud and rocks.

 

[diverdowndh]

You and me both Laustimus!

 

[tedtim]

I would use the analogy of leaning to drive a car. If you learn to drive where there is snow, you are a better driver than if you learn only where it is warm and the road conditions are good. Unfortunately, if you learn to drive where there is snow then move to a place where there is none, you will find that your skills deteriorate rapidly.

I know from personal experience. We spent a year in Alabama. My first attempt at driving after I then moved to New Brunswick during the winter scared me.

There are different aspects to the skill sets required between warm and cold water dives. Similarly there are different aspects to the skill sets for those folks that have to make their way through the ocean surf to go diving as compared to those that dive lakes, quarries or rivers.

Neither better nor worse - just different.

I do recall that after my OW cert was complete the instructor reminded us that we were really qualified to conduct dives in conditions similar to or better than in which we trained. I would have trouble with a surf entry since I have never done one, regardless of the temperature of the water.

 

[Coll]

Hold on a second, there are places where you can dive and you don't have to wear 7mm literally from head to toe? Why hasn't anybody told me this? Why hasn't anybody taken me?

I've only dove in Monterey but I love it dearly. I did a dive yesterday and it was sunny and it was my first sunny dive in about 5 dives and I had literally forgotten how much nicer it is to dive with the sun out...

 

[drbill]

As a cold-water die hard (well anything above 48 F), I will occasionally let people see my weaker side by diving warm water.

I do believe training and diving in cold water makes one a better diver. There are more factors that come into play in cold water, which also tends to be of lower visibility (unless you're diving 600 ft vis water off Antarctica). Cold water also leads to higher gas consumption rates... I occasionally get 40-50% more bottom time on the same tank in warm water vs cold. Navigation is a more important factor in these waters as well. The thicker wetsuits and more weight also require better skills than a swim suit and a few pounds (if that).

I'll dive with warm water wussies... especially if she sends me an airplane ticket!

 

[DiverLS]

I've been diving cold for a LONG time. I went dry about 12 years ago. To make the story short, with all that time diving dry, it takes a lot for me to look like a whale in the water. I took my once every three years to dive warm (Bahamas) last spring. I was surprised when another diver, one of the few with dive skills, approached me, complimenting me on my skills. I was surprised and knew it wasn't a hit on me. His GF was far younger and better looking than me. (Shucks)
He genuinely wanted to know how long I have been diving.

I agree, learn in cold - it requires a lot more skill. Then you can look like a fish in water in warm.

 

[kob159014]

Couldn't have said it better. Learned in 1972 in cold water and have been diving cold and warm water ever since. Cold water forces you to think more and pay attention to your gear. Nice post!

 

[GLENFWB]

I wont jump in to the "who is a better diver" issue....I will leave that to more experienced divers then myself to debate. But, I will jump in on the warm water "wimp" comments. Actually, those of us who choose to live in warm water environments think it might be more related to intelligence then diving skills. If I liked to snow ski I wouldn't live in Florida. So, who is more dedicated to diving...the cold water diver who lives in a place that puts up road blocks to pursuing his or her passion. Or, the person who enjoys diving so much that he moves to a place where he can pursue his passion....year around without freezing his....rear and gear!

So, MAYBE the cold water diver has more skills...but the warm water diver has better sense! (Note: this message was written with tongue firmly planted in cheek!)

They typically don't want to dive in cold water. But, it's not so much a skills issue as it is a "wimp" issue."

 

[Ana]

I see most of the replies are from cold water divers. Maybe most of the WWD’s (warm water divers) are busy diving and haven’t had the chance to reply yet.

I think recreational divers get in the water because they want to dive, I read above: “cold water divers dive because they want” I don’t know of any WWD’s getting in the water at gun point. For the most part they have a smile in their face when they go in, could be they know they’re not about to freeze their tale off.

I also believe that there are 2 types of cold water divers the ones that go into cold Open Waters and the ones that go in landlocked water holes.
I base this belief on their different performance once they go to dive sites with temperatures more fit for humans instead of penguins.
Divers from the North Sea, California, Washington, and all those horribly cold open water areas tend to have a blast on warm water dives; they go down, explore all over then come up and are ready to go at it again.
The inland divers I’ve seen as a general rule have a horrible time in boats unless the vessel is big enough to fit a picnic table on deck. They have close to perfect buoyancy control; do take forever and a day to plan the simplest 85’ dive, then another eternity for touching and over-touching every piece of gear. Then after all that, they don’t do anything with all that perfection; go down perfectly horizontal to a certain point, don’t get close enough to the bottom to check all the wonders in between small places, stay perfectly horizontal for the duration of their dive and then perfectly horizontal they go up.

This is what I’ve seen in the last few decades. So I supposed it is a matter of defining in advance what you call a good or better diver.

Right now I’m dealing with what I consider cold water conditions, like others mentioned even the term cold is subjective. 63 degree water is stupidly cold for me, I have to deal with the dry suit, undergarments, lots of lead, and can’t pee during the dives the way I like. But I’ll escape to the good side of Florida as many weekends as I can to keep my skills down, no way I want to ever hear myself say “hmm I like it better when I need 10 tons of crap to avoid hypothermia, because that makes me better”

I would live under a bridge of a warm water and air area before going to a place where there is no open water and/or the water temps stay below 75 every single day of the year.

You Cold Water Divers can have all the titles you need in order to deal with your reality. I’ll take the “lousy diver” label and be warm and happy.