Cold Water Die-Hards vs. Warm Water Wimps

[drbill]

Perhaps it would be best to say that the "best divers" probably have the widest range of experience in terms of diving conditions. A diver who dives only cold water and one who dives only warm water have not experienced the opposite conditions, equipment, etc. You can get pretty "dialed in" to the conditions that prevail in your usual dive sites in either setting, but be unprepared for the other conditions. However, I think it is fair to say that cold water divers are better prepared to do warm water dives than warm water divers are to do cold water dives.

I feel comfortable saying that because I have observed many examples of divers facing the opposite of their normal conditions. In general the warm water divers have more trouble adjusting to cold water conditions and equipment than vice-versa. However, there are always exceptions. When Walter came out here a few years back, he didn't seem to have any trouble adjusting. Divers who are skilled from either environment probably adapt much quicker.

I guess I should consider myself a Luke-Warm Water Diver (LWWD) rather than a cold water diver because I have yet to dive waters less than about 48 F.

 

[MissyP]

Crappy divers come from all over, water temperature is the least of the factors. Given the choice of diving with a crappy cold water diver, a crappy warm water diver, or a cold water diver who won't dive with a warm water diver, I'd probably rather have either of the crappy divers as my dive buddy. .

lol.. you do have a point.. There are crappy divers everywhere.. so now we add CCWD's and CWWD's to the labels . (yes, it was said in humor).
I've dived with them both locally and in Cozumel~ so given the choice, well.. I wouldn't dive with either of them... I'd find a safe buddy- whether it be a warm or cold water diver.... (ok but I'd be partial to a cold water diver since they ARE more skilled in these conditions and familiar with the gear, etc).

 

[drbill]

Of course another factor is that many newly certified divers who start off in cold water eventually drop diving because of the hassles involved with equipment and conditions. I'm willing to bet that the drop out rate of cold water divers is higher than for warm water divers. If I am correct, this probably means a higher percentage of the cold water divers have experience and are better divers. Because it is easier to dive warm water, I'm assuming more divers continue with the activity in those regions.

 

[ClayJar]

I'm glad it isn't about labels for you.

however... check out the title of this thread, I think the labeling started there.

We should probably cut the OP a little slack, eh? It's only their *fourth* post, after all. I'm fairly certain they were not trying to insult anyone with their misfortunate thread title and words. They're new, and they were using words that they have heard. ScubaBoard has cured new arrivals or more egregious faults than that, and I'm pretty sure they won't make the same mistake again.

Now if I was to follow the example of the OP I should conclude that every "Cold Inland Water" is not up to par and I should stay away from them.

I believe that you're misreading the OP. It appeared to me as if the OP personally would prefer warm water, but they had heard differing points of view about what that would mean to others' view of them as divers, and so they wanted to see what ScubaBoarders would say.

As I read it, the OP has people telling him that divers from warm water are unreliable (which is so laughably not true as to seem more tragically sad than offensive, unless one is predisposed to being offended) and other people telling him that divers from warm water are fine but usually just don't seem to *want* to dive in cold water (the word "wimp" should not have been used for people that simply would rather dive in other conditions; better to have rephrased it).

Reading it that way, my response to the OP would be:

If anyone says they wouldn't dive with warm water divers because they have no skills, can't take the cold, and so on, I would be wary of those divers. They may lump you into one of those categories, and I wouldn't want someone watching my back if they might easily become disgusted at my diving. There are too many great divers who truly enjoy helping others; there's no reason to stick with a meanie.

On the other hand, as far as warm water divers not wanting to dive in cold water, what's the big deal with that? Having a preferred area of diving no more makes you a wimp than driving the car you like. Get certified wherever you want, but dive and dive some more -- it's too much fun to give it up. :biggrin:

 

[Zieg]

What a load of elitist crap. We're better divers because we dive in cold crappy water with more gear than the warm water people? Are you for real? This just sounds like another reason to try and feel superior to someone else. DA's observations are just that, observations, and pretty poor ones at that.

From DA's post:
1. Cold water divers tend to dive because they want to dive.

8. When cold water divers get bored, they work on new skills, new certs, etc and in effect become better divers.

9. When warm water divers get bored, they move to new destinations, move on to different sports or buy a Harley.

10. The end result I think is that dedicated cold water divers are on average more skilled because they dive more, dive in more demanding conditions and over time dive in a much wider array of conditions and become much more experienced and well rounded as divers.


Now that is BS. Experience is what makes a better diver. Yes, there are some cold water divers who are dedicated to diving and go diving at every opportunity they get. There are just as many warm water divers who are the same. Many of us have moved south so we can dive MORE and we don't get bored, we get wet. Fine, go dive in a mud hole but don't feel superior to me just because you do so.

Personaly I believe that all this Cold Water Bravado is just trying to make up for Cold Water Shrinkage.

 

[Roadtrip]

PersonallyI believe that all this Cold Water Bravado is just trying to make up for Cold Water Shrinkage.

Now that was funny. Shrinkage of the Winky or the brain?

Don't people dive where they live or have access? I dive year round here...but prefer it when it is warm. Scraping Ice off the windshield of a boat sucks. I am thankful that we have the Gulf Stream. Judging ability by ones geography seems a bit obtuse.

Cheers, Roadtrip

 

[GLENFWB]

Now this statement was worth the whole thread!

Personaly I believe that all this Cold Water Bravado is just trying to make up for Cold Water Shrinkage.

 

[Dirkadiver]

I didn't read all the replies, so forgive me if I'm repeating what others have said. I don't think cold vs. warm water training makes one any better of a diver than another. The diver makes the diver better. I'm in NC & dive 40 deg quarries as well as the 60-80 deg Atlantic. Temps don't bother me. Spending the money for a DS probably deters a lot of divers from hitting the colder waters.

 

[Anthony Turner]

Boy oh Boy to sit an read all of the input has been a real joy to say the least. I have noticed that a few people have really gotten their feelings hurt over a statement an/or observation made by person. What makes a better diver is diving an striving to be better than they were the dive before nothing more an nothing less!!

 

[djanni]

Warm water diver here! Nothing below 70 degrees please.

I wonder how many Southerners fly to Vancouver for a dive trip during the winter?

Isn't it just a matter of where you live?