Cold Water Die-Hards vs. Warm Water Wimps
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It seems kind of hard to catogorize but the people who probably dive the most are divers who live where the weather and the water is warm? Divers who live where it's cold and only dive warm water only get to dive when they travel and many divers can't do very much travelo so they don't dive very often. On the other hand diver who live where it's cold AND dive cold water can dive fairly often.
I was certified in September. By Novenber I was in a dry suit. I started ice diving in January when the dive sites iced over. I didn't have the time or money back then to travel but I wanted to dive so I dived what I had. I took interest in great lakes wrecks because I can get to them on a 1 day outing and I can get in a really great trip in a long weekend...with no airlines involved. When I did start to travel more to dive, it was Florida caves rather than tropical resorts. I'd rather camp and dive on my own schedule than be in a resort someplace diving on someone elses schedule.
It's just all depends on what you like and what you have available.
I was certified in September. By Novenber I was in a dry suit. I started ice diving in January when the dive sites iced over. I didn't have the time or money back then to travel but I wanted to dive so I dived what I had. I took interest in great lakes wrecks because I can get to them on a 1 day outing and I can get in a really great trip in a long weekend...with no airlines involved. When I did start to travel more to dive, it was Florida caves rather than tropical resorts. I'd rather camp and dive on my own schedule than be in a resort someplace diving on someone elses schedule.
It's just all depends on what you like and what you have available.
AlaskaDiver
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DA Aquamaster has made some excellent points.
This thread has had responses mostly from people referring to suiting up for their cold water dive in a wet suit. A wet suit is simply not cold water diving. I have yet to meet anyone in the Anchorage area who dives in a wet suit other than on a select few summer days. Logically, 37F water is just not safe to dive in your wetsuit - especially in winter.
Cold water diving is done in cold water (below 50F). Everyone wears a drysuit if they intend on remaining comfortable during the dive. Mastering usage of a drysuit takes more skill and practice than a wetsuit. Mastery of drysuit usage can be anywhere from a few to 20 dives. Locally in Anchorage, you cannot rent a drysuit without showing proof of drysuit certification (this assumes some proficiency of usage). However it is interesting that the same dealer will sell you a drysuit without any drysuit certification. Probably something in the liability to the LDS with the rentals. In any case, drysuit usage requires extra effort.
From what I have read in this thread, some posters are assuming ability based on climate. The fact that I have learned to dive in Alaska does not make me a better diver than one who has learned to dive in Florida. The comparison between cold & warm water divers should really take into consideration the diver's newness to the sport, their frequency annually of diving, the location, shore versus boat, the viz, the quality of equipment and other conditions.
This thread has had responses mostly from people referring to suiting up for their cold water dive in a wet suit. A wet suit is simply not cold water diving. I have yet to meet anyone in the Anchorage area who dives in a wet suit other than on a select few summer days. Logically, 37F water is just not safe to dive in your wetsuit - especially in winter.
Cold water diving is done in cold water (below 50F). Everyone wears a drysuit if they intend on remaining comfortable during the dive. Mastering usage of a drysuit takes more skill and practice than a wetsuit. Mastery of drysuit usage can be anywhere from a few to 20 dives. Locally in Anchorage, you cannot rent a drysuit without showing proof of drysuit certification (this assumes some proficiency of usage). However it is interesting that the same dealer will sell you a drysuit without any drysuit certification. Probably something in the liability to the LDS with the rentals. In any case, drysuit usage requires extra effort.
From what I have read in this thread, some posters are assuming ability based on climate. The fact that I have learned to dive in Alaska does not make me a better diver than one who has learned to dive in Florida. The comparison between cold & warm water divers should really take into consideration the diver's newness to the sport, their frequency annually of diving, the location, shore versus boat, the viz, the quality of equipment and other conditions.
As many posts, this one appropriately points out the value of variety, and diving in different and difficult conditions. I have limited COASTAL shore diving experience. Quarry 'shore' diving, and even Bonaire shore diving is just not the same (although 1000 Steps IS daunting on the exit). That may not make the SoCal folks 'better' divers than me, but they certainly have exposure to and experience with an environment that I don't, and I am completely sure that, in that environment, they are far better divers than I am. I might not make it through the surf! I do have lots of COASTAL boat diving experience (including the long tedious rides, the barf fests when the swell amplitude and frequency are just right, the fun of getting up the wildly swinging ladder wearing my double 120s.) Maybe, in that environment, I might be a 'better' diver than a SoCal person who has never experienced it. But, that does not have any relevance. I just want to be 'better' than myself - IOW to continue to develop and refine skills, broaden my experience base, and learn from others, both in and out of the water, and be able to say 'I am better now than I was a year ago, and I hope to be even better next year.' So, going way back to the OPs very appropriate question, where you certify (Utah or warm Carribean climes) is probably not as important as how you continue to develop. Get certified and join the fun!
Buoyant1
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Given the choice...80+ degree water, 40+ ft viz and a nice wreck to dive on would be my choice, but I live in the North East, and don't have the funds to make it to Florida (and other spots) QUITE as often as I'd like..so I made the choice to give the cold water stuff a "good college try", and now I actually enjoy a cold no viz dive in a quarry where I'm only going to see some perch and a few sunnies, not to mention a bull dozer and cement mixer!
I DO think that the training and experience I got in the quarries helps me immensely when I DO get to salt water, good viz etc.... I seem to be a bit more comfy in the water, as well as more aware of the things that are surrounding me, because I can SEE them! hahaha!
I also had no trouble, or problems, on a recent set of ocean dives where the viz sucked (I was taking a wreck specialty, and we dove on Flagler's Barge off of Marathon) I was totally at ease and enjoyed the two dives I did, (which impressed the HECK out of my instructor) but my buddy (who was taking AOW and did the wreck specialty as an elective dive) was totally freaked out, and HATED the entire dive! (I didn't ask him, but my guess is that he's a vacation only diver)
Cold water no viz diving preps you for adverse conditions, and in my opinion helps you become comfortable in less than ideal situations. If I did warm water great viz diving only, THEN tried to dive in a cold dark quarry, I'd pass...
I DO think that the training and experience I got in the quarries helps me immensely when I DO get to salt water, good viz etc.... I seem to be a bit more comfy in the water, as well as more aware of the things that are surrounding me, because I can SEE them! hahaha!
I also had no trouble, or problems, on a recent set of ocean dives where the viz sucked (I was taking a wreck specialty, and we dove on Flagler's Barge off of Marathon) I was totally at ease and enjoyed the two dives I did, (which impressed the HECK out of my instructor) but my buddy (who was taking AOW and did the wreck specialty as an elective dive) was totally freaked out, and HATED the entire dive! (I didn't ask him, but my guess is that he's a vacation only diver)
Cold water no viz diving preps you for adverse conditions, and in my opinion helps you become comfortable in less than ideal situations. If I did warm water great viz diving only, THEN tried to dive in a cold dark quarry, I'd pass...
Already mentioned several times, but I think diving in lots of different environments and diving a lot makes you a good diver, not the temp of the water.
Quick example was on one of my recent trips I dove with some people from the north who primarily dive cold water and they talked how much better it is to learn to dive in cold waters (they dove all in lakes and quarries), etc. Kinda annoying. Anyway, on one the dives they jumped in and freaked out because the current was "ripping." Well, I got in and to me it just felt like a normal dive with a little current..lol. It took a lot for me to not make a comment regarding their cold water training, but I bit my tongue.
Quick example was on one of my recent trips I dove with some people from the north who primarily dive cold water and they talked how much better it is to learn to dive in cold waters (they dove all in lakes and quarries), etc. Kinda annoying. Anyway, on one the dives they jumped in and freaked out because the current was "ripping." Well, I got in and to me it just felt like a normal dive with a little current..lol. It took a lot for me to not make a comment regarding their cold water training, but I bit my tongue.
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I think the point is that diving is about adapting to an environment that we were never designed for. Comfort in the water is a symptom of this adaptation. Some conditions are more difficult to adapt to than others ... and some require skills that are transferrable to other conditions.
People who have been exposed to current will be more comfortable in current ... no matter what the water temp or vis may be.
I'm not a big fan of these "people who dive xxx are better divers than people who dive yyy" type threads ... there are great divers and lousy divers in just about any xxx and yyy you want to apply ... and to my concern, diving's just not a competitive sport anyway ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
I agree 100%.. I'm especially tired of the trend where if you don't dive in the harshest conditions with atleast 2000+ dives and a BP/W you are a Scuba Noob.
I'm cool with experience and I respect it, but it gets a bit extreme.
While the water was a tad cold (51° F), the dives were very easy. It was flat calm, with a very light current. Entry and exit was extremely easy - walk up and down the steps. I've had much more challenging dives in water that was 35° warmer. Yes, water temp is a factor to consider in dive planning, but for a challenge it doesn't come close to seas or strong currents, both of which are common in oceans warm and cold. I don't understand why people think cold water is such a big deal.
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