Cold water divers are better?

[Eric Sedletzky]

Us cold water, huge swell, ripping current divers only boast about how hard it is to dive where we dive because deep down we are miserable and just jealous as hell of those who are fortunate enough to be warm water primadonna's.
Who cares what kind of skills and stamina it takes to dive in some cold water locations in the world, it can still be miserable conditions with a very limited amount of days in a year to dive. Sometimes I think I would be glad to give up this crap to be able to dive in beautifiul warm water almost 365 days a year.
It's not just about the "training", it's about where you get to dive. The training is just something required to reach the end result, the actual diving.

 

[DevonDiver]

Shrivellage! :cold:


(is that even a real word?) lmao

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

Of course a "vacation diver" from a cold water location will have less opportunities to develop good skills and attitude than say someone who is a regular active diver living in a tropical location. On the other hand, a regular active diver from a cold water location will have more opportunities to develop good skills and attitude than an occasional diver in a Tropical location.

The guide/instructors I know are not quite so broad in stereo typing.

I'd say that if we find out the diver is from the PNW/BC, our first questions might be along the lines of "where were you certified" and "do you dive at home." Then, while watching eyes and body language during the answer, if given a no BS answer of "home" and "yes" then there is only the formalities of asking "where did you dive last" and "how many dives lifetime."

If on the other hand the diver answers "Caribbean" and "warm water" the questions about "last dives" and "total dives" might not just be a formality.

If it is an Islander that was certified at "home" and dives "warm water," you should probably chat them up kind of as a "teammate" (us vs them) and hope for clues as to what their "last dives" and "total dives" really mean.

 

[sambolino44]

People who make generalizations are always wrong.

 

[fisheater]

People who make generalizations are always wrong.

I hate judgmental people.

 

[DevonDiver]

People who make generalizations are always wrong.

But that's a generalisation..... so does that mean you are wrong? and they are right? or wrong? urgh....

 

[Gombessa]

Apples to apples, I really feel diving in warm water is significantly *easier* than diving in cold water. IMO issues like currents and drift dives skills are red herrings, since these are only examples of numerous site-specific conditions that can occur in water of any temperature. On the other hand, I see the risks associated with colder water temperature as significantly higher and potentially more severe.

In the end though, I don't think any of this makes cold water divers *better* in any way; perhaps just more willing to put up with what we need to put up with in order to dive. There are plenty of bad divers in cold water, and you certainly don't need more *skill* in order to merely get away with a poorly planned or executed cold water dive.

 

[MauiScubaSteve]

It's pretty funny how society works. In order to properly raise children you have to show them how to make good judgement, including making judgements about the people you meet. For the first 15 years of our training we are taught how to judge.

Then the ignorant people get offended when they learn that they have been judged to be ignorant and everybody starts saying judge not lest ye be also judged and some such crap.

We all judge pretty much all the time; the better poker players keep it to their vest.

 

[DevonDiver]

I think the terms are too generalised. Here is my scientific and clinically proven assessment of diver skill vs water temperature...

32-34 centigrade - Generic Skill level 6/10 or 42.7% of total peak skill capability.
14-18 centigrade - Generic Skill level 9/10 or 78.32% of total peak skill capability.
27-31 centigrade - Generic Skill level 3/10 or 24.6% of total peak skill capability.
19-22 centigrade - No data available.
1-9 centigrade - Generic Skill level 2/10 or 13.91% of total peak skill capability.
10-13 centigrade - Generic Skill level 10/10 or 36.87% of total peak skill capability.

If anyone wants to disagree, then I want to see your calculations!

 

[Justincase]

This BS cracks me up current is not a problem if you are drifting with it, if you have to go against a 4 knot current hope you are on the bottom so you can pull your ass along, but what a waste of air and time. Up here in Canada we deal with current all the time in the St Lawrence river but try to work it in our favor also deal with low vis and temps we also have lake Ontario and quarries no current but cold. I dive in the Caribbean in the winter for me that's a walk in the park and very enjoyable but I am sure there are many challenging dives down there my point is to try and generalize based on warm water vs cold water in a given area/climate is wrong . But who give a sh.t if a cold water dive is better than a warm water divers just enjoy, its the same as comparing a Tech diver with a Sport diver just means one decided to take additional training IMHO.

Thank you ! Someone that makes some sense..:banana:

If there is current ( like diving in Jupiter,FL) you just go with the flow ...not hard actually . I call it lazy man diving :cool2: