Cold water diving

[fire_diver]

Just curious after my dives today. Have you ever dove in water that was so cold it actually hurt? I decided to leave my gloves in the car today, since the surface was about 56. Well, after crossing the second thermocline the water was so cold that my hands and lips hurt. After a few minutes they went numb, and I went back up. I never got the actual temp reading.

So, has ^you^ ever dove in water that was actually painful?

Comrade

 

[trtldvr]

I'm from the Keys. as far as I'm concerned anything below 75 deg is uninhabitol.

 

[JackConnick]

Sure. In the winter fresh water lies on the surface and it was snow a couple minutes ago, usually it's in the upper 30's for the first few feet. The joke became, "Hey let's get down to 80' and get warm!". Usually after my face gets numb it's not so bad.

Remember there's lots of nerves and stuff on hands and heads. In water colder than about mid 70's you're going to get cold, IMHO, YMMV.

Jack

 

[danielt]

he man...
just saw your post......
yes, the water in melbourne around july-aug is b/w 10c-13c. if u dont where a hood, u get some serious brain freeze.i did that last year and my head was numb for an 1hr went i got out of the water.
painful....nah just freezing!!!!!!

 

[TheHobster]

worse than ice cream headaches - and the hand thing, that'll get ya ready for arthrities in a few years

 

[SparticleBrane]

I'm from the Keys. as far as I'm concerned anything below 75 deg is uninhabitol.

...I dive 75 in a 3mm. :11:

 

[Carribeandiver]

last year when I did my OW dives in the Gulf, the water was 78F. I hated the constant squeeze of a wetsuit so much that I made the dives in a skin only.
Now, I think back and wonder how I did that. But since I got used to a wetsuit, I need a 3mm for 82. I am thinking it is a mental thing and the thing is, I am a mental.

 

[Paco]

January 3 this year, my computer read 33F in a local lake. Yes, it hurts (unitl it goes numb) on exposed skin.

 

[Diving Doc]

how does 3C float yer boat?



Ice cream headaches, no feeling left in hands and something else shrinks too!

 

[Rainer]

The water here now is in the upper 30s. Only exposed skin is around my lips. They get numb before they hurt.