Cold water diving

[engdiver]

One thing that I have done in cold water is to keep my lips warm is to cut a piece of neoprene (from a cup warmer or old wet suit) to fit across my mouth. I cut a slot for the regulator mouthpiece to slip thru and add velcro attachments on the ends to attach it to my hood. Seems to help keep your mouth warm.
Also another way to help with donning and removing the SI-Tech ring gloves is to use Armorall around the o-ring and cuffs. It slides off much easier and does'nt hurt the materials.

 

[jdarnall2001]

Yep. I frequent a quarry where the temp at 60 feet or below is 42 degrees year-round. It is bitterly cold to me down there unless I'm diving dry suit. We dived January 1st at the quarry with the water at 42 degrees and the outside air around 30. Brrr!

 

[Matt S.]

I had leaky SI-TECH smurf gloves until I started lubing the o-ring too. I haven't gone to silicone grease... I actually lick the o-ring before I mount the gloves. But that's no fun so I am going to break the rules and use silicone next time. The goal is to keep the o-ring from popping out of its groove, all too easy if there is a lot of friction when you mount the glove in the cuff. (Oh, test your smurf gloves in the sink at home... make darn sure the mounting ring clamp is water tight or it won't matter if the o-ring is.)

Back on topic: I have only dived in water that is 45-50F, and in a drysuit at that. My face is cold at first but I don't notice it after a few minutes. Hands are cold, but not uncomfortable, with wet gloves. But that's only for 1 dive, I haven't done repetitive dives yet. Dry gloves are worth the effort.

 

[Thalassamania]

I use the old Viking wrist rings with some wool gloves I picked up in Iceland and mylar/cotton liners. My fingers are good for about an hour in -2^oC water.

 

[aowdan]

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

come on now. at the beginning of this semester, water temps were around 62...

 

[jeckyll]

Doing no mask swims in mid 40 degree water hurts ... then you accept it and get on with it...

 

[nessum]

Yes.

But dry gloves fix the hand thing. I have yet to beat the ice cream headaches, however.

 

[DOkie]

Ice finally went out and going diving in the Bay this weekend. I hate that moment right before you go under water, because you KNOW it's going to HURT. Then all goes numb and everythings great.

Question though. I know that if the water here is warm (60 - in the fall) I have a tendency to ditch the drysuit and even get a little warm in the wetsuit. For those that dive in cold water consistently, do you have a problem gettng overheated in warmer climates?

 

[DOkie]

Was that including the wind chill factor? The coldest temp was 7 degrees above zero with a wind chill factor of -30. Felt kind of like the tin man when you stop moving.

 

[GrandpaScuba]

Hayden Lake Idaho, March circa 1984, 38 degrees F, High-waist, Imperial Wetsuit.