Cold weather diving

[TooManyHobbies]

It may sound odd, but I’m not worried about the water this winter, I’m worried about the air.
I’m diving in Maryland (Juturna) and I’ve been incredibly comfortable in my 7mm wetsuit so far. To my understanding, the thermocline moves up a bit, but still stays around 42°F at the coldest.
The quarry is supposed to stay open all winter. Towards Jan-Feb it gets pretty chilly here.

I don’t feel like spending the money on a dry suit just yet. I have a lot more research to do before I (almost certainly) eventually get one and I’ll likely rent and try beforehand. I’m sure I’ll ask an obnoxious amount of questions when that time comes. I just don’t want to rush such a big purchase.

Is there a way to dive in moderately nippy water with freezing air temps safely in a wetsuit?
What are other gear concerns? I’m using an Atomic Z2 that is not sealed. It’s new and I’m hoping to wait until it needs service before I have it sealed. I have read several people say it’s fine until you get into the 30°s.
Any other advice?

 

[KenGordon]

It may sound odd, but I’m not worried about the water this winter, I’m worried about the air.
I’m diving in Maryland (Juturna) and I’ve been incredibly comfortable in my 7mm wetsuit so far. To my understanding, the thermocline moves up a bit, but still stays around 42°F at the coldest.
The quarry is supposed to stay open all winter. Towards Jan-Feb it gets pretty chilly here.

I don’t feel like spending the money on a dry suit just yet. I have a lot more research to do before I (almost certainly) eventually get one and I’ll likely rent and try beforehand. I’m sure I’ll ask an obnoxious amount of questions when that time comes. I just don’t want to rush such a big purchase.

Is there a way to dive in moderately nippy water with freezing air temps safely in a wetsuit?
What are other gear concerns? I’m using an Atomic Z2 that is not sealed. It’s new and I’m hoping to wait until it needs service before I have it sealed. I have read several people say it’s fine until you get into the 30°s.
Any other advice?

In the EU the standard for a cold water reg is use below 10C. That is 50F.
Are you doing more than one dive?
Typically people are ok on the dive but then get cold between dives, are miserable for an hour or two and bottle it just before the second one.
Diving is supposed to be fun.

A drysuit will likely double your season length. It may double your dives per day. Nothing makes such a difference. If you are too cold you will be miserable. If you are warm you will be much happier and probably safer.

In U.K. quarries the deep bitsvary between 4 and 7C through the year and the shallow bit between 5 or 6 and 18C. Even in a drysuit 4 to 8 is a challenge. Take a student along in a wetsuit, even at 10C, and people start trying to sell them drysuit courses.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Up here we have the students bring a thermos of hot water and pour it down their wet suit before the dive. Your warm breath on the cold reg can cause condensation and a possibly cause it to free flow, so don't breath from your reg until your in the water.

 

[BRT]

We tried the hot water in the suit thing, semi-dry suits, etc. In the end we were ending the dives early and still getting out of the water so cold our hands were not working. Not safe, not fun. Dry suits.

 

[DogDiver]

In January when the air turns a fridged 40 degrees F, I’ll get out my Carhart parka. Of course the springs never get colder than 70 degrees. Any colder than that and I would need a dry suit.

 

[rhwestfall]

... should I show the picture?

We did an Ice Class two years ago where one guy dove it in a (double) wet suit, hot water flooded, and soaked hands and feet in coolers of hot water. It was -20F.....

That guy did 2 dives (required), and was in each time 3-5+ times longer than the rest of us doing it dry.....

One guy had his gloves flood, and the liquid froze solid....

Honestly, the water felt great. The air.... not so.

We had coolers of warm water for hands and regulators.

It took me over an hour to get out of my suit. As the water dripped down it, it froze in chunks, completely encasing the laces on my rock boots. Had to sit with my feet under a wood stove to thaw them.

I had the role as a safety diver at one stage, and sat with my feet in a cooler of hot water, and an arctic Carhart draped over me....


IT WAS A BLAST!!!!

 

[northernone]

As noted above. Warm water presoak the suit immediately before diving (not hot or you'll sweat trying to cool down which is pointless thermal stress). Also you can tape the wrists and ankles for less water exchange. I don't do multiple dives in a wetsuit.

Once I'm out it is into full winter gear or a warm place. Wet and cold is quickly fatal.

The advice about not prebreathing the reg is important.

There is more to it, try to learn from an experienced diver.

A drysuit that stays dry is nice for multiple dives... a flooded drysuit is way worse than a thick wetsuit though. For predictable I prefer a wetsuit.

Oh, when you're cold, your cold. No one else's cold tolerances matter. Call the dive promptly for safety. Hypothermia can be silent.
Regards,
Cameron

 

[TMHeimer]

I won't be of much help, but here are my basics--
Once the "cold" weather hits (approx. early Nov.) I only do one dive in a day.
It was real easy when we lived right on the ocean.
Now it will be a very short (5 minute) drive to the closest spot.
My plan is to be in my wetsuit driving there, do the dive, and get back into the car, heater on. Plastic covering the driver's seat.
At home, wetsuit off outside quickly, get changed inside house, then disassemble gear and rinse outside, store inside.
Not the greatest of fun, but we usually snowbird 2-3 months to FL, but probably won't again this winter. So it's that plan or no diving--not gunna buy a drysuit since we'll probably return to snowbirding. Not gunna go until early May with no dives at all.
As pointed out by others, it's the surface interval that gets you, not the water temp. The water here in May (and some Junes) is still in the (sometimes low) 40s, but the Air is warm enough to do a second dive. In Oct. it's the reverse--go IN the water to get warm.
Either way, it's not James Bay......

 

[DanielRJones]

I dive witha bloke that has endured the uk weather in a semi dry for 5 years and 500 dives. Last year was the first year he did not enjoy a dive due to the cold and does not think he can do another winter wet.
Uk water is starting to cool already this year we hit 18deg on surface but was still 6deg at 40m

Winter drops to 5-6 on surface if not lower

 

[EireDiver606]

Just to add, if you’re going to get a Drysuit, please get a proper undersuit and baselayers.

I know this from personal experience and it’s not fun, actually dangerous.