Differences of Warm & Cold Water Diving

[DCBC]

Thanks to everyone for there responses. It would seem definition of warm and cold water is a matter of perception, so is arbitrary. Some have mentioned "cold water" (for them) is in the 50's where for me this water temperature would be really "warming-up."

I found it beneficial and interesting to read about how others perceive things, what equipment they utilize and how this may or may not affect their diving experience & the decompression model they utilize. Thanks to everyone for their input.

 

[sabbath999]

In your opinion, what are the largest differences that you've experienced between diving in warm water and cold?

How does this affect the type of diving you do?

How does this affect the diving equipment you use?

Do you make any alteration to your decompression plan?

The largest difference I experience is that one is cold and one is not as cold. Since I have limited exposure protection options at this point in time (I just learned how to dive dry, and I don't yet own a suit) that means I pretty much only can dive wet... which limits the amount I can do in cold water.

Other than my exposure suits and weights, it doesn't affect my equipment choice at all... when I bought my equipment, I got stuff that was made for both warm & cold water (ScubaPro cold water regs).

I don't do decompression dives nor do I tend to dive anywhere near my limits so that doesn't affect me.

 

[fppf]

Warm water is a myth.

I just caught this, actually technically speaking cold water is a myth.
There is no such thing as "cold". "cold" is just the lack of heat. There is no way to measure or quantifiy "cold".

So really there is only less warm water

 

[npollock]

Someone mentioned a hard-to-find article in this thread yesterday (Pollock NW. Cold stress complicates decompression stress. dirQuest. 2003; 4[1]: 14-6.). It does discuss the effects of thermal status on inert gas uptake and eliminaton. Gene Hobbs of Rubicon Foundation has kindly provided a home from which a PDF of the article can be located (the file size was too large to be attached here):

rubicon-foundation.org/Download/Pollock/Cold_Stress_Complicates_Deco_dirQuest2003_4_1 14-16.pdf

The discussion has been good in this thread. I offer a couple of additional observations. First, I would caution against the desire expressed by one to remove as much weight as possible from the weight belt for cold water diving. Easily ditchable weight can be a lifesaver in a number of situations. Being stuck with difficult to ditch negatively buoyant cylinders and backplate can be a real problem if , for example, a dry suit zipper fails. Having a backup buoyancy compensator goes a long way to solving the problem but when I consider worst case scenarios, easily ditchable weight becomes a high priority.

Regarding visibility, it is important to note that some of the best available can be in cold polar regions. General rules of tropical being better than temperate hold but there are almost always exceptions.

Finally, a comment on hypothermia. Definitionally, it requires a core temperature falling below 35C. A cold diver, even an extremely cold diver, is likely not hypothermic after any normal dive. Thermal status will dramatically affect inert gas uptake and elimination long before hypothermia becomes a factor.

 

[OldNSalty]

You are correct, cold water divers get used to not being able to see. The reverse can happen, now they can see everything. It has two out comes, sometimes the perception of actual depth is lost and they drift deeper than intended. Other times perception of being out in the vast open ocean has an effect.

Ah...that sounds correct then. Never thought of it like that.

 

[dannobee]

I don't dive cold but I have no doubts that it is more difficult HOWEVER, I will say that I have seen more then 1 cold water diver have a very bad day in the gulf...To be fair, I have seen a few warm water divers get a little freaked out as well...Don't know why some people are comfortable in a cold lake but warm gulf water gets the better of them...

I've seen quite a few warm water divers who come to cold water and find it very difficult to control their buoyancy.

I do know one thing, when I go to far off vacation spots in the world, the DM will ask three questions; how many dives do you have, when was your last dive, and where do you normally dive. When I answer the last one, "Monterey and Carmel," they leave me alone and go on to the next person. It's pretty much a given that with a fair number of dives in cold water, they probably won't have to worry about you too much.

 

[fppf]

You kidding me, just give them your Ice diver cert card when you check in. First they stair at you for a while, then they look at the card a while. Then just hand it back and tell you that your nuts to some effect.

 

[OldNSalty]

I've seen quite a few warm water divers who come to cold water and find it very difficult to control their buoyancy.

I don't doubt that at all. I suspect most divers who don't take the time to adjust weight when getting new gear or differnt water would find their bouancy an issue. When ever I change something on my set up I use the first dive to experiment with. I know if I added a few more mils of wetsuit or worse yet, a dry suit, I would have to play around with it for a bit.

 

[TSandM]

It isn't just adjusting weight for more exposure protection. It's also the rebound of 14 mm of neoprene, which is something almost unnoticeable in a thin suit. Or the ornery behavior of an unfamiliar drysuit!

 

[Walter]

We get used to certain conditions ... but have no experience with others.

BINGO! Every time I dive in a new type of environment, I consider myself a newbie. The hardest conditions in which to dive are those you know the least about.

It would seem definition of warm and cold water is a matter of perception

If I need to wear more than a swim suit, the water is cold.