Drysuit diver in Monterey, how you guys manage the temperature swing

[eelnoraa]

I think this is a better section to ask this question. I was diving in Monterey the passed weekend. Above water, it was very warm, possbily in 80s. When I suited up, I start overheating. I decided to switch out my under garmet and go with a light weight fleece sweat shirt and pants. Big mistake!!! At 30ft, temperature dropped to 50F. 15 minutes into the dive, I started feeling cold. 10 minutes later, I have to come up for warmth.

So my question is how you guys manage the above/under water temperature swing? Even I was in my light weight fleece, I was sweating on land. I cannot image putting on 200g UG even for 15 minutes. But once underwater, I think that 200g UG is just barely enough.

 

[andrewy]

i wet my head with water then don my suit fast and run for the water without gear. 5 min in a water drops my core temp just enough to be comfy on surface for 20min or so. if it is overcast i spend 30min with naked torso . or another trick when diving compressed neoprene in a summer, first dive i do without undergarments and second dive i put 100g on. again it is all depends on your body structure and muscle mass. I can take cold temp but not hot. i guess you are the same way.

 

[Gombessa]

This is a big issue in places like Monterey, where the water temperature is cold (we've seen 45-46 this spring) and the land temperature can be high. There are a few things that can help:

1. Set up your gear first, and get into your drysuit as late as possible. You can use the suit's suspenders if it has them, and keep the top half of the undergarments and suit off until you're ready to do your gear checks and get in the water. Do your dive plan discussion before you get into the suit.

2. If you're close to the shore, you can walk down into the water in your suit (without your gear) to cool off. Just a minute kneeling in waist-high water makes a huge difference, and when you get back out to finish gearing up, the evaporative cooling of the water on the suit will continue to keep you cool. If you're at a location like the Breakwater that has showers, stand under those for a minute.

3. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water.

4. Stay under the shade as much as you can once you're in your suit, and move as little as possible until you're ready to step into the water. When fully kitted up, you're going to sweat like crazy, it's just a fact. And that moisture is going to cool down as soon as you hit the water (and prevent you from being as warm as possible), so do whatever you can to minimize unnecessary movement while on land. When I'm ready to get into my suit, I have my gear all set up, any heavier stuff staged if possible, and I just get into my rig, sit very still for the gear check.

Many of us dive very thick 400g-level undergarments, sometimes with even more insulation such as a vest. You just really have to be organized and efficient, overheating while on land is a real concern.

 

[tstormdiver]

I live in KY. Lately we've had air temps pushing towards 100 degrees F. The temperature of the bottom of the quarry ( up to 120 ft) I dive in is 42 degrees year round. The surface is warmer (right now, in the upper 70's), with a few thermoclines to go through during the dive. First thing I do is assemble my equipment & have it ready for me to slip into. Next I don my drysuit & undergarments as quickly as I can. I then get into the water for 2 reasons,.... 1. to cool off & 2. to "burp" the excess air out of the suit. I make sure I wet my head to help with the cooling. I then immediately put my, computer(s), my doubles on. I then get into the water & put my hood & gloves on. If I'm still hot & waiting for my buddy to get ready, I'll tell them that I'll wait for them on a suspended platform at 25', just beneath the first thermocline to cool off. It won't be too long, when I get down there, that I'll be wishing I was hot again. When I get out, I'm usually boarder line hypothermic & welcome the warm air & can doff my equipment & drysuit at my leisure.

 

[FishDiver]

This is big problem with local shore dives involving long hikes from the vehicle to the entry site. I dived Monastery a few weeks ago on a hot day and was soaked before I got to the water. My only advice is hydration and walking slowly during the hikes.

 

[piikki]

Does not get quite as hot here but I am poor with heat. One thing I would add to the good suggestions is - put as much gear ready back at home as possible for local shore dives. Way nicer to assemble your rig in cool garage than in blazing sun.

 

[fisheater]

Another small tip to add to the above advice: Load up your drysuit pockets at home. You want to be able to don you drysuit, don your gear and get into the water ASAP.

 

[Anti-Hero]

Spend copious amounts of time in the sauna.

 

[bjd001]

Definitely agree with the suggestions to do as much gear assembly/dive planning as possible before donning the drysuit. Once we are ready to go we finish dressing, zip the suit, gear up and head for the water!

I also bring a jug of cold water in the car and I dump that over my head and the suit if I start to overheat... That way you don't have to run down to the beach and back... sometimes that's a block or more away... Just make sure the drysuit zipper is closed first! The cold water really helps. (On one dive my husband and I were starting to snipe at each other until we realized we were overheating... Dumped the water on ourselves and everybody was happy again.

 

[dwashbur]

3. Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water.

This is a big one. Even up here in the Seattle area the temperature differences get to be a problem. I keep a jug of water next to me the whole time I'm assembling the gear, putting it on and all the rest. Too much is better than not enough, and if you're concerned about wetting the inside of your suit, well, that's what Depends are for!

Seriously, "stay hydrated" is one of THE major factors to keep in mind.