End of the season

[Steve_C]

I dive wet into the colder part of the year. SI are only an issue because of evaporation from the wetsuit. No evaporation = no cooling and it is back to being thermal protection. Locally I have a lined boat coat. Put it on over the 7mm and the 7mm is back to keeping me warm. When I am traveling I bring a set of foul weather rain gear, extra large size. During the SI I put the rain gear on over the wet suit. No wind, no evaporation.

Makes a big difference.

 

[gcarter]

That was my line for years. I stumbled on a used suit for a reasonable price. Until then a $76 40,000 BTU infrared heater mounted on a propane cylinder helped the SI.

That's actually a pretty good idea....

I dive wet into the colder part of the year. SI are only an issue because of evaporation from the wetsuit. No evaporation = no cooling and it is back to being thermal protection. Locally I have a lined boat coat. Put it on over the 7mm and the 7mm is back to keeping me warm. When I am traveling I bring a set of foul weather rain gear, extra large size. During the SI I put the rain gear on over the wet suit. No wind, no evaporation.

Makes a big difference.

I hear you on the wind - what kind of a SI temperature do you find this allows you to tolerate?

 

[TMHeimer]

Diving wet I did my last 2 dive day driving to a shore site 2 days ago. Will do a couple of more single dives per day gearing up in the basement and walking into the ocean. I've done that all winter a couple of times, but this year (and normally) it's driving to FL panhandle for 3 months (Jan.-March). Look forward to my time in good old Destin and seeing my freinds at Emerald Coast Scuba. Of course, I'll mostly be solo shore diving (like here in Nova Scotia), as it's way too cold for most of the locals, whereas I'm contemplating whether to just use the top to my farmer john or just go with the shorty. Jan. water temps. on the Panhandle=Aug. temps. in Nova Scotia.

 

[Crass3000]

Yes it is humorous to hear people in Florida quit for the season. It's a warm weather vacation during the Florida winter for those from the northern states. I can't imagine a boat coat wouldn't keep you toasty if you normally get cold down there.

 

[Mr Carcharodon]

End of season? Last month it was 51F at depth a mile off shore. I don't expect it will get a more than a few degrees colder even in February. We dive dry all year here. And that is OK since the cold water brings different critters than the warm. You just have to have the right gear and then diving can be year round.

 

[Carlos Danger]

I am bummed that this year is over for me and that next season seems so far away, but I am certainly looking forward to doing it all again.

I feel ya dude! :frown:

 

[gcarter]

End of season? Last month it was 51F at depth a mile off shore. I don't expect it will get a more than a few degrees colder even in February. We dive dry all year here. And that is OK since the cold water brings different critters than the warm. You just have to have the right gear and then diving can be year round.

I dive wet in 38* - 40* water with no issues. It's not the water temperature - it's the SI. I don't know where you are in southern CA, but here are the 14 day forecasts for LA and San Diego - then the one for Ottawa. Tell me what SI temperatures YOU would prefer

Tomorrow morning - 37* and snow / rain showers, getting up to a balmy 41* in the afternoon and dropping to 30* tomorrow night.

I'm good, thanks

 

[shoredivr]

I dive right through the snowy season. Drysuit all the way.

 

[gcarter]

I dive right through the snowy season. Drysuit all the way.

You always did seem a bit "off" LOL. :joke:

I really don't want to do winter diving - I would rather be skiing. I would like to do 1 ice dive just 'cause, but I really don't want to take up ice diving.

I just want a slightly longer season...

 

[Crass3000]

You always did seem a bit "off" LOL. :joke:

I really don't want to do winter diving - I would rather be skiing. I would like to do 1 ice dive just 'cause, but I really don't want to take up ice diving.

I just want a slightly longer season...

I used to be of the same opinion but once I broke the tib/fib (fib in two places and all spiral fractures) and it took almost a year to heal fully, I decided diving was my new sport since I have already skied most of the resorts in Colorado and further west.