First Cold Water Post-dive Thoughts

[rx7diver]

Correct. Islamorada is nothing like Flaming Gorge.

Ah! Then you just need to get used to the bulk and weight of the gear required to dive in 60 F fresh water. Some of what you write is simply due to being a new diver, I think, rather than diving in cold water per se. For example, neglecting to connect your crotch strap, or to completely zip your wetsuit, or to do a proper weight check beforehand.

Many of us find that diving in pairs is much easier than diving in triples (say). Buddy checks, keeping track of your buddy, etc., all seem to be more easily done, with less stress.

Your next dives in "cold" water will almost certainly be smoother.

One other comment: I learned to dive in MO and AR. Big lakes here have temps at depth that are in the mid-50's. We never regarded these temps as "cold." "Cold" for us here is winter diving, especially since you can't warm up by ascending to the shallows.

Congrats on completing your first local dives in "cold" water.

rx7diver

 

[Litefoot]

Ah! Then you just need to get used to the bulk and weight of the gear required to dive in 60 F fresh water. Some of what you write is simply due to being a new diver, I think, rather than diving in cold water per se. For example, neglecting to connect your crotch strap, or to completely zip your wetsuit, or to do a proper weight check beforehand.

Many of us find that diving in pairs is much easier than diving in triples (say). Buddy checks, keeping track of your buddy, etc., all seem to be more easily done, with less stress.

Your next dives in "cold" water will almost certainly be smoother.

One other comment: I learned to dive in MO and AR. Big lakes here have temps at depth that are in the mid-50's. We never regarded these temps as "cold." "Cold" for us here is winter diving, especially since you can't warm up by ascending to the shallows.

Congrats on completing your first local dives in "cold" water.

rx7diver

There's a lot of truth in what you say. Much of my struggling is simply inexperience. This is only my third dive after certification. But I have a couple dives (and some newfound confidence) in my new wet suit. I have my weighting mostly sorted out (at least how much weight I need) and I worked on some psychological barriers of diving in relatively cold murky water.

 

[kinoons]

Just curious how diving at 6000 ft affected your dive planning

Short answer - it didn’t really.

Longer answer - it depends.

If you come from a lower elevation to a higher elevation then you start at a different group on a deco table than if you are at sealevel, or if you stayed at elevation the night before.

It’s also wise to consider longer safety stops since total atmospheric pressure is less, which can matter as you get close to the surface.

But for most recreational divers just change the elevation setting on your computer and you’re more or less good.

The big thing to watch is elevation gain during the drive home if you boogie right after the last dive of the day.

None the less, an altitude diving course will fill in the blanks I’m not explaining here.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Well done, learning to dive local, murky waters. Compared with Islamorada, I suppose 61F is indeed "cold." When I dived in California I referred to our local water temperature range of mid-50s to mid-60s as "temperate." In my mind, "cold" water is somewhat below that. Regardless, your reservoir is a whole a different ballgame than warm, clear water. Great learning experience.

 

[Litefoot]

Well done, learning to dive local, murky waters. Compared with Islamorada, I suppose 61F is indeed "cold." When I dived in California I referred to our local water temperature range of mid-50s to mid-60s as "temperate." In my mind, "cold" water is somewhat below that. Regardless, your reservoir is a whole a different ballgame than warm, clear water. Great learning experience.

Thanks. After my experience, I really have a greater appreciation for the PSD's out there who have to deal with cold, low-visibility water all the time.

I hope I don't derail the direction of this thread, but after climbing the steep egress after the dive, I can see the benefit of a weight belt. I can quickly separate the majority of the weight from my other kit making the hike out a bit easier. At age 63, I'm not old, but I'm not young either.

 

[Marie13]

61? To a Great Lakes/Midwestern diver, that’s warm! But guess that’s cold for a FL diver. Cold doesn’t always mean dark murk. Early season on the Great Lakes means great viz, but water temps in the 40s.

 

[steinbil]

I did my first cold water dive:

Congrats!

We dove in a threesome and even with bright flashlights, I found I could lose sight of the other two in the dark murky water in the blink of the eye.

This is where team diving, positioning and light communication come into play. In a well-oiled team, I love diving in dark water because it's so easy to see other light beams which makes communication easier. Usually this means diving in a wing formation where every so often the left and right diver makes sure to calmly swipe their light beam into the view of the lead (middle) diver to let them know everything is ok. This is an example of passive light communication that makes it easy to keep track of each other without turning your head to see them. As long as their light beams move calmly in predictable ways, everything is good. It also makes it easy to see what your team is looking at / checking out. If needed, the leader draws a circle with the light to ask "ok?", and diver 2 and 3 responds with a circle on top of the leaders light beam/in their field of vision to signal "ok". If you want attention, a calm but decisive back and forth or up and down movement with the light is all you need. If any light moves in an erratic fashion you check it out to make sure everything is ok. With divers that are used to this type of light communication, night diving is so relaxing and easy, and the communication is much less intrusive and taxing than when you need visual contact and hand signals.

There were, however, moments of blissful hovering with fish (small-mouth bass) curiously checking me out.

Nice! That's what it's all about!

The weight pockets on my wing and waist belt are for trim and not designed for weights above 3 lb. I need bigger pockets. Cold water diving is my lot in life, so I need to seriously consider a steel tank and SS backplate.

Get a weight belt. Simple. Cheap. Efficient. Easy to don/doff. I definitely recommend steel tank and SS backplate for cold water diving, so you don't need as much weight on the belt.

I have a long hose configuration and I need to find a better way to manage the length when I'm not in the water.

After donning the rig, I always stow the long hose like I do underwater – behind the neck, across my chest, with the loop tucked under a light canister or into the waist belt of the harness. When I'm not wearing the rig, I loop the longhose a few times (like a rope or cable) and clip the primary to the harness through the middle of the loops to keep the hose in place on the harness.

 

[Litefoot]

Congrats!

This is where team diving, positioning and light communication come into play. In a well-oiled team, I love diving in dark water because it's so easy to see other light beams which makes communication easier. Usually this means diving in a wing formation where every so often the left and right diver makes sure to calmly swipe their light beam into the view of the lead (middle) diver to let them know everything is ok. This is an example of passive light communication that makes it easy to keep track of each other without turning your head to see them. As long as their light beams move calmly in predictable ways, everything is good. It also makes it easy to see what your team is looking at / checking out. If needed, the leader draws a circle with the light to ask "ok?", and diver 2 and 3 responds with a circle on top of the leaders light beam/in their field of vision to signal "ok". If you want attention, a calm but decisive back and forth or up and down movement with the light is all you need. If any light moves in an erratic fashion you check it out to make sure everything is ok. With divers that are used to this type of light communication, night diving is so relaxing and easy, and the communication is much less intrusive and taxing than when you need visual contact and hand signals.


Nice! That's what it's all about!


Get a weight belt. Simple. Cheap. Efficient. Easy to don/doff. I definitely recommend steel tank and SS backplate for cold water diving, so you don't need as much weight on the belt.


After donning the rig, I always stow the long hose like I do underwater – behind the neck, across my chest, with the loop tucked under a light canister or into the waist belt of the harness. When I'm not wearing the rig, I loop the longhose a few times (like a rope or cable) and clip the primary to the harness through the middle of the loops to keep the hose in place on the harness.

Thanks so much for those great tips! I'll see if we can't incorporate some of your light signalling ideas. The more I think of it, the more I'm leaning toward a weight belt. I'd like to shed as much weight as possible before getting out of the water and hiking back to the staging area. That means I will probably stick with the aluminum BP for now. I can always change my mind later.

 

[rx7diver]

Congrats!

This is where team diving, positioning and light communication come into play. In a well-oiled team, I love diving in dark water because it's so easy to see other light beams which makes communication easier. Usually this means diving in a wing formation ...

Naw. Basic rec diving. Simply dive as a buddy pair, shoulder to shoulder. Descend together. Ascend together. Simple.

ETA: Even hold hands if you want to.

rx7diver

 

[steinbil]

Naw. Basic rec diving. Simply dive as a buddy pair, shoulder to shoulder. Descend together. Ascend together. Simple.

ETA: Even hold hands if you want to.

rx7diver

I don't want to start a discussion as it would derail this thread a bit, but I see no drawbacks of passive light communication and many advantages. I love not having to swivel my head all the time to see my buddies. Staying very close shoulder to shoulder (or holding hands) doesn't allow for much fun - of course better than being separated, but a often a little cramped. If you're very new and you feel like you need it, sure. Otherwise light communication gives you more freedom. And it's not hard!