ling
Guest
Hi all.Was just wondering what is the main difference between a salt water and fresh water dive as i am quite interested to do a fresh water dive and what kind of things can i expect to see.
fresh water diving vs salt water diving
- Thread starter ling
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Tractor Tom
Contributor
...and the major difference between diving in sea water and diving in fresh water is usually visability.
For the most part, visability in fresh water is not as good as it is in sea water. We dive lots of times here in the local lakes, where GOOD visability is 20 feet or so, and poor visability is 3-6'. In the salt water, very rarely do you find people diving in vis of less than 20 feet or so. In deed while diving in sea water, I have had 100+ feet of visability at times. The best I have ever seen in fresh (and very cold) water in the great lakes is about 70-80'.
Additionally, you need about 10% more weight in sea water than you do in fresh water, so it's easy to make a freshwater dive and be overweighted, if you are used to diving in sea water.
Other than that, water is water. Different forms of life in salt, verses fresh water, but not too much else.
For the most part, visability in fresh water is not as good as it is in sea water. We dive lots of times here in the local lakes, where GOOD visability is 20 feet or so, and poor visability is 3-6'. In the salt water, very rarely do you find people diving in vis of less than 20 feet or so. In deed while diving in sea water, I have had 100+ feet of visability at times. The best I have ever seen in fresh (and very cold) water in the great lakes is about 70-80'.
Additionally, you need about 10% more weight in sea water than you do in fresh water, so it's easy to make a freshwater dive and be overweighted, if you are used to diving in sea water.
Other than that, water is water. Different forms of life in salt, verses fresh water, but not too much else.
On the other hand if you dive fresh water springs in Florida, your vis is limited only by the wall or shore on the other side of the hole you are in. Think diving in Dasani.
But if you dive the lakes or rivers, think Lipton tea. lol
But if you dive the lakes or rivers, think Lipton tea. lol
badsign
Registered
How about Lake Tahoe any good spots there ?
DeputyDan
Contributor
Which means that an OW certification won't cover this type dive.
Only bring this up since its on the newbie board.
Only bring this up since its on the newbie board.
Fresh water is less dense so you'll need less weight for the same amount od exposure protection.
The life is different. We don't get many salt water animals in fresh water. Also fresh water flora and fauna is less colorful.
On the other hand, as some one who grew up fishing for fresh water fish, fresh water fish look like fish while the stuff in the ocean is funny looking. LOL
Salt water is just plain nasty but might be worth tolorating to see some really cool stuff.
The life is different. We don't get many salt water animals in fresh water. Also fresh water flora and fauna is less colorful.
On the other hand, as some one who grew up fishing for fresh water fish, fresh water fish look like fish while the stuff in the ocean is funny looking. LOL
Salt water is just plain nasty but might be worth tolorating to see some really cool stuff.
clearwtr
Registered
I agree that vis can be poor in freshwater due to silt algae etc. . Also colors are more intense in salt water life, therefore freshwater dives can seem, or be, drab compared to a reef dive.
In any decent OW course that is taught at altitude, altitude should be covered. OTOH, a few months back, several of us checked standards and we weren't able to find any agency that required altitude to be covered even when the class is taught at altitude. While that is sad, it's not required at the advanced level either which is even sadder. This means an AOW certification won't cover this type dive either. It should be required academics in every advanced course.
lamont
Contributor
Is there more to it than just using different tables, and/or adjusting your computer because of the reduced surface pressure?
While it is fairly straight forward, diving at altitude does have its concerns and procedures. Usually you can figure adding approximately 4% to your actual depth for every 1000' in altitude you dive in. For instance, if your diving at 5000' then you would add 20% to your actual depth, that 60' dive would become a 72' dive with all the compression and decompression issues.
Look
HERE for some good information if your intersted.
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