AlexinWanderland
Registered
- Messages
- 24
- Reaction score
- 7
- # of dives
- 100 - 199
So, in June I went on my first drysuit dive to Silfra in Iceland!
I'm a rescue diver with maybe 200 dives, but I was very intimidated by the idea of drysuit diving and the cold water. I was assured I would go numb from the cold, but that wasn't true for me... I was uncomfortable the entire time. In fact, I almost had to call the second dive due to a "brain freeze" type headache. And the drysuit experience was very humbling! Kudos to all those that do it regularly. Oh, and note to those that are weaklings like me: I was wearing almost 80lbs of gear -- I was sore for two days from the short walk.
Still, despite all that I'm SO GLAD I did it. Never in my life have I seen visibility like that (100m+!) or colors like that (I didn't know neon existed in nature!) It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Being between two tectonic plates, seeing the brightest neons nature has to offer, drinking glacial water throughout the dive these are experiences that simply cant be replicated. And after struggling through the constant discomfort of the drysuit, the psychological challenge of the cold, and laboring with the weight of the equipment, I can certainly say that it was a hard-earned high. And that of course made it so much sweeter.
I can't recommend Scuba Iceland enough. I felt like I was diving with old friends -- both the instructor and the divemaster were brilliant and fun and had great diving stories to tell. It was a small group, just me fun diving and one student doing a check out dive. Oh and also, they took AMAZING photos and gave them to me on a disc after.
For a full report and photos see my blog post: Scuba Diving Iceland
I'm happy to answer any questions that I can! Happy diving!
I'm a rescue diver with maybe 200 dives, but I was very intimidated by the idea of drysuit diving and the cold water. I was assured I would go numb from the cold, but that wasn't true for me... I was uncomfortable the entire time. In fact, I almost had to call the second dive due to a "brain freeze" type headache. And the drysuit experience was very humbling! Kudos to all those that do it regularly. Oh, and note to those that are weaklings like me: I was wearing almost 80lbs of gear -- I was sore for two days from the short walk.
Still, despite all that I'm SO GLAD I did it. Never in my life have I seen visibility like that (100m+!) or colors like that (I didn't know neon existed in nature!) It was one of the most amazing experiences of my life. Being between two tectonic plates, seeing the brightest neons nature has to offer, drinking glacial water throughout the dive these are experiences that simply cant be replicated. And after struggling through the constant discomfort of the drysuit, the psychological challenge of the cold, and laboring with the weight of the equipment, I can certainly say that it was a hard-earned high. And that of course made it so much sweeter.
I can't recommend Scuba Iceland enough. I felt like I was diving with old friends -- both the instructor and the divemaster were brilliant and fun and had great diving stories to tell. It was a small group, just me fun diving and one student doing a check out dive. Oh and also, they took AMAZING photos and gave them to me on a disc after.
For a full report and photos see my blog post: Scuba Diving Iceland
I'm happy to answer any questions that I can! Happy diving!