Open Water Cert In Cold Water

[Kaffphine]

Momma- "DID ANYONE IN THE CLASSES YOU WORKED WITH EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD? HOW DID THEY MANAGE? I CAN'T IMAGINE 7MM. THE SKILLS MUST BE HARD TO COMPLETE WITH SO MUCH ON. HOW MUCH WEIGHT DID THEY REQUIRE? "

The instutors this shop has are all big on having lots of time to play with bouyance in the pool. The first dive is basicly go to the platform, desencd and then a tour with boyance control being the real goal. For the classes I was with boyance wasn't a big issue, now they're still new divers and it's not perfect. Some problems with ears clearing, by not having a refined control of descent. I've seen some fast desecents in my diving, but there was this one student who caught my eye. I've never seen someone descent so fast, he looked like he was falling off a bed!

They did fine with skills (I ended up going in with OW 1&2)weighting them took some time. There was one student who had a real hard time in the pool with mask remove/replace, she was hesitate before she flooded and remove it, but she did fine.

I'd say they all manged fine, lots of new divers. I think everyone, but one student was certifed. And she probably would have finished, but on the second dive had a sinus squeeze and came up with blood-in-mask. She was done for the day.

momma, just keep diving. If you want to try the PA quarries, let me know I'll take any excuse to go diving.

 

[MOMMA]

Originally posted by Walter
Heck, I'm surprised you didn't stay within 10 - 12 feet of the surface the entire dive.

Please disengage the cap lock. All capital letters is more difficult to read.

I believe you'll find the Keys to be a totally different type of diving. Normally, I'd tell you it's more fun than diving in a cold quarry, but with your recent experience I'm not sure that'll be the case. Enjoy!

When will you be in the Keys?

I am really looking forward to the Keys trip. We (my husband and youngest son) will be in the keys from June 22-29. I can't wait for warm water!

 

[MOMMA]

A big thank you to eveyone who replied. It makes one tend to believe the problem with bouyancy is something that happens to many new divers and not just a bad case of the clumsy's. Thanks again I really appreciate the words of encouragement.:stupid: :stupid:

 

[wannabe]

7mm is standard Neoprene for diving around here-- Try a drysuit with 6.5mm and full of air. I personally carry enough lead to create paint chips for every stupid child in america to eat.

 

[HDrider]

Congrats on your certification.

It looks like you have gotten some very good advice here already. Have an enjoyable trip to Florida. Dive often! That is the best way to learn buoyancy control. Remember when you descend there is no air in your bc and any air you put in it at depth will expand as you ascend. If you do not let the air out as it expands it will seem as though it grabs and pulls you out of the water at about 15 feet.

Tom

 

[art.chick]

Momma,
On my early dives, I flet like the Michelin woman in my 2 pc. 7mm brand-new wetsuit. I wore 32lbs. of lead. I agree with Welshman that you may need more than a dive skin in FL; I own a set of skins, one simple lycra (basically underwear to make everything else slip on easily), a fleece/lycra (to add about 1mm worth of warmth without adding buoyancy), and a triolifin skin (simulates about 2mm of warmth w/no neoprene). If you had one of the 2 latter, perhaps you could use it alone in FL & layer it under your 5mm at home (I just dove SoCal in my triolifin & 5mm combo yesterday in 58F water.) FL will be different than some cold freshwater quarry. Nonetheless, being even a little too cold is no way to enjoy your vacation. Have fun!

 

[Santa]

If you've done your training with heavier gear, you'll soooo love tropical diving. I'm a northern diver and usually goes double 8mm back home - and it's just a completely different sport.

I sometimes wish I could take some of the worries from new divers regarding classics as
- Water in the mask.
- trouble equalising.
- shallow runaway ascents.
- bouyancy control.
- surface stress.
- Using air really fast.

because they tend to be really hard on themselves - when it's just a really natural part of learning the ropes. So often it's worrying itsself that makes it difficult.

In just a few dives you'll feel differently - and more relaxed, it's well-knigh guaranteed. Don't let initial challenges get you down (well...up really).

Tell the local instructor or dive-master about your worries, and if its a proper operation they'll be there for you. Believe me they've heard it before.

1000 happy dives
santa

 

[Blackwood]

I agree with the above notes: 5mm is not NEARLY enough, especially in fresh water where thermoclines are often dramatic.

I also suspect that you were overweighted.

 

[cummings66]

DID ANYONE IN THE CLASSES YOU WORKED WITH EXPERIENCE THE SAME PROBLEM I HAD? HOW DID THEY MANAGE? I CAN'T IMAGINE 7MM. THE SKILLS MUST BE HARD TO COMPLETE WITH SO MUCH ON. HOW MUCH WEIGHT DID THEY REQUIRE?

While I'm not that person, I will answer based on my own experiences in a 7mm suit.

The only thing harder to do IMO is the mask removal because of the hood, but it's not that much harder, just different. The rest of the skills are pretty much the same except your pay more attention to your NB as you get nearer the surface.

For me I think I'm a bit overweighted at 18 lbs, but not by much. What I would say is that every person is different and what works for you or me won't work for another. A buddy of mine similar height but a big more padding has 25 lbs of weight, so it's all relative. In the end, don't worry about what it takes weight wise, it takes what it takes.

7mm is stiffer that's true, but once under water it's not that bad, especially as you go deeper.

 

[String]

Congratulations Momma on your certification.

5mm not enough for 49 degrees. You either needed 7mm or to have added a 5mm vest. You never want to feel cold when diving - instead of concentrating on diving properly you're thinking "I'm cold!" - that's what leads to mistakes.

As for diving in the keys with a skin do you mean one of the 0.5mm skins? If I was you I'd wear a full 3mm wetsuit unless you're just doing one dive a day. Wear an 0.5mm skin and you will be feeling cold by the end of the day.

You will never overheat in the water unless you're sitting in a hot spring which is warmer than your body temperature.

I wore a 3mm full suit in the keys and even then felt a bit cold on dives 4 and 5 of a day.


As for the original post

(i) 5mm isnt adequate for that water. 7mm or better a drysuit
(ii) Massively overweighted
(iii) Caps lock is on the left hand side