OW Cert Question

[MNScuba]

I'll be doing my OW cert this summer and I am looking forward to it big time. My question is this... They start doing the dives in mid May, which could still be a little chilly (Minnesota). I did purchase the Mares Isotherm 6.5 mil suit/hood and 6mil gloves/boots. Will the colder water conditions make my dives any more difficult than if I were to wait? From my understanding, the water rarely gets over 65-70 in the depth we'll be at anyway.

I'm looking forward to your responses... I know there are a fair number of cold water divers here who could be a great help to me.

If your familiar with MN diving, we'll be doing our dives at Square Lake.

Thanks!

 

[Green_Manelishi]

cold water ALWAYS makes a difference; some tolerate it better
than others but it ALWAYS makes a difference. Once you begin
to chill it is time to end the dive (preferably BEFORE you are
actually cold)

If you are going to make a habit of diving cold water, buy a dry
suit: you'll be happier.

ps. my last dive, weekend before last, the water temp was 36
degrees on the surface.

 

[Dee]

It's true you'll have a few more tasks to deal with during your open water checkouts than if you were in warm water. But I'm not sure it's really harder.

I hate that first feel of cold water on my head and face so the first thing I do is put my face in the water and slowly let the water get under my hood. That helps me the most.

The secret to all of it is to take your time and slowly get used to the cold water. Yes...we have cold water in Texas, too! Most of the lakes rarely get above 60 degrees at depth, even in the middle of the hot summer. Take your time, think about the skill you're getting ready to do and go slow. It's not a race!

I'm sure the real cold water divers will have plenty of advice and tricks for you! Good Luck!!!

 

[herman]

Here's a trick for you, assuming you are wearing a wetsuit, take a cooler with several gallon jugs of hot water (it will have cooled by the time you get to the dive site) with you dive. After putting on your wetsuit, pour them into your wetsuit (around your neck) just before you get in. The suit is going to get full of water anyway and I sure hate having to warm up that cooooold quarry water. This saves a lot of body heat that is normally required to warm up the initial influx of water and helps reduce the need to "add natural warm water" to your wetsuit. You will figure out what I mean about the first time you get wet!!

 

[MNScuba]

I have the Mares Isotherm semi-dry suit, I hope that helps. From what I have read and from what my LDS told me, it's almost a dry suit without valves.

 

[DiverInAk]

It may make your dives more difficult than say diving in the BVI's in June. But it's not that difficult and ultimately will make diving in the tropics seem like a cake walk.

My advice, learn to dive where you live so you can dive where you live! Thus, dive more!

 

[TexasMike]

Originally posted by DiverInAk
My advice, learn to dive where you live so you can dive where you live! Thus, dive more!

And this is exactly why the Texas Swamp Diving Team is very good at diving by braille.

(Just kidding....vis around here is pretty good)

 

[Lost Yooper]

The spring O/W students up here are getting certified -- two back-to-back dives per day, 20mins per dive -- in 36-39F water wearing poorly fitting rental wetsuits, hoods, and mitts. Quite amusing really . It probably takes them a week to get warmed back up . If you can get through that, you can dive anywhere.

Good luck.

Mike

PS. Go for it, you'll be OK.

 

[JoelW]

By mid May Square will be getting into close to 70. I looked at my logbook and found that on 5/2 of last year it was 65F there. You won't be getting any deeper than about 18' at the platforms so that should be about as cold as you see it.

Suggestion number one is to remember to burp the air out of the semi-dry that you have. I was out with a guy last year who was diving his for the first time and couldn't figure out why he couldn't stay under the water. While I mostly go dry, from what I have seen of other divers with the, the Isotherm will cover most water temps up here. I was out with a guy in December who swore that he was warm in his with a water temp of 35F.



JoelW

 

[MikeS]

Lost Yooper,

To a Yooper 36 degrees is warm, time to put on shorts.

Mike

P.S. I grew up in Munising but have lived in Maryland for ten years. Finally got warm last year.