Salt Water Buoyancy

[John4455]

Has anybody ever seen a noticable difference of salt water buoyancy in different locations? For example, would the caribean waters of Grand Cayman be more or less buoyant than the Atlantic off of the North Carolina coast? If so, was it enough to ad or subtract weight, given everything else the same (wetsuit, tank type, etc)? :huh:

 

[MSilvia]

I haven't noticed a big enough difference to make me adjust for it, but it's kind of hard to tell, as the exposure protection I wear in different regions requires different weighting. FWIW though, I haven't noticed a difference between dives in different regions when wearing the same suit. My weighting in the Carribean is roughly the same as it is in the Indian Ocean, for example.

 

[jaybombs25]

however wouldn't that depend alot on the salintiy of the water??? lets say the caribbean vs somewhere like the dead sea

 

[MSilvia]

I'm sure it would make a difference if you were diving in a body with extreme salinity like the Dead Sea, but I haven't noticed it in bodies of salt water that are more typical.

 

[Walter]

Salinity varies from one location to another and even from one time to another in the same location. I've never heard of it varying enough to require one to compensate.

 

[oly5050user]

I found that the water off Bermuda is denser than the water off the northeast coast (NY..NJ)

 

[deepblueme]

I have noticed what you are asking about the VI was different than Bonaire, The Bahamas,Cozumel and Roatan.
All by about 2-4lbs + or -.
I weighed the same, same gear ,same amount of beer.

 

[fisherdvm]

I feel more buoyant after I have urinated.... Perhaps I have increased the salinity of the ocean??

 

[Charlie99]

I noticed one time in Cozumel that I needed a lot more weight (18# vs 14# for 5mm XL full wetsuit + AL80) than I had needed just a couple weeks earlier in Maui.

Then I started looking at the handmade weights that shop used. Some of the 4# weights were lighter than the 3# weights.

There is a lot more variation in weights made out of old lead-acid batteries than there is in salinity in different areas of the ocean.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I have noticed small differences in the weight I need from areas in Asia to areas in Mexico, usually a pound or two.