Staying warm during SI in a wetsuit

[Gac]

If you're doing an OW SI w/o intending on getting to shelter or a boat (kinda extreme, but hey) then I'm guessing you're oging to have a dive flag. Why not keep a thermos of HOT soup or some other HOT liquid in it on the float? Never done that myself on account of being a relative newb still. I've done alot of cold weather sports (and warm weather sports in the cold ) and having a thermos of hot soup is ALWAYS good.

FWIW, y'all.

 

[Bob3]

Hot soup... I made a nice pot of [white] conch chowder this afternoon. Didn't even need a bowl, just cut into bars.
That's an old trick I learned while doing 90 days in a USMC mess hall, we used to make the coffee that way.

 

[ScubaSarus]

Posted by Spectrum

"I always thought the intent of the dive parka was to wear it over the wetsuit after the dives."

On my Isle of shaoals dive I had the same thought but the captain convinced me to take of my wet suit and dry off and said I'de be much warmer and I was. So I am a believer in drying off during intevals.

 

[LordMicon]

I can see the merit of taking off the wetsuit for your SI to stay warm - its the right thing to do I would guess. But dang... that makes for an *ugly* time putting it back on, no? I mean, putting on a wet wetsuit is already not the easiest, but when the water that its wet with is like 40 degrees now, I'd have to imagine thats just... brutal!

 

[kareny]

definitely take off the wetsuit. An easy trick to putting it back on : put a tiny bit of conditioner (take the cheapest stuff from the pharmacy) on your legs/arms, and it slides back on. Oh, and it also softens the legs.lol

 

[ScubaSarus]

Posted by the Lord

"I can see the merit of taking off the wetsuit for your SI to stay warm - its the right thing to do I would guess. But dang... that makes for an *ugly* time putting it back on, no?"

Oh yes and thats when some warm water may come in handy.

 

[spectrum]

Posted by Spectrum

"I always thought the intent of the dive parka was to wear it over the wetsuit after the dives."

On my Isle of shaoals dive I had the same thought but the captain convinced me to take of my wet suit and dry off and said I'de be much warmer and I was. So I am a believer in drying off during intevals.

I don't doubt that fully changing out would be warmer. If that's the case I may already have a big old coat that will serve me well. As I said I'd certainly peel off the top half of the wetsuit and and get a few warm dry layers on ASAP.

As a practical matter when it gets that challenging I think I''d take the 1 dive limit if I'm not diving dry yet. I wouldn't want to cut the thermal margin too close.

Pete

 

[SDAnderson]

As a practical matter when it gets that challenging I think I''d take the 1 dive limit if I'm not diving dry yet. I wouldn't want to cut the thermal margin too close.

Excellent advice.

 

[tangfish]

So, I am going to be doing as much diving between now and when things start to freeze. Does anyone have ideas on how to stay warm during surface interval?

bring a big container of hot water and pour it in your suit when you get out of the water. Of course, hot water is not so good in terms of DCS, but if you're just doing two shallow dives it shouldn't be a problem. I've seen dive boats with a big jug of warm water onboard with a small hose people use to pour it into their suits, it felt quite good!

 

[Bob3]

We used hot water to thaw out the buckles & zippers when we'd get out of the water, not many things worse than having to pee & be frozen into your [dry]suit.