It's after midnight just got home from work and am sorting kit out for the morning. The sleet is sheeting down and ice is on the roads, but hey any weather is diving weather in me trusty drysuit. Bring it on.
To those of you who dive dry....
- Thread starter jiveturkey
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OP
DA Aquamaster:
I agree. Anything colder is uncomfortable. I've dived in 46 degree water in my semidry (although I spoke like mickey mouse for several hours after) and regularly dive in temps around the mid 50s. Everyone has a different level of tolerance. However, for me I don't think this is safe. I'm freezing but I don't want to end a dive because I'm cold. I know I should but even though my teeth are chattering, I'm still having fun and I end up staying down until I can't bear it any more. Having your mind occupied with the cold is not a good thing.
OP
SubMariner:
Yeah and it seems that my semidry is more pregnant than most.
I'm coming home for good in June so it looks like I'll finally have to shell out for a drysuit. Maybe I can get you and your hubby back to the island for some diving.
Happy New year to you too.
I dive winter and summer here in BC in a drysuit. At 80 feet the temperature is about the same winter and summer. It makes you more comfortable and adds to the enjoyment of the dive. If you have to pee use an adult diaper, the geoduck divers do.
I use a 5/4 mm full body suit in the tropics; maybe Ive become softer as I got older.
I use a 5/4 mm full body suit in the tropics; maybe Ive become softer as I got older.
Diving dry is the only way to go.
Many moons ago (OK, I think it was about '92) when I was but a mere diving neophyte we had a club trip to Scotland in March. Now, the Scotish west coast does get the gulf stream so the sea never gets that cold, but in march is about 10-12 Deg C, however the air temperature can easily be negative, and more often than not, there is a fair wind blowing.
One particularly fine morning we went off and did a simple dive, me and a few others in our drysuits, the rest in their semi-drys. In the water we were all lovely and warm, those people diving semi-dry still had the horrid cold uncomfortable feeling of the suit filling up with cold water, but once trapped, it warmed up quickly.
After our dive, we went of to have a bit of something to eat. Suits were left in the hired minibus.
Now, two hours later we were back at the dive site getting ready to do another dive. Those of us that dived dry got into our suits and were instantly warm. The real advantage to dry suits, is that after the surface interval you don't have to put back on a cold wet suit, that will never be as warm on the second dive as it was on the first. On this one particular occasion, the semi-drys had ice on them (including on the inside) and from peoples faces they were NOT pleasant to put back on.
So, as others have said, the real advantage is the comfort between dives. A subsequent dive is never as warm as the first in a wetsuit, equally, the SI (if you stay in your suit is very cold as well, especially with a bit of wind to chill you.) is far nicer if you are warm and dry.
My last diving was done in the mediteranean, the air temperature was in the high 30 Deg Cs (not sure in foreignheight), but at 40m the water was only 13 Deg C. Even in these conditions, multiple diving is much nicer in a drysuit.
Jon T
Many moons ago (OK, I think it was about '92) when I was but a mere diving neophyte we had a club trip to Scotland in March. Now, the Scotish west coast does get the gulf stream so the sea never gets that cold, but in march is about 10-12 Deg C, however the air temperature can easily be negative, and more often than not, there is a fair wind blowing.
One particularly fine morning we went off and did a simple dive, me and a few others in our drysuits, the rest in their semi-drys. In the water we were all lovely and warm, those people diving semi-dry still had the horrid cold uncomfortable feeling of the suit filling up with cold water, but once trapped, it warmed up quickly.
After our dive, we went of to have a bit of something to eat. Suits were left in the hired minibus.
Now, two hours later we were back at the dive site getting ready to do another dive. Those of us that dived dry got into our suits and were instantly warm. The real advantage to dry suits, is that after the surface interval you don't have to put back on a cold wet suit, that will never be as warm on the second dive as it was on the first. On this one particular occasion, the semi-drys had ice on them (including on the inside) and from peoples faces they were NOT pleasant to put back on.
So, as others have said, the real advantage is the comfort between dives. A subsequent dive is never as warm as the first in a wetsuit, equally, the SI (if you stay in your suit is very cold as well, especially with a bit of wind to chill you.) is far nicer if you are warm and dry.
My last diving was done in the mediteranean, the air temperature was in the high 30 Deg Cs (not sure in foreignheight), but at 40m the water was only 13 Deg C. Even in these conditions, multiple diving is much nicer in a drysuit.
Jon T
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