Too hot to dive?

[DanLW]

I have a friend who went diving with a local outfit here in Djibouti (Northeast corner of Africa). I am going to learn to dive through them (they offer PADI certs), but he mentioned that there are a couple months in the summer where they only do night dives because it is too hot to dive during the day. I'm wondering how it can be too hot to dive? Is it unsafe to have pressurized scuba tanks out in hot weather, even if they are in the shade?

The temperatures around here get up to around 115F during the day in July and August.

 

[Tigerman]

Too hot to dive my ass..
I have gone diving in 115F, but it was in Egypt (And 115F really is 10F hotter than it would normally be that time of the year in Egypt) and yeah, it was kinda hot standing on the deck suited up and waiting to be dropped, but as soon as youre in the water youre fine.
Dont know if they actually DO stop the diving for that time period or not in Djibouti though.

Theres other things Id be much more worried about than the tempratures in that area, like the infamous not-so-friendly boats that happen to cruise around in the gulf of Aden
Not that what I worry about help if all the dive shops is closed though..

 

[spectrum]

It can be hot enough to take precautions. This is especially true away from the equator where a summer day can be well past 80 F but you need to prepare to be in water that is below 60F. In some cases there is no natural shade and any delays and exertion while suited up can be dangerous. Making shade, pouring water into the suit and just being relaxed, well planed and expeditious can usually overcome it all safely. All that being said I don't see why you can't dive those temperatures in the day with very limited exposure protection and good procedures. For the stress involved the outfitter may prefer to take a break.

The cylinders should not be an issue.

I would have to believe that there is some equatorial fresh shallow water that is just too hot to enjoy. I know even here in Maine I can get shallow fresh water in the low 80's F.

Pete

 

[Tigerman]

Actually many places the red sea can be expected to be about 80-82F during the summer and that is absolutely brilliant
Of course the first shock from the 100F+ in the shade gives you a moment of "oh crap thats cold" though

 

[DanLW]

I guess it makes sense that it would be less of a technical safety reason, and more of a crew comfort reason. Sure, the divers can cool off, but this outfit does all day dive trips. It probably is not too comfortable for the crew that has to stay on board and cook the food, drive the boat, etc.

The water here is warm enough that dives are done without an exposure suit. My friend reported back to me that even down at 50 feet, he didn't feel cold.

 

[Tigerman]

Yeah. When im in Egypt in the summer the crew actually do sneak off into the water from time to time, but they do generaly stay on the boat as you say cooking, driving and not to forget hauling tanks and divers around the deck

Comebine working in the heat all day with ramadan and you can get a few "interesting" situations on a crowded jetty when everyone is coming back in the afternoon..

 

[Doc]

The temp on this foredeck was measured at 130°f (54°c), my Crocs shoes were melting. Stay in the shade (or u/w) This is from the Red Sea:

 

[The Chairman]

It's never too hot for me to go diving... the hotter means the more I am in the water.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

It hit 80 here in Seattle today ... and the water's up to 47 F... it was almost too hot to dive ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Tigerman]

I think what you mean Bob is that it was too hot not to doff the drysuit during the SI