Warm water diving - finally!

[Storker]

We're vacationing in Italy this summer, and I'm going to dive in the Mediterranean! Warm water, thin wetsuit, no thick hoods and 3-finger mittens, wohoo! All my open water dives so far - including my OW certification dives - have been in a dry suit, in water temperatures ranging from 3 to 14C (37 to 57F). So I guess it's going to be a walk in the park for someone certified in cold water, in a drysuit - which everyone knows you should never try unless you've logged at least a hundred dives (just kidding )

On a more serious note, I expect it to be different. And because different, I expect an increased task loading. During this spring's diving I've switched from using the DS for buoyancy to using the BCD, to teach my muscle memory that filling and venting is done with the left hand on the BCD inflator hose, not with my right hand on my suit valves (and I've learned the joys of suit squeeze, especially in the groin area). So I'm ready for a suit that doesn't work as a buoyancy device. But otherwise, I guess it'll be somewhat different from my usual cold Nordic water diving, even if I don't know exactly how.

No real questions here, I'm just a tiny bit excited and wanted to share. And if anyone has any good advice, it'll be appreciated

 

[R-balljunkie]

i dont think i would contemplate being on a boat with the temperature at 37 degrees, much less being in the water @ 37 degrees.

heck, i wont even wear a wetsuit. enjoy the minimalism
how is the Mediterranean for diving? didn't know it was a hot spot

 

[Storker]

how is the Mediterranean for diving?

That's what I'm planning to find out

didn't know it was a hot spot

I wouldn't exactly call it a hot spot, it is - after all - a whole freakin' ocean (albeit a very small and modest one, as oceans go ). There are quite a few diving opportunties - some of them apparently fairly OK - in e.g. France, Corsica, Italy, Malta, Croatia and Cyprus. And the water temps are in the twenties, not the noughts and teens as they are up here. That's degrees celcius, BTW...

 

[Searcaigh]

I would advise you to check with local divers first before making a decision on what exposure suit to wear in the Med.

Surface temps might be in the 20s but below 10M you might find it different. Some of my colleagues who dive off the coast of Spain told me it was around 17C at the beginning of June.

 

[fisheater]

Just don't be embarrassed on the first couple of dives when you find yourself tapping the center of your chest to control your descent. ;-)

 

[TMHeimer]

I hear ya. And no struggling to get those 7 mil wetsuit pants off! It will be great, and don't forget that if you do use a wetsuit rig it up so you can pee all day. If no suit, just pee all day (but NO Warhammers please).

 

[Steve_C]

Did a few shore dives in Greece around Sept 18 and 21 a couple years ago off Halkidiki.

Here is email from the guide around Sept. 1:

"We have some serious thermoclines at the moment, surface temperature 24 degrees and down to as little as 14 at 30 metres but by September we don’t usually have any differences. In fact, we sometimes get a reverse thermocline so that it’s actually warmer at depth!"

Dove in 5 mil wetsuits with 3 mm Beanie and light weight gloves. Was very comfortable. Almost toasty. My dive log shows temps of 78 F at the surface to 73 F at depth. That would be 26 C at the surface and 22 C at depth. (max depth of 74 ft or 22.5 m)

 

[Hank49]

ME TOO !!! After a cold winter with water temps down in the upper 70s, it's great to be diving in 83 degree water again. heh........heh.........heh........

 

[johnatabc]

Just back from Rhodes (last week). Diving in a 5mm wet suit. No issues with cold dowm to 20m.
My memory is that in summer you are only going to have thermoclines from any fresh water run-off after a storm.
Generally fished out, but saw a school of Jacks at the Pilimri wreck.
On the dry suit squeeze in the groin area - I was advised to use a cricket box - which works for me.
Keep safe
John

 

[ScubaBen1]

I'm in the same position. Have done 14 dives in a drysuit in the same kind of temps, it was snowing on my checkout dives . I've loved every minute but am in Cyprus next week and am excited about a dive or two in warmer water . Strange but it feels a little daunting, probably because it will be my first ocean dive. I haven't really settled on what to use for my own buoyancy control, bcd or drysuit, so hoping I won't have too many issues just using the BC. Anyway, exciting times, hope you enjoy it