Warm Water Diving?

[Joneill]

Thanks for the advice all. Looking forward to monitor my air consumption when I get to experience my first warm water dive!
~Ian

Enjoy and relax - relaxation is key to lowering SAC.

 

[boat sju]

My idea of warm water is above the thermocline at a local lake or quarry - it was 65 yesterday at a lake up in WI down to 20ft. Or in a FL cave where it might be 70-72.

I was renting tanks in Monterey and they asked me how much experience I had diving in cold water. I asked them what the water temp out in the bay was? 52. I told them in Michigan that isn't considered cold water.

 

[gbf]

52. I told them in Michigan that isn't considered cold water.

that is just so wrong...

 

[Desertlifter]

Puget Sound is my home water. I switched to a drysuit as soon as I was able, which made a lot of things easier than a 7mm farmer John and shorty. I have a pretty good tolerance for cold water, but life is much better dry - particularly when it is surface interval time.

Parents live on Maui so I dive there and in Mexico. I find buoyancy is much easier in warm water, but my gas use is about the same most of the time. I'm pretty noobish so YMMV.

 

[NorCalDM]

Diving warm water for me is just less cumbersome, thinner exposure protection and carrying less lead which is nice. The diving itself is not any easier as there are challenging or easy warm water dives and challenging or easy cold water dives it's about the site and conditions. As for skills retention for warm or cold it's about frequency of diving not the temperature of the water. I do think the transition from cold to warm is easier than warm to cold but if you are a decently skilled diver it's not much of a transition either way.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

I am a new diver in the Puget Sound area and have only done cold water dives. How different does it feel diving in warm water? Do you notice changes in your air consumption from not having to expend as much energy keeping warm? I use a 7mm farmer john wetsuit and at the end of dive 2 I there is little better than a heated shower/drink.

Apologies if this has been asked recently, I poked around using the search function but didn’t see anything.

You really need to invest in a dry suit with a good dry gloves system and a good hood (I recommend K-01, by far the warmest of the 8-ish hoods I have).

There are some good heated vest options as well.

I have no connections with the shop 8 in Des Moines or Off The Hook Diving in Lacey, but I would recommend both those shops for quality gear and training. I have no idea what your training has been like, but without being relaxed, properly weighted, and trimmed, your gas consumption will suffer.

 

[iangood]

shop 8 in Des Moines

8 Diving is where I did my OW cert and has been my home dive shop. They have taken great care of me there and are definitely good people with a lot of knowledge. Happy to see them getting a shout out here YSS dive in Hoodsport has also saved my bacon a couple of times diving in the Hoodsport area.
I'll look into Off the Hook when I find myself in Lacey.

 

[Sim0s]

Warm water diving is much more comfortable and will definitely reduce your air consumption.

 

[captain]

Until you do a warm water dive in just a swimsuit, tank, regulator, mask and fins, no BC, you will never know what freedom means.

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

8 Diving is where I did my OW cert and has been my home dive shop.

Okay, you are set then. Hope to see you underwater sometime.