Water temperature

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Jimmer:
Well, how's this for diving cold in a wetsuit?
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So are we celebrating a newly minted ice diver?

Let's hear all the details, as soon as you thaw out. :)

Pete
 
You got it, my first ice dive this morning. I've been wanting to do an ice dive for the past 13 or so years, but finally have been consistently in the water this past year and had the chance to do it. A pretty cool experience, we had 38 degrees on my computer, and I stayed for 20 minutes. I would have stayed longer but boy was I bored lol. We used a small local quarry that maxes out about 18 feet, but there is NOTHING to see in it. It's controlled by the Conservation Authority here, and they haven't stocked it in almost 5 years, and not one of us saw a single fish. One pretty nice size rare northern 5 planked albino picnic table tho. All in all, I was pretty comfortable in the cold, I've had several dives in Erie in the low 40's, so this wasn't that big a deal, aside from the boredom. Overall a very fun experience.
 
Congratulations! Lack of good local ice thwarted me again this winter. If the timing is right I will plan to go where there is ice. I don't know if I'll ever get to do it outside of a class situation but it's on that list of things to do at least once. It must give a whole new meaning to the expression "inner space".

Pete
 
We've only have weather cold enough to put a freeze on for about the past 3 weeks. The ice was about 8 inches thick, so perfect ice diving conditions, just nothing to see. Very fun tho.
 
I dive a 3 mil down to 50 degrees and a 7 mil 1 piece down to 40 degrees below 40 I use the 7 mil FJ. I have done 40 min dives at 36 degrees in the FJ and it wasn't too bad just chilly fingers.
 
It's not so much getting cold while in the water. It is the time in between dives that will make you go for the dry suit. I have also been told by divers out here that going down 100+ will cool down places that should not be that cool.
 
Toolbox-13:
I dive a 3 mil down to 50 degrees and a 7 mil 1 piece down to 40 degrees below 40 I use the 7 mil FJ. I have done 40 min dives at 36 degrees in the FJ and it wasn't too bad just chilly fingers.
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Your my hero I wear a 6.5 farmer jon from 43-65 degrees F. You have to jump in the water and get wet at teh warmer temperatures and and warm water at the colder. Depending on the air temperature.

As to the original question as you can see it depends on the person.
 
Carribeandiver:
dont know what everyone else would say but I say anything below 78F is too cold for diving, wetsuit or not.
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I say that is too bad. :( I love diving in warm tropical stuff but there is so much more great diving to do. Those of us that live in cold climates enjoy our diving where we can get it, and find some really great stuff underwater too!

I dove wet down to about 39 bottom temp on the Great Lakes for a couple of years in a 7mm full suit plus a 5mm hooded vest. It was OK actually, mid 40s were fine, but the low 40's could get pretty chilly at the end of my dives. Since I went dry you won't catch me doing that again :shakehead

Ice dives scheduled this coming weekend. That will be a bit of a shock after spending a week in Little Cayman a week ago but ice diving is a lot of fun!
mfalco:
Like many have said the air temp is a big factor. You don't want to get out of the water soaking wet in 40 degree air.
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You need to find someone who will build a big ice shanty to set-up around the hole in the ice. Put a propane hearter in there and you are all set! We did just that last year and it worked great!
 
The ice dive I did yesterday was in a Pinnacle Merino 5/4mm suit with a 3mm Atlan shorty underneath. I felt pretty comfortable for my 20 minutes without any problems. As you guys all mentioned the air temp was the part that sucked, it was about -10Degrees C, which is around 14 F I think. But we had a small trailer with 2 propane heaters in it to change in, so it wasn't all that bad.
 
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