Weights for snorkeling salt/fresh

[spectrum]

My wife and I have gotten in to snorkeling this year, 34 outings for me since June 2. Most of the time we're in the ocean on the coast of Maine and are both comfortable in 5/4 mm suits with 16 pounds of weight.

In another thread I saw information that said we'd want to drop 7 pounds of weight from our belts when going to fresh water. Is this equally applicable in our cases?

Maybe next year we'll jump to SCUBA. For now she's doing great building her snorkeling skills.

Thanks,
Pete

 

[The Kraken]

Yep. It's all about the density of the water. You have greater buoyancy in salt water therefore it takes more weight to make you submerge than it does is fresh water.

 

[JC Fedorczyk]

Fresh water yields less buoyancy then salt so dropping weight is required. Will you still be wearing that 5/4 wetsuit in the fresh water? That will make a difference too.

 

[JC Fedorczyk]

SORRY. Too early in the morning and I haven't gotten my coffee yet. I re-read that again. Kracken has it correct.

Where's my coffee? Must find coffee

 

[spectrum]

Will you still be wearing that 5/4 wetsuit in the fresh water? That will make a difference too.

Right now local ponds and lakes are swimsuit comfortable, (though many are still chilly when you go down for a moment) for a good hour so we travel lite there. It makes a nice change. :10:

I'm looking more to the ends of the season when this will not be true. There is also a lovely pond I want to get back to up in the White Mountains of NH that I recall was darned cold even at the height of summer, spring fed, gravel bottomed glacial remains. I got in but it was cool from the beginning to end in trunks and we'd be going there in summer too. I know she wouldn't stay long in her swimsuit eighter.

It shouldn't be a big deal, we each have pairs of 3's so dropping 6 pounds will be simple enough.

Thanks,
Pete