What do you do in the Winter?

[ScubaSixString]

What do you all do in the winter?
When do you usually pack it in for the season?
Pretty soon it's gonna be too cold for me to get in the water unless I get on top of the drysuit thing ASAP.
I don't want to get out of the water!
*crosses arms and looks stubborn while trying not to shiver*
I'm sure I can dive in the pool to do skills but how boring!

-Curse the cost of drysuits
-Curse the New England Winters
-Put the wetsuit on and wade in hoping that THIS year 37 degree water won't be as cold as it was last year
-Promise myself, yet again, that come summer i'll be in much better shape than i was last summer

 

[matt_unique]

I dove almost every single weekend last year. It was a needed ritual on the weekend....drive to Cape Ann...do a dive to enjoy just being underwater with improved vis (though less sea life)....then hit Chili's for some margarita's and lunch. Not a bad way to spend a Saturday.

I get nutty if I don't dive regularly.....

--Matt

 

[Jim Ernst]

same as the summer , i go diving!!!!!!!!!

 

[ScubaDobe]

I usually make it 'til the last weekend in October in my 7mil wetsuit. Then, hang everything up until summer and take my three weeks of vacation during the winter in the caribbean.

This year will be different. This year a good friend of mine has convinced me to buy a drysuit. To tell you the truth, as much as I hate cold weather, I'm really looking forward to this "off" season. ...and you all say the vis clears up... COOL!

 

[NauticalbutNice]

I dive! Often have to battle snow to get to the dive site but it's worth it.

Nauticalbutnice :fruit:

 

[Wristshot]

What do you all do in the winter?

I ski a minimum of 20 days on snow, with at least 14 days of racing plus several more days of race clinics.

I watch hockey. I watch TV. I go to parties and meetings and wish that I was diving or biking or something, anything but sitting in a meeting.

Occasionally I do a dive in the Monterey Bay Area because the water temps are better in the winter and the viz is usually better.

Sometimes I travel to someplace warmer Florida November 2002 and December 2003.

Of course since I live in Sunny California, I usually have to mow the lawn even in the winter!


Wristshot

 

[spectrum]

Well I expect to get dives in up to Thanks Giving, did skin-diving unill 11/7 last year. I hope to do some sort of Christmas dive too. I'm prepared to hang it up for Jan/Feb and March but expect to get wet again by mid April.

During the winter I'll pass the time with my snowblower collection
http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/snowgallery.html
http://home.gwi.net/~spectrum/snowblower.html

I also have plans for a scuba web-page that will be fun writing on quiet winter nights. A few domestic projects should round things out.

Pete

 

[Scubar]

Try to get a trip or two to some warm water in the Caribbean or South Florida. Or dive Dry up here. My frequency cuts down to once or twice a month during the winter months.

 

[Gidds]

Ok sorry to resurrect this but I have some more questions :blush:
When do you stop diving wet and go dry?
Do any of you nuts dive wet up here (MA/RI) year round?
If so how do you handle the freeze factor i.e. what procedures do you follow upon exiting the water to avoid frost bite?

 

[jonnythan]

I dive dry anytime diving in a wetsuit would leave me cold!!

I dive my 3mm in any conditions where the water temp is close to 80, or if the water temp is above say 72 and it's a nice sunny day so I can warm up between dives. If it's a cool day, I'd be ok for one dive in the wetsuit, but would be too chilled to get back in the water for a second dive.

So, I usually dive the drysuit throughout the year, unless I'm diving in the Hudson or St Lawrence where there are no thermoclines. For these dives I break out the 3mm fullsuit (might upgrade to a 5/4/3 for next year, actually).