What is the appeal of Lake, Cold, Low vis diving?

[Calmseas]

I am with the OP on this one, but I know that everyone has their own preferences. If the only places I could dive were cold, low viz, I probably would turn in my C card. My training was in a lake in Texas and it was about 10 feet viz, green and not much to see.

My diving spots need to be like an aquarium, 80 foot viz or better, warm enough to wear no shirt at all and just board shorts, and lots of coral and tropical fish. I don't need to go more than 60 feet deep and could make everyone of my dives for the rest of my life in those conditions. Unfortunately, as many have said, that means all tropical diving destinations, with means international flights, rental cars, resorts, week long vacations in order to go diving. I try to go about 4 times a year and some years add in a fifth.

So many different ways to enjoy this sport and hobby.

 

[PR_SMITH]

Sometimes cold, dark dives are all that's convenient. Here, north of Toronto, the summer season brings warmer waters, but often poor viz due to algae and particulates in the water.

 

[txdamselfish]

I am with the OP on this one, but I know that everyone has their own preferences. If the only places I could dive were cold, low viz, I probably would turn in my C card. My training was in a lake in Texas and it was about 10 feet viz, green and not much to see.

My diving spots need to be like an aquarium, 80 foot viz or better, warm enough to wear no shirt at all and just board shorts, and lots of coral and tropical fish. I don't need to go more than 60 feet deep and could make everyone of my dives for the rest of my life in those conditions. Unfortunately, as many have said, that means all tropical diving destinations, with means international flights, rental cars, resorts, week long vacations in order to go diving. I try to go about 4 times a year and some years add in a fifth.

So many different ways to enjoy this sport and hobby.

I get it, for me, I dive in cold, low vis quarries because its my only option to keep practicing (still an newb at under 100 dives) I can enjoy those vacations knowing that I am familiar with my equipment and my skills are a reflex.

 

[formernuke]

I dive local or I only get to dive every couple years. So I dive cold low VIS and love every minute if it.

 

[Boarderguy]

I dive local or I only get to dive every couple years. So I dive cold low VIS and love every minute if it.

Cold and low vis keep most of the tourists out of the area and the silt stays on the bottom where it belongs.

 

[tomfcrist]

Cold and low vis keep most of the tourists out of the area and the silt stays on the bottom where it belongs.

Unless it’s a quarry…in which case every instructor within 150 miles brings their students every weekend. Plenty of silt gets stirred up.

 

[MrVegas]

Yeah. On my 3rd dive we decended into silt. DM thumbed that quickly. We would have gone blindly into it as noobs, wondering if it was normal. It really wasn't too bad. I could still see my bubbles pointing up.

When we dived through nothing but blue, I kept my eyes on other divers to keep my imagination from freaking, until the bottom was visible.


Will find out about cold water in Ohio for the first time this summer. Taking a refresher with Columbus Scuba, then advanced open water in a quarry.

Quarry diving does look like a party. Camping onsite at one. Camping across the street from the other.

If a hood keeps me from getting sick, I'll be fine. I have fun in pools, so not every dive has to be a reef. But, if I go out in winter without a hat on, I get deathly ill really quick. I even have to keep a hat handy on warm water vacations if it's windy. I haven't invested in a drysuit yet, until I make it past this. No idea if I can even do cold water, but I've never had issues with swimming or snorkeling in cold water, ever.

Clear warm water like Roatan is awesome, but I'd like to dive between vacations as well, if possible.

The more I dive the quarries, actually, the more interesting I find them. Each one is sort of its own little ecosystem that has developed in an area dug out by humans. They change as the seasons change. One of the coolest sights I have seen diving was at White Star quarry in the spring. They stock the quarry with rainbow trout every year, but usually they are fished out pretty quickly. That year - I think due to Covid - they delayed the start of fishing, but diving was still permitted. Near the exit point at the end of our dive there was a massive group of tiny trout sparkling in the sun. I'll always remember that.

Also, of course, you don't have to worry about getting up at the crack of dawn to catch a boat or wait anxiously the night before to determine if you've been blown out.

 

[freeflowigb]

I did not dive lakes, but I did dive some very murky relatively cold (like 55) waters around artificial islands. There was maybe 7 ft of viz, but it was enjoyable. You are alone except for the company of an occasional curious barracuda, you only rely on yourself, and your compass to find your way back. Sometimes you cheat - in really murky days I’d be laying line and then just follow it back. You feel like the true diver, doing the uncomfortable. I wouldn’t say it is something I will prefer over 88 deg 60 ft clear Thailand waters, though, that would be weird.

 

[JRK44]

Character building.
Anybody can dive in a swimming pool...

 

[TMHeimer]

Any fresh water has very little appeal to me, being a shell collector. I have done it if it was very convenient. I do like not spending an hour rinsing off the salt from the equipment.