What region produces the most skilled divers?

[MSilvia]

I would venture to say that tropical areas develop more better divers per thousand if for no other reason than the average tropical diver dives more just due to better conditions.

On the flip side of that, 100 dives in ideal conditions doesn't teach you to hone your skills as much as 10 dives in challenging conditions. If a 200 dives/year diver from the tropics came up for a 110' October wreck dive in New England, I doubt very much that he'd be as comfortable in the water as someone who's logged a total of 50 dives like that locally.

I wouldn't expect the opposite to be nearly as true.

Also, for what it's worth, there are lots of folks who love diving in cold, lo-vis conditions. It's also fun... if you're prepared for it.

 

[Hank49]

On the flip side of that, 100 dives in ideal conditions doesn't teach you to hone your skills as much as 10 dives in challenging conditions. If a 200 dives/year diver from the tropics came up for a 110' October wreck dive in New England, I doubt very much that he'd be as comfortable in the water as someone who's logged a total of 50 dives like that locally.

I wouldn't expect the opposite to be nearly as true.

Also, for what it's worth, there are lots of folks who love diving in cold, lo-vis conditions. It's also fun... if you're prepared for it.

Just because the water is warm doesn't mean it's "ideal" conditions. Large waves, strong tidal currents occur in warm water too and create very challenging conditions. But I'll stick to my "more dives" theory. 50 dives isn't very many under any conditions. Are you saying someone diving 200 dives per year with maybe more than a thousand dives will be more intimidated than someone with 50 dives? As for people diving in cold low vis conditions and liking it...I would guess it's more a question of they have no choice. That's what it's like where they, or you live. I can't believe that anyone would actually prefer it. Cold...yes, like diving ice bergs maybe, but low vis too? No way.

 

[MSilvia]

Preferences aside, what I'm getting at is that being accustomed to diving with 36 lbs of lead in a 2 piece 7mm wetsuit with hood, boots, and thick gloves, needing to use a light to stay in buddy contact, a reel to get back to your starting point, and having the added stress of cold water will do a much better job of preparing someone to dive almost naked in warm water with 100 feet of vis than that kind of diving will prepare a person for diving in the aforementioned conditions.

I'd guess the diver used to the added weight, reduced mobility, and general hassle will find the blue water dives much easier than what they're accustomed to (even if there is a lot of chop and current, which can happen almost anywhere), while the tropical diver would feel claustrophobic, task loaded, and out of their element if faced with managing all that extra gear, exaggerated bouyancy changes at depth, 10-15 foot visibility, cold water, etc.

That they may not WANT to do the dive is beside the point.

Personally, I try to get in a couple of dives every weekend in conditions just like that, and yeah... I love it!

 

[MSilvia]

In all fairness though, folks from these parts (or any other cold, lo-vis area) who ONLY dive when they're in the tropics are generally not the kind of skilled people I'm talking about... I mean divers, not people with cert cards.

 

[boomx5]

Lake Tahoe divers also have to deal with adverse conditions when diving in the middle of winter.

Actually Lake Tahoe is not that adverse with the right gear. I agree it does get cold in the winter but the vis is still pretty good. This past weekend we had about 40'-50' of vis with the water temp at 41 degrees at around the 160' range. I get cold very easy and I was actually pretty comfortable on deco, especially when we got to our shallower stops.

Now, take places where the vis is 5'-10' (or less) and the water is in the 30's with 5'+ swells and you either go diving or go home. In light of some of the other areas around the globe, I'd say we actually have it pretty easy here in California.

 

[Hank49]

Preferences aside, what I'm getting at is that being accustomed to diving with 36 lbs of lead in a 2 piece 7mm wetsuit with hood, boots, and thick gloves, needing to use a light to stay in buddy contact, a reel to get back to your starting point, and having the added stress of cold water will do a much better job of preparing someone to dive almost naked in warm water with 100 feet of vis than that kind of diving will prepare a person for diving in the aforementioned conditions.

I'd guess the diver used to the added weight, reduced mobility, and general hassle will find the blue water dives much easier than what they're accustomed to (even if there is a lot of chop and current, which can happen almost anywhere), while the tropical diver would feel claustrophobic, task loaded, and out of their element if faced with managing all that extra gear, exaggerated bouyancy changes at depth, 10-15 foot visibility, cold water, etc.

That they may not WANT to do the dive is beside the point.

Personally, I try to get in a couple of dives every weekend in conditions just like that, and yeah... I love it!

So, "better diver" means one who is used to having more equipment and gear and dives in cold, low vis water....Ok.

 

[String]

Low vis and cold water doesnt make for a bad dive, theres still plenty to see and do, you see the smaller life you may otherwise miss and if its a wreck you really dont need great vis at all to navigate and work it out.

I hear no end of people say "Oh, i wouldnt dive there, its too cold and vis is too low". These people have never tried it. IMHO they dont know what theyre missing. You have equipment for dealing with the cold and procedures for dealing with the visibility to the extent they arent an issue.

Diving abroad i find easy in that i can shed 8kg of weight, use a thin wetsuit and wear less gear and generally cant believe how easy the diving is. Even so, i enjoy my dives here just as much if not more.

Diving in "poor" conditions and good conditions are certainly different, however BOTH are enjoyable.

 

[Hank49]

Low vis and cold water doesnt make for a bad dive, theres still plenty to see and do, you see the smaller life you may otherwise miss and if its a wreck you really dont need great vis at all to navigate and work it out.

I hear no end of people say "Oh, i wouldnt dive there, its too cold and vis is too low". These people have never tried it. IMHO they dont know what theyre missing. You have equipment for dealing with the cold and procedures for dealing with the visibility to the extent they arent an issue.

Diving abroad i find easy in that i can shed 8kg of weight, use a thin wetsuit and wear less gear and generally cant believe how easy the diving is. Even so, i enjoy my dives here just as much if not more.

Diving in "poor" conditions and good conditions are certainly different, however BOTH are enjoyable.

Good points. However, all the "little things" are still there even if it's 120 foot vis. And, is it easier to dive in a thin wetwuit? Or just more comfortable? And again, it's the amount of diving you do that makes you a "good" diver. It's like flying a plane. The ones who wreck have their license but fly once or twice per month. They lose their "edge". That's how I screwed up my under water camera. I was out of the habit of setting it up on the boat and made one little mistake. Repition makes perfect.

 

[String]

And, is it easier to dive in a thin wetwuit? Or just more comfortable?

Its far easier diving in a thin wetsuit when compared to a thick wetsuit or drysuit. The compression/expansion are much lower resulting in less changes in buoyancy on both descent and ascent. Its even more complex in a drysuit when you have to think about adding air/removing air as well.

Its far more comfortable too.

Then take into account numb fingers and 5mm gloves vs no gloves and the easy of use to do things.

 

[Walter]

Its far easier diving in a thin wetsuit when compared to a thick wetsuit or drysuit.

Actually, I have a fair amount of experience in both. Other than the gloves and the dexterity issue, there's precious little difference. A dry suit is different, but I picked that up in one dive. I've felt very comfortable in a dry suit since.

If a 200 dives/year diver from the tropics came up for a 110' October wreck dive in New England, I doubt very much that he'd be as comfortable in the water as someone who's logged a total of 50 dives like that locally.

I agree a less experienced diver can be more prepared than a more experienced diver if diving in conditions that are old hat to him, but new to the more experienced diver. OTOH, a diver who makes 200 dives a year would likely very quickly surpass (probably before the first dive was over) a diver with only 50 dives total.