When can you start diving wet at Dutch Springs?

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Being a newly certified diver, Dutch is perfect for practicing all the basic skills, ie: buoyancy, trim, navigation and shooting a SMB. My diving and comfort level great improved from practicing at Dutch.

I dove Dutch wet for the entire 2009 season, April - Nov, in a full 7mm wetsuit and a 5/3 hooded vest. I did not own a drysuit yet nor could I afford one at that time and wanted to dive to improve my skills so tolerated the cold.

April, May and Nov were the coldest especially if I went past the thermoclines, at about 30 ft and another at about 50 ft. If you insist on diving during those months make sure you warm up during surface intervals with a hot beverage, a warm boat coat and hat to warm up before attempting a second dive. The coldest temp my computer registered on those dives were 43 degrees. I could only last 25-30 mins before turning the dives and could only do two dives each day.

In hindsight and being a drysuit diver now, I was INSANE to dive wet at Dutch during those months but I wanted to dive and improve but did not want to wait for the water to warm up. It all depends on how tolerant you are with cold water. Be safe and call the dive if you get cold. You can do it safely but the dives will be shorter.
 
Thanks. I guess I'll go ahead and spring for the 7mm plus hood and give it a shot early June and see how it goes from there.
 
I dive all year here in a 7mm with hood without a problem. Water always stys around 40. You will just be cold when you get out to switch a bottle.
 
I'm newly certified with only 6 dives. I want to take advantage of Dutch Springs for practicing ...//.... I currently only have a 3mm full ...//...

Starting from a 3mm full is fine. -You have your "vacation" suit.

...//...should I spring for the 7mm full suit? ...//....

It will work pretty much as you are expecting it to, but, no -hold off. I'm sure that you don't want to stall your diving until things warm up (and a 7mm will extend things), but I see it as false economy if you are seriously considering local (to you) diving.

Thanks. I guess I'll go ahead and spring for the 7mm plus hood and give it a shot early June and see how it goes from there.

I know that you don't want to hear this, but save up for a REAL drysuit and look at the money you would have spent on a 7mm as a nice discount on the drysuit. Once you get a drysuit, I seriously doubt that you will ever get into your 7 mm. Talk to your LDS, they may be willing to sell a drysuit out of the rental program when faced with losing a wetsuit sale.

BTW, my drysuit class was not, as expected, one of the really memorable classes I've taken. -just a hint. try to combine it with something like AOW by using an instructor from the same shop that sold you the suit. :wink:
 
I would like to add that you should check that your regulator can handle the water temps at Dutch. I dove during the DUI weekend last year in late April. I saw 38 degrees and my regulator froze and catastorophically freeflowed at about 75ft. I emptied an al80 in 5 minutes. I returned the brand new regulator the next day and got one that is more cold tolerant. We dove wearing 7mm suits with hoods, boots and gloves for our non-drysuit dives that weekend. It was cccccccoooooooollllllllllddddd down deep. It was tolerable above about 35 feet. I pass along this warning, because I do not think that most people realize that MOST regulators sold are not appropriate for Dutch except in the summer months.

In the summer I dove a 5mm suit with gloves and boots and was fine down to about 75ft. I also took my daughter snorkeling in the cove. I went without a wetsuit. She wore a shorty. I was comfortable, but the air was probably 90.

I am working on getting a trilam for this spring.
 
I would like to add that you should check that your regulator can handle the water temps at Dutch. I dove during the DUI weekend last year in late April. I saw 38 degrees and my regulator froze and catastorophically freeflowed at about 75ft. I emptied an al80 in 5 minutes. I returned the brand new regulator the next day and got one that is more cold tolerant.

Was this regulator a US Divers? Or Scubapro first stage without freeze protection? Bummer man, and certainly no fun. At least there was no overhead ice?

Cheers,

X
 
Aqualung Triton. It is the best kept secret of Dutch Springs. Regulator Freeze ups. I made the ascent on my buddies pony after my tank ran out. Not enough emphasis is given during the free flow drill that your tank will empty FAST! In otherwords be looking for back up gas before you need it. My buddy said my eyes got big as saucers as i casually tapped his alternate airsource. He promptly plugged the pony reg into my mouth with his finger on the purge. I have not made fun if his pony bottle since.

The point of thsi story is that the water a Dutch below the themoclines is too cold for most tropical regulators.

Was this regulator a US Divers? Or Scubapro first stage without freeze protection? Bummer man, and certainly no fun. At least there was no overhead ice?

Cheers,

X
 
...//... Dutch below the themoclines is too cold for most tropical regulators.

True, given the way that "tropical" regs are usually tuned.

Fix: Take any "name" reg and have your reg tech tune its intermediate pressure to "mid range" and then tune the secondary regs to "good coldwater performance" but not "hard breathing". That will fix any problems that you will have at Dutch. (Probably should have sent this past Herman first, I'm sure that there is ONE reg type out there...)

I've taken to leaving my reg sets tuned this way all year.
 
Get yourself a 2 piece 7mm jacket and john, boot and gloves at least 5mm. You should be able to find a suit for 200/225. That will get you through early and late season diving at dutch. Go to a local shop and try it on, fit and comfort are very important
 
Just to add to this, I recorded about 44 degrees at 60' on Sunday at Dutch.
 

Back
Top Bottom