Winnipesaukee Forum - View Single Post

Diver1111 · 03-07-2010, 10:35 PM

Bluesman,

As to your question about lake temps vs. ocean temps, you are pretty much talking, depending on time of year and the depth involved, about two very different environments.

I have dive buddies who have dived-and continue to dive-wet-off Bostons' Northshore this winter; Gloucester, Beverly etc... Both men and women. How they do it I just don't know...they tell me "it just doesn't bother me"-but they don't do a 2nd dive ...;

Point being everyone is different; Now while they are not going deep to hit a new thermocline (say 50 feet-not that it matters this time of year) they are not staying all that long-perhaps 30 minutes. Their dry-suit buddies for the most part are immune to any temp. change and temp.-based time restrictions.

Different metabolism, different body fat content, different tolerance to cold etc. all factor in; I've dived wet in the winter-twice in the 21 years I've been diving-learned my lesson; I started diving dry in '94 and dive dry all the time in the ocean because as a rule the "warm" water is no deeper than 25 feet. I routinely go much, much deeper than that-60-70-80-90+ feet all the time where it's just bloody cold (40's in the summer)-but I am geared up for this so I am quite comfortable and having a hell of a good time.

While it may not sound like "cold" water, anything in the low 50's will be an exercise in pain (screaming "ice-cream headaches" for many divers) until your head "normalizes" with the water temp, at which point you start asking yourself what you are doing there and why the dive was such a great idea. For conditions such as this I use an "ice-mask"-a very thin but very effective tight hood that I on before I put on my wet hood-so I have 2 hoods.

Thermoclines in Winni actually surprise me because you never can be sure where it will be-and there can be more than one. The general rule is to expect one at maybe 25 feet. I've sometimes found the 1st "cline" at 45 feet-go figure. I've dived the outflow point at the Lakeport Dam down to 60+ feet and there is no 'cline at all even at that depth, because the lake water is so mixed up in Opechee at that point it's just the same temp throughout the water column. We find the same thing in the CT. River;

I've done searches for things and reasons I can't talk about in the CT River, but have been down to 60 feet there and the temp does not change for the same reason (Note: It's a night-dive at that depth even at noon on a sunny day-the water is the color of ice tea due to sediment from the farms and tannic acid in the water from organic material, such as leaves rotting).

Venture outside this area in Opechee and you will hit really cold water soon enough.

As to your questions about charts being available showing temps, a bathymetric map is the only (general) way to determine this-and you can't rely on them for site-specific diving in Winni, say, off Welch Island. Frankly I have no need for such maps-I simply base my dive on the depth I figure I will go and gear up as needed from there-done deal. Works for me every time.

As to BilProjects entry about viz at depth in Winni, I was diving last summer off Clarks looking for this alleged cave-my buddy and I were at 94 feet or so for maybe 20 minutes and the viz-for those who care-was perhaps 10 feet. But I've been in Greens Basin at 25 feet and it's 5 foot viz. As to water temp-I don't really look anymore at my temp gauge-I know what to expect and prepare accordingly, but it was perhaps high '30s-no big deal.

As to a 7mm wetsuit or the common 1/4", doesn't really matter to me-they are about the same. However, I understand your comment about one-piece 7 mil or a 2-piece farmer john set-up; Buoyancy to me is easy to adapt to. I wear a "chicken-vest" (literally a vest) then don the farmer, then the jacket-resulting in serious heart-area-warmth-insurance, what you need to protect 1st. It's a core-temp thing (hypothermia); Rescue divers like me and emergency FD personnel reading this post know exactly what I mean (yes I know you're out there).

Some folks may tell you this set-up is just "bringing sand to the beach" as to the warmth question, but it works for me. And what works for me, rules.

You need to figure the whole warmth issue out for yourself, based upon the variables I have described, as well as what other experienced divers tell you.

Lastly, as to the new dive shop in Meredith, does anyone have an address on these folks?

I trust this has been informative. I welcome your questions; Perhaps we'll meet to dive Winni.

I love diving with folks less experienced than me, as well as folks more experienced than me. Ego will get you killed in this sport-please leave it at the dock.

At Your Service,

Diver1111

PS Bill & C-will def. catch up with ya’ll on the big island this summer-can’t wait-your camp is sweet!!!!!!!!!!

03-07-2010, 10:35 PM	#12
Diver1111 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Exeter NH Posts: 603 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1,032 Times in 227 Posts	Wetsuit selection etc. Bluesman, As to your question about lake temps vs. ocean temps, you are pretty much talking, depending on time of year and the depth involved, about two very different environments. I have dive buddies who have dived-and continue to dive-wet-off Bostons' Northshore this winter; Gloucester, Beverly etc... Both men and women. How they do it I just don't know...they tell me "it just doesn't bother me"-but they don't do a 2nd dive ...; Point being everyone is different; Now while they are not going deep to hit a new thermocline (say 50 feet-not that it matters this time of year) they are not staying all that long-perhaps 30 minutes. Their dry-suit buddies for the most part are immune to any temp. change and temp.-based time restrictions. Different metabolism, different body fat content, different tolerance to cold etc. all factor in; I've dived wet in the winter-twice in the 21 years I've been diving-learned my lesson; I started diving dry in '94 and dive dry all the time in the ocean because as a rule the "warm" water is no deeper than 25 feet. I routinely go much, much deeper than that-60-70-80-90+ feet all the time where it's just bloody cold (40's in the summer)-but I am geared up for this so I am quite comfortable and having a hell of a good time. While it may not sound like "cold" water, anything in the low 50's will be an exercise in pain (screaming "ice-cream headaches" for many divers) until your head "normalizes" with the water temp, at which point you start asking yourself what you are doing there and why the dive was such a great idea. For conditions such as this I use an "ice-mask"-a very thin but very effective tight hood that I on before I put on my wet hood-so I have 2 hoods. Thermoclines in Winni actually surprise me because you never can be sure where it will be-and there can be more than one. The general rule is to expect one at maybe 25 feet. I've sometimes found the 1st "cline" at 45 feet-go figure. I've dived the outflow point at the Lakeport Dam down to 60+ feet and there is no 'cline at all even at that depth, because the lake water is so mixed up in Opechee at that point it's just the same temp throughout the water column. We find the same thing in the CT. River; I've done searches for things and reasons I can't talk about in the CT River, but have been down to 60 feet there and the temp does not change for the same reason (Note: It's a night-dive at that depth even at noon on a sunny day-the water is the color of ice tea due to sediment from the farms and tannic acid in the water from organic material, such as leaves rotting). Venture outside this area in Opechee and you will hit really cold water soon enough. As to your questions about charts being available showing temps, a bathymetric map is the only (general) way to determine this-and you can't rely on them for site-specific diving in Winni, say, off Welch Island. Frankly I have no need for such maps-I simply base my dive on the depth I figure I will go and gear up as needed from there-done deal. Works for me every time. As to BilProjects entry about viz at depth in Winni, I was diving last summer off Clarks looking for this alleged cave-my buddy and I were at 94 feet or so for maybe 20 minutes and the viz-for those who care-was perhaps 10 feet. But I've been in Greens Basin at 25 feet and it's 5 foot viz. As to water temp-I don't really look anymore at my temp gauge-I know what to expect and prepare accordingly, but it was perhaps high '30s-no big deal. As to a 7mm wetsuit or the common 1/4", doesn't really matter to me-they are about the same. However, I understand your comment about one-piece 7 mil or a 2-piece farmer john set-up; Buoyancy to me is easy to adapt to. I wear a "chicken-vest" (literally a vest) then don the farmer, then the jacket-resulting in serious heart-area-warmth-insurance, what you need to protect 1st. It's a core-temp thing (hypothermia); Rescue divers like me and emergency FD personnel reading this post know exactly what I mean (yes I know you're out there). Some folks may tell you this set-up is just "bringing sand to the beach" as to the warmth question, but it works for me. And what works for me, rules. You need to figure the whole warmth issue out for yourself, based upon the variables I have described, as well as what other experienced divers tell you. Lastly, as to the new dive shop in Meredith, does anyone have an address on these folks? I trust this has been informative. I welcome your questions; Perhaps we'll meet to dive Winni. I love diving with folks less experienced than me, as well as folks more experienced than me. Ego will get you killed in this sport-please leave it at the dock. At Your Service, Diver1111 PS Bill & C-will def. catch up with ya’ll on the big island this summer-can’t wait-your camp is sweet!!!!!!!!!!

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