Scuba Divers - why do you wear a wetsuit?

[AndrewR]

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: dug777

Originally posted by: Anubis

Originally posted by: dug777
I remember getting cold as a kid in 28-32'C water. It's all about thermal conductivity and your surface area to volume ratio.

Skinny little kids get cold quickest

Here in 12-22'C water, at least a 5mm is essential, with a hood unless you like a bloody cold head.

when i was a kid dug i used to regulary swim in 55F water which is 12C with no wet suit for long periods of time

:Q

That would be...cold

it was, growing up in Maine FTW
water temp in the summer very rarley made it to 60F, avg summer temp is in the 50s
i dont think we used to spend more then 30 min in at one time if it was open ocean, if it was tidal and the sun heated the mud enough you coudl spend more time in it

I remember visiting Maine when I was in 7th-8th grade, and we went to the beach. I swam for awhile (middle of summer), and I freakin' turned blue because of the cold. I grew up swimming off the Jersey shore, but that Maine coast was just too cold!

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
Water gets colder very quickly as you go deeper. Also, water cools your body much faster than air. You could sit in 80 degree air all day and never feel cold but 30 minutes underwater, even at 80 degrees, would take quite a bit of your energy to keep you warm.

Yeah, but for the most part in the Caribbean the water stays 80 degrees even at 130 feet.

 

[GasX]

80 degree water is a bathtub for 15 minutes, but beyond that your core temp starts to drop with can ruin your dive - especially if you have a second one planned. Also, if you dive more that 20 feet down (and who doesn't?) you are likely to cross at least one thermocline and be in colder water.

I have done 2 consecutive dives in "warm" water and the boat ride back to the dock was miserable as I was shivering even if I was in the florida keys in the summer time...

 

[moshquerade]

so they won't get the girl pregnant

 

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by: HardcoreRobot
water has 23 times the thermal conductivity that air has

even 80 degree water will bring your core body temp down. this is mostly a factor when considering multiple dives.

^^^^
80F < 98.6F

 

[GasX]

that "tourette's" video is really funny! but I am note sure they were accurate about the depths...