I was sure my old neoprene hood was fine for a 4-hour job in Puget Sound last week.

My teeth were chattering by hour two, and I've now ordered a proper crushed neoprene one. What's the coldest water you've worked in without a heated suit?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_tyler24d ago

Feel that, Puget Sound doesn't mess around. What kind of work were you doing for four hours in that cold? Just trying to picture if you were moving a lot or mostly holding still, because that makes a huge difference. My coldest was probably 38 degree water doing a quick hull inspection, but I was in and out in under an hour with a really thick suit. Can't imagine four hours, that's brutal.

the_oscar18d ago

Yeah, that "in and out in under an hour" part is key. For a four hour dive, were you doing something repetitive where you could keep your blood moving, like turning bolts or handling lines? Or was it more like a long survey where you're just floating and writing notes, because that stillness is what really kills you.

west.henry24d ago

Remember my buddy who swore his old suit was fine for a winter dive in Lake Superior? He got so cold he couldn't zip his keys back into his pouch after. That water was maybe 40 degrees, and it just saps you. He upgraded his gear the next week.