I wanted to make a post about diving drysuits. I had a lot of questions and comments on my recent video diving the springs and cave systems in Florida and why I’d be diving dry? Many people commented that they dive the springs in a shorty wetsuit or sometimes even a t-shirt and shorts. Diving drysuits isn’t just for polar waters. I use a drysuit often in “warmer” water for many reasons.
1. As a professional image maker I have exceptional buoyancy using a drysuit. It keeps my feet up so I don’t silt out a cave or hit any objects on shipwrecks. It also allows me to fine tune my buoyancy with out making big adjustments while i’m shooting.
2. My dives are often long dives. 2-5 + hours so even in “warm” 72f degree water you can get very cold after an hour in a wetsuit. Once you are cold you’re blood flow is restricted and you have increased risk of decompression sickness. If you’re cold you don’t “off gas” nitrogen properly and you risk the bends during those long duration dives.
3. I often dive closed circuit rebreathers. These allow me to stay underwater for 2-10 hours. I rarely do dives longer than 4 hours long but on a rebreather you tend to be butt heavy so having lift in your legs and feet in a drysuit makes diving a rebreather much easier.
4. You saw me diving them in the Florida caves. There are risks in cave diving that involve silt and not being able to see. if I dive dry it keeps my feet up off of the bottom with appropriate fin kicks and my shots end up cleaner and I can perform my job better and keep the environment safe.”
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Article Above submitted by Becky Kagan Schott
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