Cold-water diving

I know what you're thinking: “I've been diving in cold water all year”. Well, I suppose it's all relative, added to which we seem to only have three seasons these days - winter, spring, and monsoon. But this month I'm talking about the kind of cold that makes your regulator want to free flow and your face freeze in the sort of expression that Dolly Parton probably paid thousands of dollars for. Sounds fun, doesn't it? Staying in practice though will pay dividends for next season, not to mention any holidays in warmer climates that you might be planning. Talking of which, there are a few things you should be thinking about before it gets much colder. Planning is one of them, but making sure that both you and your gear really are up to the job is equally important.

Many divers write off diving in the sea in the winter and head for inland sites. In winter, freshwater temperatures can be lower than 5 degrees C and that means a significant risk of suffering a free flow due to ice forming in your regulator. In the seas around the UK it is comparatively rare for this to happen, as sea water freezes at a slightly lower temperature (-2 degrees C). However, bear in mind we're talking the UK here, where weather predictions occasionally confound the experts. I mention this because last winter the sea froze in several places, including Holyhead harbour.

Nevertheless, we are sometimes blessed with very settled conditions in the winter. Plankton dies away and visibility can improve dramatically. It's always worth a phone call to a coastal dive centre to check out the conditions, added to which they'll probably take pity on you and make you a cup of tea as you thaw out waiting for your cylinders to be filled.Winter-time diving also means coping with less daylight. Coastal locations that are very popular in the summer can be completely deserted in the winter. Do make sure that someone on shore knows exactly where you are diving and what time you will be back. Carrying a surface location aid (flag, SMB, torch or strobe) will also be a sensible precaution.

Diving in cold water is as much about planning to take account of your limitations as the kit. If you want to give it a try talk to your instructor and organise a dive or even a drysuit course. Diving in winter can be warmer than you might think, and you'll feel much more confident next season.