A few beginner questions

[paulr]

Hi guys, awesome forum.

I have just started to become interested in the sport, I live near a lot of cool natural springs in Florida and I really enjoy diving down into them. I read the sticky I promise! I have a few questions for you all.

What is the advantage of a wetsuit? I dont own one but I dont really get cold in any of the Florida water. I like swimming without one. Does this leave me at a disadvantage?

I read that free divers weigh themselves to be buoyant at a certain depth. Now this question may sound retarded, but I have to ask. Is a body more or less buoyant as it gets deeper into the water? I guess I assumed because of the pressure that the further down you swim, the more you are pushed up. But I also when I watch videos of free divers I notice that after a certain depth they seem to coast strait down. Do you sink faster because the pressure has compacted your body making it more dense?

Thanks!

 

[Gahiel]

Hi paulr and welcome to DB! For your first question- a wetsuit is simply used for comfort. In tropical waters cold water is never going to really be a huge issue, however if you are spending many hours in the water- a wetsuit is going to be a godsend! You don't have to purchase a think one, a 3mm will suit your needs perfectly. The entire idea behind a wet suit is to try and make sure that you are at your most comfortable and confident in the water. (and it is nice for jelly fish ) A diver never wants to be cold, or the least bit uncomfortable.

As for the weight belts: Yes many free divers do wear weight belts. The reason is to help off set the buoyancy from a chest full of air and of course your wet suit. Generally divers aim to be neutrally buoyant at about 30feet. As a segway into your last question- yes at a certain depth, you will become negatively buoyant and the water will 'pull' you deeper. Now depending on the thickness of your wet suit, BMI, Salt or Fresh water (even the temperature of said water) and the weight of your dive belt- the depth at which you will become negatively buoyant will constantly change.

edit: generally the 'heavier' you are the faster (shallower) one will reach a negative buoyancy. You can try it yourself: exhale your air, and see what happens to you at the surface of the water. On your next try, exhale just enough so that way you become neutral just a few feet under water, and for your last- take a big breath. You will quickly notice the differences. If you take that information and compound it with lead weight, or with a buoyant wet suit you can begin to understand your situation
Anyway hope that helps and good luck with your diving!

 

[paulr]

Excellent information! Thank you very much.

 

[blueface]

I live in the tropics and let me tell you after a few hours without a suit we can become hypothermic (especially in windy/rainy weather) and even though the water is 84 degrees f it is still cooler than body temperature therefore, heat loss still occurs at a faster rate without a wet suit than with one. It is very difficult to breathhold while hypothermic.

 

[JennyWren]

Just to clarify - yes, you get more negatively bouyant as you get deeper because you weigh the same, but you are smaller (your lungs and wetsuit compress).