whats it like freediving in cold water?

[Anders]

I guess Norway is cold year round by most defintions. -1 degree C in winter to max 25 degrees C on the occasional very warm summer. I've been in at pretty much the entire range. Even in a 7mm suit you get cold quick at -1 to 2 degrees (winter) and it's vital to have a suit with perfect fit around your face to minimize the exposed area. But once you're suited up well, diving in the winter can be fun, that's when the visibility is best around where I live.

 

[Fondueset]

I now use a 5 mil during the winter - down to 1 or 2 c. Generally with a 1.5 mil vest. The suit is smoothskin out - which makes a major difference with cold air wicking on the surface.

Since go with a monofin or no fins - I use the monofin in the winter and do a lot of sprints to stay warm. Also key is eating well - usually oatmeal with dates, sesame Tahini and raw coconut oil. Generally I'll feel hungry again within 45 minutes while diving.

With lots of sprinting I can stay in 2c water for a couple of hour - even a few long dives at these temperatures make me cold very fast, though to some extent I can counter this with sprints to warm up again - then it becomes a matter of getting some more food.

 

[frozen duck]

When the water is not ice its warm enough for swimming here in Finland. And when theres ice, people make holes in it,either for fishing or for swimming. Theres an ice swimming club in every town.

In my home town theres a little old lady, over ninety years old, who swims year round.She is really looking younger than many people 10-30 years younger. We have a pump to keep the hole in the ice open for winter swimming in many towns here .

The feeling you get after a swim/dive in really cold water is awesome, you can really feel how blood flows in every tiny vein, and if you are taking only a short dip you get really warm under your skin. Thats what most ice swimmers do,only 5-10 minutes.

It is believed to have many kinds of useful effects on your health in general. Reduces aches and pains and protects from common flu.

With 5mm suit and vest I can stay in 45 minutes ``on the rocks``comfortably,maybe longer,just havent tried longer yet since im such a newbie with a wetsuit (and was afraid of freezing my fingers or toes which are the first parts to suffer from cold).Next winter I will find out.I have 7mmthick mittens and socks.

I have swam and dived in cold waters without a wetsuit all my life.In the beginning of winter, when the sea is not frozen over yet, its nice to take a plunge after working hard and sweating. Then a dry shirt on, and you keep warm since you have stopped the sweating and loss of heat.

For me over 20 is hot,20-16C is warm,15-8 is a bit cool and under 8C is cold.Best temperature for a quick skin dipping is 5-0C. And when the ice is too thick for you to make a hole,its too cold.

 

[Fondueset]

The water is has been 23c down to 12 meters for almost a month! This is VERY unusual. Normal summer water temp is between 15-20c - sometimes 10c or less depending on the wind - with thermalclines much shallower.

 

[frozen duck]

Many people here do jump in to very cold water straight from a really hot sauna,100-80C. Its not recommended for people who have something wrong with their heart.

 

[Jon]

Chris,

You have all the warm water piled up across the lake. The waters off of Milwaukee right now are cold, and clear, because the west winds blew all the warm surface waters over to you.

I'm fine ice diving in a 5mm suit IF I have 3-finger mitts on. I've frozen my hands in the past while skiing and find the mitts to be much warmer than gloves- no matter how thick they are. My toes can get cold in either my monofin or bi-fins (less so with bi-fins), but if I swim no-fins in the winter I stay quite warm.

Jon

 

[Fondueset]

Hey Jon,

I've not been out to big lake, But Grand Traverse bay is like a swimming pool. Viz has been reasonably good even with all the rain.