The "dive dry" myth needs to stop before someone gets hurt

I keep seeing guys on job sites bragging about how they never use a hot water suit for shallow harbor work. They say it keeps them "tough" and saves time. Last month I watched a diver buddy of mine get mild hypothermia in 52 degree water off Boston Harbor because he thought a drysuit was enough. We were doing simple hull inspections, nothing deep, but after 90 minutes he was shaking so bad he couldn't grip his tools. I've been doing this for 8 years and I learned the hard way that water temp doesn't care about your ego. You lose dexterity fast and that's how mistakes happen. Has anyone else seen guys push back on proper thermal protection for short dives?

3 comments

3 Comments

ray3561mo ago

@jana_shah 52 degrees is fine with a good drysuit and proper base layer if you move around enough.

jana_shah1mo ago

Right, because hypothermia totally respects the "it's just a quick job" rule. 52 degrees for 90 minutes is basically a slow cooker for your core temp. Hope your buddy is okay, some people just gotta learn the hard way that water doesn't care about your street cred.

the_lisa1mo ago

52 degrees with a decent drysuit and moving around is totally fine for a hull job. Sounds like your buddy had a bad base layer or was just standing still too long. People act like hypothermia kicks in at 60 degrees but really it's about how you dress and pace yourself.