Photo: Aleksander Nordahl, ettpust.com
Autumn and winter are a great time, and the temperature gradually drops to below 8 degrees in the sea. For many, this is the season of blue-frozen toes and fingers, and a declining motivation. It doesn't have to be that way!
Autumn and winter are a fantastic time for freediving, photography, scallop collecting and night diving! The crystal clear water is really something in itself!
Here are some tips on how to keep warm this winter
Keep your equipment dry and clean in the diving bag already the day before the diving trip. The bag is on the heating cables in the bathroom or another warm place in your house. It is not frozen solid in the car in the salt water from the previous diving trip.
If your wetsuit has a coating on the inside that means you almost don't need soap to put it on, it's time for a degreasing. You should do this at least once a year. Place the wetsuit inside out in the bath or in a steamer with warm water and wetsuit shampoo or deodoriser . You will notice that the suit gets a much higher friction on the neoprene on the inside of the suit, which in turn provides better thermal insulation.
When you set out on a trip, mix plenty of warm water with a mild skin-friendly soap or the lubricant Slippy . You wear warm clothes to keep you warm until you put on your wetsuit. We recommend having a 3mm neoprene singlet as part of the equipment you use in winter. You can put this singlet on at home before you leave, or in the car where it's nice and warm. It is easiest to put on when it has been rinsed inside with soapy water as you do with the wetsuit. You can put it on without using soapy water by turning it inside out, putting your arms and head through the singlet and turning it on. Now you are well protected against the cold weather when you take off your clothes.
Once you arrive at the dive site, you change your place where you stand to leeward of any wind. You have the hot water ready. At the top of the diving bag are the socks and the pant part of the wetsuit. The trousers and socks are filled with hot water and placed on the ground. You strip down to your lower body and slip into the warm trousers. It may be a good idea to bring a seat pad that you can stand on to keep your legs warm. If you have a long way to go to the sea, you have plastic clogs or cut-down, discarded rubber boots with you. You cut them so that they still have a bit of a shaft. You can also use some large, full sea boots.
The next thing you pull out of the bag is the top of the wetsuit and gloves. They are filled with hot water, you undress to the upper body, and within a short time the top and gloves are also on. You take the rest of the equipment down to the seaside. Belt, flippers, buoy and all other small equipment are made ready and find their place. For some, it can be difficult to get the mask tight with gloves on. If so, take off one glove, put on the mask and quickly put on the glove again.
If it's really cold and you have the opportunity, you can put on the equipment at home. Use a neoprene seat cover in the car to protect the car seats. Feel free to put on an old coverall for extra thermal insulation and to prevent evaporation. If you use a boat, it is very important to have a warm suit on top of the wetsuit.
Back at the water's edge. You calmly go into the water so that no cold water gets into the wetsuit. You stand straight up and down in the water so that the water pressure pushes all the air pockets from the suit up into the hood. You release this air by easing the edge of the hood. If you forget this, these air pockets can quickly be filled with cold seawater.
When winter comes, it is important to keep moving.
Like that. Now you're up and running. Now it's important to keep warm while you're in the water. Be conscious of not lying still too much, but swim and move before you start to freeze. When you first start to get cold, you quickly become very cold. Swim, play and generate heat as needed.
Finally. Pee before putting on the suit, and don't pee in the suit when you're in the sea. Rather go ashore, do what must be done and return to the sea.
When the trip is over, you find this article on your mobile, lock the screen rotation and turn the mobile upside down and read backwards. Good trip!
The necessary equipment for freediving in the cold season
Socks
Use 7mm socks. Make sure they have no holes and are not too small. It is important to have good blood circulation, and a sock that is too big warms better than one that is too small. If you have relatively spacious foot pockets, you can also use 9mm socks.
Suit for year-round use
You must have a wetsuit in Open-cell neoprene that is at least 7mm thick and with a hood cut that covers the forehead and chin. The suit fits tightly and comfortably on the whole body. Do not use semi-dry suits with zips, these let water in and become too cold in the winter.
Suit for winter use
If you are really cold or have the budget to have two suits, you can have a 9mm open-cell wetsuit in the winter. The new generation of 9mm suits are very soft but still build a bit more than the year-round suits in 7mm.
Gloves or mittens
For many, 5mm gloves are good enough all year round, but if your fingers get cold, 3-finger mittens in 7mm are a good alternative. It is very important that you have enough space so that blood circulation is good.
The flippers
Choose a foot pocket of a quality that can withstand cold water without becoming hard. Make sure you have plenty of space in the foot pocket, it should feel a little too big when you stand with your foot in the foot pocket. When you extend your foot, the foot is locked in the foot pocket. Many people swim around with foot pockets that are too small, which can cause pain and cold feet. On the product pages of the various freediving fins you will find a video that shows how the fin should sit to suit you.
Singlet
Use a 3mm singlet with open-cell neoprene under the wetsuit. This provides a lot of extra heat, and prevents cold water from finding its way in. For many, this in combination with a 7mm suit is warm enough compared to buying a 9mm suit.