Make sure you wear suitable thermal protection. Be aware of the risk of a regulator free flow. And as with all diving, cold water diving – when the water temperature drops to 10°C and below – needs good preparation and planning.
Things to do to minimise free flows:
- Use a cold-water-rated regulator marked EN250 or EN250A only
- Keep your regulator in a warm place before diving
- Breathe gently during pre-dive checks, at the surface and during the dive
- Keep your regulator dry between dives
- Consider using a dSMB with a gas cylinder
Things to avoid:
- A leaky dry suit
- Leaving your kit in the car overnight
- Inflating a dSMB or lift bag from your alternate supply unnecessarily
- Decompression diving
- Deeper diving
Learning Curve article from SCUBA issue 85
Read more on 'The art of winter scuba diving - simple steps to keep safe'
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Author: SCUBA | Posted 23 Jan 2019
