10/07/2026
A little reminder in this weather…
One thing that’s easy to forget when diving in the UK is that we’re dressed for the water temperature, not the air temperature.
The water might only be around 15–18°C, so most of us are in a 5mm wetsuit and hood. Abroad, if it was 27°C outside, we’d probably be diving in a 3mm or even just a rash vest. Here we’re standing around in full sun wearing something designed to keep us warm.
It’s really easy to overheat without realising it.
The water can make you feel refreshed, but it’s often the time before and between dives that catches people out. Overheating and dehydration can leave you with a headache, make you feel dizzy, raise your heart rate, affect your concentration and make it much harder to fully relax before your next dive. It can also leave you feeling more fatigued and reduce your recovery between dives.
Heat itself doesn’t cause blackouts, but anything that leaves you dehydrated, tired or not feeling 100% reduces your safety margin. If you’re not feeling right, don’t just put it down to the heat and carry on.
Take your hood off between dives, peel your suit down if you can, get into the shade, drink water regularly and have something to eat.
Most importantly, keep an eye on each other. If your buddy starts complaining of a headache, feeling sick, dizzy or unusually tired, encourage them to cool down and take a proper break.
The best dive is the one you don’t rush into.
