On September 1, 1942, the first Seabee unit to serve in a combat area, the Sixth Naval Construction Battalion (SeaBees), arrives on Guadalcanal.

I am not going to tell the story as there is a movie (with John Wayne one of the seven he dies in) and I posting a link at the bottom of an excellent article about them. What I am going to say is SeaBees are some of the hardest working people you will ever find. I would rather have 1 SeaBee that 5 other people. They have made almost all the camps I have been in since the first gulf war in 91 thru Iraq in the 2000s and they never stop working on them to making them better. They build they fight; (they can’t read or write) (that was a joke) you tell them you need something, and they will find it or make it. Indeed some of the unsung heroes of the military.

www.seabeesmuseum.com/seabee-history

archive.org/details/FightingSeabees44

As we are starting to get into fall and the water begins to get colder. You will have to start looking at, adding more to what you wear when you dive. One of the best ways to add warmth without adding a lot more rubber is to add a hood and a vest. The vest helps keep your chest warm, from the tie you enter the water. I like a vest because it helps with that first blast of cold water that always hits your chest. Since you lose about 75 percent of your body heat through your head even if the water is warm, you will lose heat thru it. Hoods and vest are usually made from neoprene and are designed for wearing in either warm or cold water.  Again, as with wetsuits, the thicker the hood/vest, the better it is for colder water. One of the most significant drawbacks to diving, in general, is the thinker anything is, gloves, suit, or hood the more mobility you lose. There are two types of hoods, warm and cold water.  Warm water hoods are less cumbersome and typically cover your head and neck. They can be used for warmth and to help protect your head.

Warm vs. Coldwater Hoods

When diving in cold water, a thick neoprene hood that covers your head and neck will be the most practical. The thicker the neoprene, the warmer you head will be. Coldwater dive hoods typically have a sizable bib, which can be tucked into your wetsuit at the neck opening. The bib reduces the transfer of water and keeps the diver that much warmer. The bib comes down to cover the neck and some of the chest, like a bib for kids. There is also hooded vest, and those cover the head and the chest. Cold-water hoods cover some or all of the diver’s forehead and jaw/chin areas, and it also includes a good part of the diver’s cheeks. It tries to leave as little of the diver’s face exposed to the cold water as possible — ordinary just room for the mask and the regulator.    

Warm-water dive hoods are much thinner and typically do not have large bib like cold-water hoods. Warm water hoods and vests are suitable for long-duration diving in warm water. It isn’t so thick that you overheat from the start, but with a long dive, you will start to get cold. If you are warm, you can also vent the hood/ vest, and as the dive goes on, you will be warmer. You can even sometimes start the dive without the hood, and then if you are cold, you can put it on. Hooded vests are good for that as you can just pull the hood up as you are diving.

The right fitting dive hood should not be too loose; if you’re going for a cold-water hood, it should feel snug around your cheeks and jaw and should cover most of your forehead.  Still, it should not feel too tight – if it is uncomfortable around the throat or facial area, then you’ll need to go up a size. Basically, if the hood creates discomfort along the face or neck/throat, it is too small. If water freely flows in and out of the hood, it is too big. Too loose a hood will not protect you from the elements at all, as water will be able to flow in and out freely. Layering is the key to warmth when diving.

SCUBAPRO’s line of Hoods, Vest and Hooded Vest can provide that extra layer to help keep you warmer longer when diving. The SCUBAPRO 2.5/0.5mm Unisex Hooded Vest is just what you need for a little extra warmth on colder water dives. When you are in warm water locations, add a hooded vest over a spring suit or under a Shorty or Fullsuit, you add warmth and will be able to stay in longer. The vest is easy to don and doff and is fast drying for days that have multiple dives. The vest is 2.5mm thick in the hood chest and back and 0.5mm thick on the ultra-stretch side panels.

SCUBAPRO has also updated its popular Hybrid line, which includes a thermal long sleeve top, cargo shorts, and a sleeveless hooded vest. The line also consists of a full suit that is great for long-duration warm water dives or under cammies to help keep you warm. The Hybrid Hooded Vest’s ultra-comfortable neoprene/nylon blend does a great job of protecting your torso and head, two critical areas for minimizing heat loss, providing comfort, warmth, and protection where you need it most. On the underside of the nylon panels, a micro-plush interior makes the vest warm and cozy.

This fleece fabric absorbs less water, which keeps heat against the body, increasing overall warmth. It also dries quickly. This hooded vest can be worn by itself or layered over a long-sleeve thermal rash guard to increase warmth and protection and built with a mix of quality 1.5mm X-Foam neoprene for warmth and durable nylon for stretch and comfort. Highly versatile ideal for divers, snorkelers, paddle boarders, swimmers, and anyone that needs more protection from the elements to include long boat rides. I have used pieces in this line for an Alcatraz swim(1.5mile), and it worked great.  Unique styling keeps you warm, protected, and looking good — form-fitting for that sleek, hydrodynamic look and feel.

 Wetsuits go back to the commercial fishing and salvage industries of the 1910s. Before wetsuits divers used grease to help keep them warm (tuff bastards) The development of the wetsuit started as military research in the early 20th century. The first underwater suit was the Mark V suit (I know there were other types thru the ages) It allowed divers to go deeper into the ocean than ever before. It was developed for the U.S. Navy, primarily for use in deep-sea and salvage operations. Early versions of the wetsuit proved to be useful insulation garments, but with the discovery of neoprene, resulting from research throughout the Second World War, there was a big leap forward and the real turning point for the wetsuit as we know them. After World War Two, sport diving became more popular in the United States.  The popularity of movies like the “Frogmen,” (I have heard a lot of Vietnam Frogman joined after seeing the Frogman) the Cousteau book and film adaptation of “The Silent World” and the magazine “Skin Diver.”

The modern wetsuit dates back to 1951 – 1952. Hugh Bradner is mostly credited in invented it, (credited as the inventor of the contemporary wetsuit depending on who you ask) a physicist associated with the University of California, Berkeley looking to improve on the equipment used by the U.S. Navy. Early wetsuits sandwiched the relatively thin neoprene between layers of spandex or nylon. The earliest versions of the wetsuit worked by trapping a small amount of water between the body and the suit. The water is heated by the body’s temperature and acted as insulation. These modern wetsuits also had improved stitching and seams that kept the outfit watertight and prevented the outside water from entering the suit and cooling the diver. When Bradner first showed the Navy, they were not that happy with it. The Navy was concerned that the gas inherent in neoprene would make divers more visible on sonar.

This program was taken over Jack O’Neill in 1959; he started producing early neoprene wetsuits in his Santa Cruz garage. His company, called O’Neill began selling these suits in 1959 with the motto, “It’s always summer on the inside.” Around the same time, Bob Meistrell started producing a similarly-designed wetsuit under the company name Body Glove.

Bob & Bill Meistrell and Jack O’Neill (better known as the founders of Body Glove & O’Neill) have also staked their claims as inventors of the modern wetsuit.

The first neoprene suits were not easy to put on and could be easily torn by pulling and stretching. This led to the practice of divers sprinkling talc on their bodies before donning their wetsuit. After a few years, wetsuits began being lined with nylon so they could be put on easier. Many different techniques were employed over the evolution of the wetsuit design some of these were seam taping, seam gluing, and eventually blind stitching. Seam taping provided relief for some problems; this technique involved melting tape into the nylon which sealed the seam and prevented water from entering the suit. Seam gluing was another technique where they fixed the slabs of neoprene together, which resulted in a smooth, flat surface; however, the neoprene and the glue was often not a strong enough mix and easily tore. The eventual outcome was blind stitching, and this is the technique used predominantly in all wetsuit types and designs. The blind stitching technique is where a curved needle that is used for blind stitch sewing is designed not to go all the way through the neoprene but just under the surface of the material and comes back up on the same side. Using this technique, the neoprene is sewn together without having to puncture a hole through the entire piece of neoprene. As a result of this, no holes in the neoprene means no water flushing out the suit. Due to the nature of blind stitching, it creates a flat seam which increases the comfort of the wetsuit.

Body Glove designed the very first non-zip wetsuit, (there are two different years that I have found 1970 and 1989) But there are a lot more options today. There are several closure options to choose from (front, back & cross zip).  Spandex, for flexibility and titanium and other thermoplastic materials, for insulation, have been introduced to the fabric for improved performance. Eventually, they became lined with nylon, which decreased the sticky texture of the neoprene; however, nylon decreased the flexibility of the wetsuit. It was not until the 1970’s that double-backed neoprene was being sewed together; it was simple but not very effective. The result of punching holes through the double layers of neoprene opened the inside of the wetsuit to the environment. This resulted in lots of flushing through the seams, so the result of this was new techniques in seam binding.

Even today’s wetsuits are mostly made from foamed neoprene and are worn by just about every person that is in the water for extended periods from surfers, spearfishes, divers, windsurfers, and a wide range of other sports. Wetsuits are also used to help prevent abrasion and provide thermal insulation as well as assisting in buoyancy.

Dive mask preparation

When a SCUBA mask is made, it leaves a lot of film and residue on it. If not cleaned off properly, you will never get your mask to stop fogging. You can search the Internet for lots of different ways to clean your mask. I am going to walk thru one of the easiest and safest methods to do it. With some of the other methods, if not done correctly, you can break your mask glass or damage your frame.

Toothpaste or Soft Scrub (without bleach)

Your first step will be to take some toothpaste (not gel) and with your finger dab some on both sides of the inside of the lenses and the inside of the mask.  Rub the toothpaste thoroughly and then let it sit to dry. Try to wait an hour or two before you rinse it out; however, if you don’t have the time, just go ahead and rinse it right away; there’s a good chance it will still work. You should do this every couple of months to make sure your mask is clean. Make sure you clean the interior inside of the mask, skirt and all.  There are also commercial cleaners you can use that clean and defog. A mask is like the inside of your car window. It gets a film on it because all the plastic and rubber are off-gassing.

Put your dive mask under running water to rinse out the toothpaste.  You can use your fingernail or a toothbrush to get around the skirt that touches the lens. In some cases, some of the toothpaste can seep under there. Make sure you get it all out. 

Different ways to defog your mask before every dive

Commercial Defogger

This is the type of defogging you can buy at any dive shop.  There are a ton of different types, but they are basically all the same.  If you would like to go this route, making sure it is safe for the reef and environmentally friendly. This is a good practice as your face will be in there. If you are diving O2 make sure it will not interact with the O2 and cause a burn or reaction. Usually, divers will put this inside their mask, swish it around with their finger and then rinse and go.

SCUBACLEAR, 30CC

Baby Shampoo and dishwashing soap

This is a very economical choice in the world of defogging your mask.  Many dive boats will carry an empty plastic water bottle container with a hole in the top and fill it about a quarter full of baby shampoo and the rest water.  Even just a little bit of soapy water will be enough to defog your mask.  Always remember to rinse your mask thoroughly; otherwise, the residue soap will sting your eyes underwater, even the baby shampoo will cause some tears if you use too much. 

You can also spit into your mask. If you use spit, the mask should be completely dry.  If you take off your mask in the water and then spit into it, it is very likely to become foggy during the dive.  Remember – dry mask, spit, rub, rinse with water, and put on your mask.

Preventing a foggy mask even if you have defogged it

If your face is sweaty and hot, it is a good idea to splash some cold water on it to give it a quick rinse before you put your mask on. 

Before putting your choice of defogging on your mask, ensure that the lens is dry. You can apply to defog to your mask anytime before jumping in the water; however, you should rinse the defog out only moments before jumping in.  If you have rinsed it out, but then are delayed jumping in, and you are not ready to put your mask on your face, leave a layer of water in your mask until you are prepared. Once you have defogged and rinsed your mask, put your mask on your face, and don’t take it off.  Moving your mask to your forehead, neck, or into the water basically eliminate any defogging you had just put onto your mask. Keep in mind if you are jumping into a dive or have to wait before you get to where you will leave on your dive. For long transits to insertion points, try and keep your inner mask dry, you can store it in a zip-lock bag as it is easily collapsed and store. Lastly, you can always leave a little water in your mask during the dive and swish it around to help keep the fog at bay.

Summary

You should clean your mask every couple of months depending on its use. It should be kept in a clean, dry place. Most masks come in boxes that are designed for you to store it in. Make sure it is dry before you store it away. Clean your mask after every use; make sure to clean around the outside edge of the mask, especially the part close to your mouth. Because it is close to your mouth, it can smell like food, and that can attack bugs. If this happens, they will eat your mask, and it will look like it is dry rotted. Most masks are made of high-quality rubber and can resist dry rot. A good dive mask can last for years if taking care of properly.  

Lastly, I am going to say this, and if you have never done this before, ask someone who has… The best way I have found to get a new mask ready to dive is and again DO NOT TRY THIS IF YOU HAVE NEVER DONE IT BEFORE. Do not do this on a tempered mask. I know all masks are tempered. I am putting this out as a warning that mask companies tell you, ”Do not burn the mask” If you do it wrong, it will destroy your mask. So, what I do is, I burn my mask, (I know I said don’t do it) then clean it with soft scrub (without bleach) with a green scrubby pad, not too hard, so you don’t scratch the glass. Clean the total inside of the mask, let it dry, burn it again then soft scrub again. Then I use Jaw spit anti-fog. I use the gel, not the spray, (I have never tried the spray).

I know everyone has a way to do this and just want to share what has been working for me. If you read this and say. “I can burn my mask” never stop moving the flame and only let the very top of the flame touch the glass, lastly never ever touch the rubber sides. AGAIN, DON’T DO THIS IF YOU DON’T KNOW HOW. I know the bold writing will hold up in court if you burn your mask and it breaks, and you can decide to sue me.