Submitted by Anonymous on Thu, 09/08/2011 - 10:39
Forums
Adaptations of Marine Worms in Antarctica

You explained to us about all the gear you wear to stay warm while diving. We noticed in your pictures that a lot of your face is exposed. Doesn't your face get really cold while diving?

Mr Messick's 4th grade Class

Thu, 09/08/2011 - 13:55

Michael League

Hey Mr. Messick's class,Great observation! You were really looking at those pictures carefully!
Yes, around our mouth is the place most exposed to the cold water. At
first, it is cold, but your lips go numb very quickly. I have noticed
that my lips are getting chapped though, so I need to apply more lip
balm then I used to. The only difficulty with your lips going numb is
when you need to change regulators (which go into our mouth and supply
air from the tank). Because everything is numb, sometimes it is
difficult to find your own mouth!
The rest of our face is covered by our mask, which has air in it. The
rest of our head is covered by hoods, which help keep us warm.
Great question! Hope you are having a great first week of school!
Mike