Is it socially acceptable to wee in your wetsuit??
March 18th 2008 00:48
It’s that grey area in diving that is not universally agreed upon, but everyone does it. It’s often discussed openly but some people will try to convince you they have never done it. We need to decide, once and for all, is weeing in your wetsuit ok??
It’s not – contrary to popular belief – anything about trying to keep warm. If that is your reason for weeing in your suit – get a better wetsuit!! It is about bladder pressure. Let me explain.
A day diving is normally just that – a day. You meet the boat at around 7am and are often not back at the harbour until 3 that afternoon. A lot of boats don’t have toilet facilities. So you are out for about 8 hours, drinking plenty of water (like a good little person) and surrounded by splishy, sploshy noises and a very big wet place. At some time in the day, unless you’ve been surgically modified, your bladder will begin to send signals suggesting its demise is imminent without immediate action.
In the past, I have dutifully removed my wetsuit and leapt into the water to relieve myself at the back of the boat. Of course I was in a hire wetsuit at the time and the thought of previous occupants not removing it is too grim to bear. Let me tell you though, when you are female and outnumbered by men on the boat, removing your wetsuit to wee becomes a point of much mirth and excitement for the boys. Incredible, I know, but there it is.
The boys studiously ignore other boys taking off their wetsuits to wee – or they would if it ever happened – but if you are female and you need to wee, evidently you are fair game for a barrage of jests and jeers. Of course, assuming you don’t mind the blithering idiots men become when confronted by bosoms in bathers, this is still only practical in the warmer months - it truly is quite unpleasant to rip off the wetsuit and plunge into cold water – even for the sake of bladder integrity.
Let me be clear though. I have only actually witnessed wetsuit removal – for this reason - on a couple of occasions and generally it was my wetsuit being removed!!
So is it ok to wee in your wetsuit??
Personally, I think reason has to prevail. Clearly it is not ok to wee in your suit and then climb aboard the boat, leaking yellow fluid out at the ankles. Similarly, it is not ok to wee in another person’s wetsuit – especially when they’ve got it on!!! But this too can be balanced by giving it a good wash (well, unless you actually did wee on someone else’s wetsuit while they were in it - most people will find it difficult to forgive that transgression). If the poor staff at the dive shop will be the one’s washing your hire gear, it is bad form/karma and a bit bloody rude not to at least give it a good rinse if you’ve wee’d in it. And it is a good idea to volunteer to wash it yourself. But everyone who wears a wetsuit regularly – and that includes surfers – does it. We just tend not to talk about it, much. Those of us who care, will let water into the top of the wetsuit to - effectively -‘flush’ it!!!
Of course, there is the occasional person who will swear to you they don’t, never have and never will, wee in the suit. But for their sake, I hope they are lying. If not I guarantee you will find this same person in the checkout at Coles, in 20 years, with a badly concealed packet of ‘Depend’ under their arm.
It’s not – contrary to popular belief – anything about trying to keep warm. If that is your reason for weeing in your suit – get a better wetsuit!! It is about bladder pressure. Let me explain.
A day diving is normally just that – a day. You meet the boat at around 7am and are often not back at the harbour until 3 that afternoon. A lot of boats don’t have toilet facilities. So you are out for about 8 hours, drinking plenty of water (like a good little person) and surrounded by splishy, sploshy noises and a very big wet place. At some time in the day, unless you’ve been surgically modified, your bladder will begin to send signals suggesting its demise is imminent without immediate action.
In the past, I have dutifully removed my wetsuit and leapt into the water to relieve myself at the back of the boat. Of course I was in a hire wetsuit at the time and the thought of previous occupants not removing it is too grim to bear. Let me tell you though, when you are female and outnumbered by men on the boat, removing your wetsuit to wee becomes a point of much mirth and excitement for the boys. Incredible, I know, but there it is.
The boys studiously ignore other boys taking off their wetsuits to wee – or they would if it ever happened – but if you are female and you need to wee, evidently you are fair game for a barrage of jests and jeers. Of course, assuming you don’t mind the blithering idiots men become when confronted by bosoms in bathers, this is still only practical in the warmer months - it truly is quite unpleasant to rip off the wetsuit and plunge into cold water – even for the sake of bladder integrity.
So is it ok to wee in your wetsuit??
Personally, I think reason has to prevail. Clearly it is not ok to wee in your suit and then climb aboard the boat, leaking yellow fluid out at the ankles. Similarly, it is not ok to wee in another person’s wetsuit – especially when they’ve got it on!!! But this too can be balanced by giving it a good wash (well, unless you actually did wee on someone else’s wetsuit while they were in it - most people will find it difficult to forgive that transgression). If the poor staff at the dive shop will be the one’s washing your hire gear, it is bad form/karma and a bit bloody rude not to at least give it a good rinse if you’ve wee’d in it. And it is a good idea to volunteer to wash it yourself. But everyone who wears a wetsuit regularly – and that includes surfers – does it. We just tend not to talk about it, much. Those of us who care, will let water into the top of the wetsuit to - effectively -‘flush’ it!!!
Of course, there is the occasional person who will swear to you they don’t, never have and never will, wee in the suit. But for their sake, I hope they are lying. If not I guarantee you will find this same person in the checkout at Coles, in 20 years, with a badly concealed packet of ‘Depend’ under their arm.
There is probably a fair bit of weeing going on at this safety stop.
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Comment by Jill Browne
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Comment by katyzzz
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Comment by Cibbuano
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Comment by Nomad
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Comment by Joanne Fedler
Jo
Comment by Damo
It would be a dead giveaway.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
or not to wee?
That is the question!
Whether it is nobler,
to suffer the slings and arrows,
of outrageous fortune,
pee jibes and jests,
ankling a dribble,
of yellow river,
amidst poop decks,
ahh, these things are but trials,
sent to annoy some,
and amuse others!
there you are, Kim L, a bit of poetic doggeral for your amusement!
By the way, I think 'water sports' fits in nicely with what divers are all about!!! tee hee!!!
Maybe someone should invent the 'wet-pee' suit, that has the groin section removeable, or, is porous one way, outwards!
Other than that...eeeeewwwwwwww!!!
And tell those OAFS to grow up! Let them know, the next time they start carrying on when you wee, they better stop gawking at your boobs, because most of them are going ot grow them by the time they are fifty!! then it'll be your turn to point and laugh!! hehe!!
cheers
fog
Comment by Kim L
Diving About
Jill, was Shakespeare a diver??
Katyzzz, weeing in pools is just wrong.
Cib, More than one I reckon.
Awesome Dude, that's what we like about you - always thinking and coming up with awesome ideas!!
Joanne, I hear ya!! Not about the drinking wee - I'm completely at odds with that.
Damo, Sea water is probably the most corrosive substance a wetsuit is likely to come in contact with (usually)...
Fog, thanks for your poetical take on this most vexing subject. Seems that your good self and Awesome Dude are thinking on the same track!!!
Cheers
Kim