Appreciation post: When my drysuit zipper seized up 30 feet down in Puget Sound

Was working a harbor maintenance job near Seattle last Tuesday. Got about 30 feet down when I felt the zipper on my drysuit lock up. Couldn't budge it. Heart started pounding. Had to signal my tender and abort the dive. Rented a backup suit for the rest of the week. Cost me $150 extra but better than getting hypothermia. Anyone else had a zipper fail on them mid-dive? What do you carry as a backup?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_mary1mo ago

Life's always testing you right when you least expect it.

martin.vera1mo ago

Last month my car broke down on the highway right when I was already late for a job interview... I just sat there for a minute feeling like the universe was messing with me. Called a friend to pick me up and she got me to the place with like 5 minutes to spare. I think sometimes life throws those curveballs to remind us we can handle more than we give ourselves credit for. What worked for me was just taking a breath and focusing on one small step at a time.