Tried a new dive light on a night job and it nearly got me in trouble

I was on a night hull cleaning job in Tampa last week and decided to test a new 2000-lumen light I got online for about $150. The thing was bright as heck on the surface, but once I got down about 20 feet, the beam just turned into a murky blue fog. I couldn't see the growth on the hull at all, just this glowing cloud right in front of my mask. I had to go back up and grab my old, less powerful light to finish the job. The problem was the color temperature, I think. It was way too cool (like daylight white) and it just scatters in the particles. My old light has a warmer, more yellow beam that cuts through better. Learned my lesson about trusting surface brightness specs for actual work depth. Has anyone else had a dive light fail them like that, and what specs do you actually look for?

3 comments

3 Comments

oliviabutler3d ago

Classic case of specs looking good on paper but failing in the water. That murky blue fog sounds like a nightmare, basically paying to blind yourself. Always go for the warmer beam for actual visibility.

the_elizabeth3d ago

That murky blue fog @oliviabutler is talking about is so real. I learned the hard way last summer in Florida. Warm beam or bust for sure.

vera293d agoRising Star

Ever notice how this happens with car headlights too? The super bright blue ones just light up the fog in front of you, just like @the_elizabeth said. It's all about the right tool for the actual conditions, not just the biggest number.