Morrison's Springs...has sprung....07 Apr 12

[scubamiller]

Another Beautiful day out at Morrison's Diving with the family; Nice to the see that the Water was crystal clear when we entered at 7:45, and stayed pretty much that way until about 11:00 when the majority of the students started to hit bottom. By that time, me and the wife had gotten plenty wet anyways after a brisk dip in the 63 degree water.

Great vis; the log was at about 22-24 feet...lots of people enjoying the underwater of Northwest Florida.

 

[ReefHound]

63 degrees?

 

[tntgalbreath]

That should be 68 degrees!

 

[WeldonDowd]

What kind of exposure suit was comfortable? We will be there in a month and the girlfriend is worried she will be cold in her 5 and a hood.

 

[tsmtrey]

I wear a 3mm shorty or bathing suit in morrisons and vortex. I think most people wear a full 3mm or 5mm and some wear hoods. I think she should be fine, if not you could always just go and rent a 7mm suit.

 

[DogHouseDiver]

If down for about equal to or less than an hour, a 5mm with hood is fine. I dive a heavily compressed 3mm that is 12 yrs old when I dive wet and at 45-60 mins I'm Ok, beyond that I dive dry. so a good 5mm with hood should net you a 90 min dive before shivering. Or just toss a shorty on over.

 

[scubamiller]

My wife was with me today; she wears a 5/4/3 Mares full wetsuit with a 5mm hood, she is extremely cold-natured in the water, and she does fine for the 1st hour, and after an hour SIT, she was good for the next 45 minutes, before she got cold, and got out...me, I wear a 3/2 full wet suit with a 5 mm hood and was good for both hours underwater, with the same hour SIT.

---------- Post added April 8th, 2012 at 09:11 PM ----------

The water stays right about the same temperature year round; I have been in Morrisons as cold as 62, and as warm as 69 degrees though; so the people who say it 68 degrees ALL the time, are close, but not entirely accurate...plus even digital thermometers are only accurate +/- a couple of degrees.

 

[Dive-aholic]

The water coming out of the cavern stays pretty steady at 68 degrees year round. While the water in the basin will fluctuate based on air temp and water level, that is due to back flow from the spring run not from the water flowing from the spring.

FWIW, I dive a dry suit in 68 degree water for about 95% of my dives. The only time I dive a wet suit is when the cave is too small for a dry suit. I am spoiled in that way, though.

 

[jviehe]

Remember, being cold increases your risk of DCS (not to mention hypothermia and not having fun). So dont be a hero Wear a full 5mm suit.

 

[Hetland]

Remember, being cold increases your risk of DCS (not to mention hypothermia and not having fun). So dont be a hero Wear a full 5mm suit.

but being in a 5mm for any length of time in 99 degree August temps increases your risk of falling-out in the parking lot

What's not always apparent, is that you may be "comfortable" in your suit, but how do you feel at the end of the day? If you're exhausted beyond what you should be for the physical activity of the day, you may be suffering from the thermal stress your body experiences trying to keep your core temp within operating range.

I usually wear a 3mm w/hooded vest in the deep summer (because the air temp is so toasty) and a 5mm w/hooded vest the rest of the time, or if I plan on being in the water for over an hour.