Moving to Melbourne - Dry or Wet?

[Diver Rick]

I am about to move to Melbourne for 6 months and have seen that I will be close to the Portsea diving area. I've been diving in Canada (Ontario) for 24 years, and am quite used to diving deep, cold, wrecks. My wife and I have also done a fair amount of warm Caribbean & South Pacific diving.

From what I have read, I can't figure out if we should bring our dry suits or not.

It would appear my wife will be comfortable (February through May) using her full 7mm suit. But I only have a dry suit or a 3mm (full length), but nothing in between. If I buy a 5mm vest with hood to put on over my 3mm what do people think of my chances of being comfortable down there?

I don't get chilled all that easily, and seem to tolerate a 3mm shorty in warmer waters when most others are wearing full 3mm or even 5mm....

I am also a Divemaster with lots of experience assisting with teaching and leading dive groups. What are my chances of some part time employment in the area while I am down there (I will have full work Visa privileges,)

My wife leaves in a few days, and I join her at the end of January, so any responses would be appreciated!

See you when I get there!

.....Rick

 

[Trickie Dickie 99]

Have a look at this, which gives you sea surface temps in degrees C for Aus at the end of last August, this being the time when sea temperatures are at their lowest.

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/nmoc/...e_new/sst&channel=&file=IDE3NT01.20060831.gif

Off Victoria, it's sitting on about 13, maybe 14 degrees C.

In fact it pretty much stays that way from late June until the end of October:

http://www.bom.gov.au/cgi-bin/nmoc/...emonth=10&eday=31&pdep=31&pstart=124&image=no

My advice is bring the drysuit. Your 3mm will be ok if you take a trip up North at some time. I wear a drysuit year round here in Tasmania and I rarely have problems overhearting, particularly out on the water, even in the Summer.

As for the 5mm +3mm, my mate from England thought he'd get away with the same rig here on the East Coast of Tas, similar to Southern Vic temp wise and froze his nuts off until we got him into a 7mm.

For it's latitude (about the same as the Mediterranean), SE Australia is pretty chilly, because we don't have the benefit of a Gulf Stream type current, particularly on the South facing coasts.

Bring ithe drysuit, after 6 months, you'll be as big a wuss as the rest of us. (I'm from Manchester England, 20 years ago, so I should know.)

Richard

 

[Patty]

I'm in Sydney and there's numbers of people with drysuits in winter, and further down the coast (still 500 miles north of Mebourne) I've seen drysuits in summer.

I'd take the drysuit.

 

[Diver Rick]

Thanks to both of you. We've packed the dry suits. I guess we were trying to avoid the extra baggage, but its clear from everyone what we need. We are also going to be stopping in British Columbia in June on the way back home, and will now have out dry suits for some dives there. (Have dove there many times, and its def. dry suit temps!)

Thanks again for the input, it helped make up our minds. Wife left this morning to return to Melbourne, and I join her on Jan 31. Only difference is, she will have to work all week, and I am now retired!!! More time to dive!

.....Rick

 

[DiveTub]

Welcome to Australia
Your local Dive community is at http://www.diveoz.com.au

And for Melb Go Dry its COLD there.

Cheers
Chriso

 

[Aussie_pro]

What about a Dry Suit up by Townsville?
I am also a Divemaster used to diving in Canadian waters (Altitude - in the Canadia Rocies - and bloody freezing). Thus far I have packed a shorty and my 3mm, should I consider the dry suit too for divining in the winter? I am a marine biologist and will be in the water a good chunck of the time with research.
THanks for the help
AP