Visibility?

[Oxy]

I never paid any attention to tides (in/out) until recently and today I went swimming at Malaga Cove area the vis was less than a foot because of kelp fragments. It was so bad I didn't want to open my eyes and don't think a mask would have helped. 2 days ago you could see 30 feet and while wading waist deep I saw small round stingrays and a couple guitarfish.

Is there a good time to go? Tide coming in/going out low/high? when the vis is better or is it just a case of you never know till you jump in?

 

[don Francisco]

Generally a rising tide brings in clearer deep water, while a falling tide tends to drag silt off the shoreline. The best time is usually as the rising tide peaks, going into the slack high tide.

I said generally & usually because you can't absolutely count on this, there are too many exceptions. At any site on any given day lots of things can happen to change visibility. If possible, try to ask someone with local knowledge. Even then, don't bet your mortgage payment on when vis will be best.

 

[Oxy]

Thanks! i'll look into that. Seems to me the other day was rising and near the top and today was mid falling.
water is getting warm enough now that I can stay in more than 3 min.

 

[Blackwood]

30 foot viz at malaga? You generaly need to get out to the channel islands to get that kind of viz.

Viz was probably the best I've ever seen at Vet's Park yesterday... 18-20 feet max (and not until I got down to about 50 feet)

10 and below is the norm, and "can't see further than my arm" is always possible.

 

[Oxy]

30 foot viz at malaga? You generaly need to get out to the channel islands to get that kind of viz.

Viz was probably the best I've ever seen at Vet's Park yesterday... 18-20 feet max (and not until I got down to about 50 feet)

10 and below is the norm, and "can't see further than my arm" is always possible.

I'm guessing 30ft and bear in mind I was standing in the surf and could see the lil ray's and guitarfish in between the swells. If I had a mask I could probable be more accurate about vis. I don't have a warm enough suit to stay in long/go out very far. mask, fins, snorkel would not help much at this point.

 

[rjpv]

"30 foot visibility" means, if you are underwater that you can see another diver who is at most 30 feet away.

So you might be talking different things... but either way, nice vis is nice vis.

 

[Oxy]

"30 foot visibility" means, if you are underwater that you can see another diver who is at most 30 feet away.

So you might be talking different things... but either way, nice vis is nice vis.

yep i think i got that wrong, without a mask i couldn't see far at all but looking into the water i could see bottom for quite a ways between the breakers.

 

[Oxy]

haha most of that kelp is on the beach now and the water is much more clear