When will the Gulf be Wetsuit diveable?

[Rick Murchison]

This year I got a new job and I now have weekends off (after working every weekend since 1999)

So I am about to buy my own equipment and hit the water running.

When will the water be warm enough?

I plan on doing some FL spring dives and a few AL shore dives before trying some of the places out in the gulf to dive.

What mm wetsuit will I need?

thanks!

The water temp in the northern gulf rarely gets below 60°F; lowest I have in my logbook is 55°F, I think. A 7 mil with hood and gloves is just fine for that. However, there are plenty of cold windy low-humidity days when getting out of the water wet is uncomfortable no matter how thick the suit.
I dive it dry until the days are warm and toasty
August through October is pretty much bathing suit only time.
Rick

 

[PatMyGreen]

I am 5'11" and weigh in at a beefy 143#, I never use more than a 5mm and a hooded vest. Having a hot drink and protection from the wind topside is key. That is why my boat has black canvas and alot of eisenglass. It is a floating greenhouse in te winter and it all unzips and snaps for warmer weather. My coldest dive in the Gulf was a frigid 49* on bridge span 1 off PCB in Feb 2004. It was so cold it hurt my exposed skin around my mask for the first several seconds!!!

Wayward Son and I were both diving one day on my old boat (no top, no enclosure) that was so cold my fuel water separators froze enough to restrict gas flow to the engines and I slipped on (and then almost off) the icy dock carrying tanks. As I recall we had the best vis I have ever seen locally that day (100+), so it was worth the frost bite on my nose and ears, also why the new boat has an enclosure and black canvas.

 

[GLENFWB]

Gulf temperatures at the Destin Jetty today were 67 degrees. My 1 mil skin and 3 mm with no hood was just right.

 

[SuPrBuGmAn]

Did a bit of surfing today, wore my swim trunks. I was quite comfortable.