Back from FL

Back from 3 days of diving NW Florida. Friday and Saturday at Vortex doing our Rescue class. Fun, but challenging class. As a police officer and cert EMT I can tell you that rescues in water are WAY tougher than they are on land!! Met some great folks down there from all over the eastern half of the US.
Went out in the gulf out of Destin with the folks from Emerald Coast yesterday. Seem to be really good people and run a good op. The diving, however, left ALOT to be desired. First of all, weather sucked....relatively cold and rainy. Water temp was 61. With nothing but a 3mm full suit, it seemed alot colder. Viz sucked......10 ft max. Tons-O-jellyfish. 2 stings...ouch. God bless vinegar LOL But you know what?? It sure beat the H@#$ out of work!!! LOL

lol..Feel for you on doing that Gulf dive in a 3 mm suit. I've been watching the temp reports on water temp, and can tell you it'll be another month or so before I get in there. Winter months around here are good times for the "warm" 68 - 72 degree springs. BTW, know a Deborah Wilson? She is my father in laws wifes twin sister and she moved from there (Newnan, GA) last Fall.

ECS must have not gone far....

A week ago vis out 12ish miles as 20-25' - much better than you're reporting...

Do you know where they took you?

A 3mil without a hooded vest underneath is not enough. Frankly, I'm still diving dry here.... and will until the water temps get near 70F.

I don't like cold.

I DID note the jelly population last week, which surprised me given the colder water - they usually don't get bad until the summer months...

Must be a little resistant to cold .

I have some friends that just got back from the Panama City area. You're lucky you got back when you did. Spring Break is this week for most schools in FL. Nice sightseeing , but annoying crowds.

I live Panama City. The water is warming up slowly but with all of the rain that we have had the vis sucks. So I'm headed down to the keys this weekend. Warm water and hopefully good vis. ahhh!

Genesis once bubbled...
A 3mil without a hooded vest underneath is not enough. Frankly, I'm still diving dry here.... and will until the water temps get near 70F.

I don't like cold.

I DID note the jelly population last week, which surprised me given the colder water - they usually don't get bad until the summer months...

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Hit 74° off Pompano last weekend. I was a bit chilled at the end of the second dive in my 3mm. We managed to get back in just before the storms hit. Vis was lousy too.

But what surprised me was the number of man o' wars that were about. Someone else on the boat mentioned that it was a bit unusual as well.

the Jelly population for this time of year is VERY unusual.

Its pretty common to find this kind of thing in JULY! In fact, our bay can get downright un-swimmable in the summer months with the things.

But at this time of year its VERY unusual to see any at the surface at all....

Not this year!

Dr. Jay once bubbled...
I have some friends that just got back from the Panama City area. You're lucky you got back when you did.

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I guess i am one of those "friends" Dr Jay The spring break was a wild thing but on the flip side there were total of 3 of us divers on the boat... very nice "private" trip on the charter boat.

We were diving on a black bart wreck (i think) and yes, water in the gulf was quite a shock with 61 degres and a thermocline at about 15,20 feet. Somehow surfacing into a 63 degree water from 61 degree water was like entering a hottub

I was curious so I checked the logs on my dive computer and yup, on February 1st (more than months and a half ago) while diving in Boynton Beach (Florida) the water temperature was 72 degrees... gotta love South Florida

The vis was at about 25-30 feet on the wreck but the waves were getting pretty nasty and we had to be carefull not to get whacked on the side of the boat. And lots of jellyfish... everywhere....

I had my two piece 3 mm wetsuit but no hood so it was pretty cold. Did two 25 minute dives to 81 feet though but on the other one i was sucking my air like crazy. That 25 minutes were enough to get my 100 cu ft tank down to 1000 psi (it lasts usually way much longer than that)

But i was diving with some brave soul - he had just a 3mm torso/2mm rest wetsuit, closed heeled fins (no booties) and no gloves and he still lasted as long as i did. Although his skin was close to dark blue on the way back to the shore

I gotta dive in the gulf some more but for now i am going to stick to south florida...

during the "more summer" months and you'll find mid-80-degree water - its wonderful.

You're welcome to come dive with us any time - we're in the Destin area and have the boat for it.....

Genesis once bubbled...
during the "more summer" months and you'll find mid-80-degree water - its wonderful.

You're welcome to come dive with us any time - we're in the Destin area and have the boat for it.....

Click to expand...

I would love to go diving, any diving, anywhere I don't mind the cold, actually, i was born and raised in central european country so 61 degree water doesn't seem all that bad, quite refreshing actually

The problem is my curse of living in Central florida which can be as well translated as "doesn't matter which direction you will go it will take minimum 2 hours drive to get to dive-worthy place

Panama City Beach is 400 miles away from my doorstep ....