Panama City Beach Conditions during late fall/winter

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JKSteger

D/M Wannabee ! ! !
Messages
1,132
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Location
Griffin, GA
# of dives
50 - 99
Since Ivan and such stirred up the Gulf and conditions are not the greatest. I'm thinking about waiting until a little later to dive the Gulf again out of Panama City Beach. The dive shop I use said that water temps were warm/favoriable until about Thanksgiving although they run the boats all year long.
So my question is what are conditons (seas, vis, temps) like late fall / winter? I have an Xcel 2.0/1.5 mil Titanium that I can wear under my 3mil jumpsuit, is this enough?

What have your experiences been?

Thanks,
Jeremy
 
You'd probably be OK with the 3mm alone until Dec/Jan/early Feb, unless you are really warm natured.

Vis will vary. Seas will vary.

Ivan's affects on the gulf will not be a variable offshore already, and inshore withing a week or two.
 
From my log book last November 1: no thermocline, 74 degree water (to 106 feet, Stage One), 30-40 ft. vis, slow currents (nothing to fight with) and positively glassy seas. I remember a lack of jellies and getting chilled after the second dive but I get chilled pretty easily. Wore 5mm all over, beanie and thin gloves. I think the Gulf around there takes a while to get cold, I bet Thanksgiving would be fine for most folks. Take lots of fleece for apres dive!
 
Thanks for the replys. I dove there late March this year and the water was pretty cool. I wore a 3mil john/shorty and was fine but didn't know if the water was colder in Dec./Jan. than in March/April

Thanks Bugman, I think I will book a trip in a few weeks. If nothing else maybe a shore dive at the jetties since it will be cheap.

Thanks,
Jeremy
 
No prob

I usually wear a simple 1/2mil until the end of Oct or the beginning of Nov. Novemeber is when the water starts to get chilly, and you may want to look into gloves or a hoody, or maybe a thicker wetsuit depending on your own comfort level. It doesn't get really cold until mid Dec thru mid Feb.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/
https://xf2.scubaboard.com/community/forums/cave-diving.45/

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