Brian2828
Contributor
I'll be in Miami in early December and would like to head down to the keys to dive. Is December a good time to dive the keys? What thickness of wetsuit is recommended?
Thanks
Thanks
December conditions in the keys
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RonFrank
Contributor
December (or anytime) is good for the Keys. I believe water temps are in the low 70's and air temps are in the in the upper 70's. A 5mm to dry suit is appropriate depending on you. However storms do come up, and weather is.....weather. IOW it's more unpredictable than in summer months.
Vis is is generally not as good in the winter months. I'd have a plan B, but it's likely things will work out.
Vis is is generally not as good in the winter months. I'd have a plan B, but it's likely things will work out.
Here is a link to our calendar for last December 2010. It has the conditions for the dives we dove that month.
Conch Republc Divers Calendar December 2010
Hope if helps.
Good Diving,
Conch Republc Divers Calendar December 2010
Hope if helps.
Good Diving,
The coldest water temp I have dove the upper Keys was around 72 degrees on top in February with a bottom temp of 63. We were doing a double dip on the Eagle with a one hour SI. The air temp was around 55 with a wind and I about froze my buns off because I didn't have enough brains to remove or at least drop the top of my wetsuit and dry off. Actually my feet got coldest. I wore a 3mm full suit with a 2mm shorty over it. This is the ONLY time I actually got cold on a Keys dive and if I had a hoody with me I probably wouldn't have been cold. One of the boat people, a young lady, actually had 15mm of neoprene on and was still freezing. You get that way if you are living down there. The lady DM was using a semi-dry suit. Next day the air temp came up and the sun was shining with no wind and I was OK with the 3mm full suit alone.
sportxlh
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I've dove in the Keys in December and January several times: the bottom temp was mostly in the low 70's, say 70 to 73 degrees. I've worn a 3MM wetsuit with a 2MM shorty under it and a hood. I turned into a baby last year and now wear a 7MM in the winter (most of my diving is in Palm Beach County where temps are a couple of degrees colder).
As folks have already mentioned, weather conditions and bottom temps can vary though and I would agree that it seems to vary a bit more in the winter than summer
As folks have already mentioned, weather conditions and bottom temps can vary though and I would agree that it seems to vary a bit more in the winter than summer
Blue Sparkle
Contributor
Nothing new in my post, but just because it's nice to have a number of respondents:
I've dived in the Keys the last two Decembers (over the holidays at the end of the month). I'd have to look in my dive log to be exact, but, as people are saying, water temps are in the high 60's to low 70's. What I've noticed is that the air temperature being fairly cool (i.e. 70's) factored in to my overall warmth/comfort factor. Getting out of the wetsuit and into something dry makes a bit difference, and to that end I've been thinking about getting a "boat coat." I went with clothing/windbreaker but a boat coat would be so easy and cozy.
The first year temps were a bit warmer, and I got by with my 3mm fullsuit and a 1mm hooded vest. I was not super warm, but was okay.
Last winter water temps were a bit lower (66º on a few dives) and I was chilly in my 5mm until I got a decent hood (was a rental the previous year).
In both cases it was "chilly" on the surface in a wetsuit or while changing. (Whereas in fall I was diving in water nearly that cold and was fine in my 3mm, which I attribute to the much warmer air temperatures.)
It can be a bit cloudy, and can get downright cold (got down in the 30's, IIRC, last December.... was freezing and wearing a jacket in the lodging!). But it's a lot nicer than most anywhere else I could have driven to and dived at that time of year ;D
I've dived in the Keys the last two Decembers (over the holidays at the end of the month). I'd have to look in my dive log to be exact, but, as people are saying, water temps are in the high 60's to low 70's. What I've noticed is that the air temperature being fairly cool (i.e. 70's) factored in to my overall warmth/comfort factor. Getting out of the wetsuit and into something dry makes a bit difference, and to that end I've been thinking about getting a "boat coat." I went with clothing/windbreaker but a boat coat would be so easy and cozy.
The first year temps were a bit warmer, and I got by with my 3mm fullsuit and a 1mm hooded vest. I was not super warm, but was okay.
Last winter water temps were a bit lower (66º on a few dives) and I was chilly in my 5mm until I got a decent hood (was a rental the previous year).
In both cases it was "chilly" on the surface in a wetsuit or while changing. (Whereas in fall I was diving in water nearly that cold and was fine in my 3mm, which I attribute to the much warmer air temperatures.)
It can be a bit cloudy, and can get downright cold (got down in the 30's, IIRC, last December.... was freezing and wearing a jacket in the lodging!). But it's a lot nicer than most anywhere else I could have driven to and dived at that time of year ;D
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