Seasonal SoCal water temps at depth?

[drrich2]

Hi:

Booked a Truth Aquatics Southern Channel Islands for Aug. 2016. Hope it works out well! The issue of diving pretty often on a 5 day outing at a fairly cold water destination raises the question of exposure protection. Especially for those of us who aren't dry suit trained & not apt to get that way for a one-time trip.

I find various water temp. ranges for the region online, but not with depths for those temp.s from clearly reliable sources. In other words, yes, the water at the surface that floods your wetsuit when you stride in matters, but the water at 40 - 70 feet deep (just guessing the depth range likely often dove?) is where I imagine divers will spend most of their time.

So, particularly for August but also throughout the year, any thoughts on the rough average water temp.s at depth to expect in the Southern Channel Islands?

Thanks.

Richard.

 

[drbill]

Lately I have experienced little to no thermocline in the waters I'm diving around Catalina. Bottom temps have been unseasonably warm (61° F at 90+ ft recently). I did switch from my 3/2mm to a 5mm and last weekend wore a 3mm hooded vest with it (good thing I did because I forgot to zip the 5mm on both dives). My dive log always posts the bottom temp on each dive in the right hand column although I haven't updated it recently.

 

[decompression]

61deg! Bill, that's almost tropical.....what are we doing wrong up here?

 

[drbill]

Over the summer I had bottom temperatures as high as 77° at 100 fsw. Absolutely insane

 

[fnfalman]

In August the SoCal water should be in high 50s and possibly low 60s. El Niño or other weird phenomenon notwithstanding.

One might see mid-50s at northern Channel Islands but definitely can expect high 50s and low 60s at southern Channel Islands.

 

[jscan1]

While I totally agree, that the water has been warm, I think we would be giving someone that is mostly used to tropical diving bad info if we said, that anything less than a 7mm for multiple dives you could get away with....So. Ca. Is often cool air temps when out on the ocean, even in August (it might also be 90) but more than likely it will be in the 70's, couple this with multiple dives, in mid 50's to low 60 degree water and you can get damn cold by dive 3 or 4, ... So my recommendation is a good 7mm, with a good hood and gloves, and in between dives use the warm water shower/hose if neccasary....sure you will always see someone who boasts a 3mm, or no hood, or no gloves, but hell you are on vacation. Most wear drysuits and 7mm here for a reason, don't let insufficient protection ruin your vacation!

 

[fnfalman]

Definitely second s dive parka or something similar to keep you warm top side if you dive wetsuit.

Unless air temp Is well into the 90s, that evaporative cooling effect of wind on your wet wetsuit can definitely chill you down quick b

 

[dberry]

I'm hoping to spend 2 days diving out of San Diego in mid-March before a conference, bringing most of my own gear. My first SoCal diving trip. I don't own a 7mm full wet suit, but have dived in 64 deg with a 3mm full + 7mm hooded shorty and was fine (lots of bioprene here...) I seem to have a fairly high cold tolerance. Think I should trust El Nino and go with the stuff I own, or leave my wetsuits at home and just rent a 7mm full?

 

[jscan1]

I'm hoping to spend 2 days diving out of San Diego in mid-March before a conference, bringing most of my own gear. My first SoCal diving trip. I don't own a 7mm full wet suit, but have dived in 64 deg with a 3mm full + 7mm hooded shorty and was fine (lots of bioprene here...) I seem to have a fairly high cold tolerance. Think I should trust El Nino and go with the stuff I own, or leave my wetsuits at home and just rent a 7mm full?

Water has been running about 57 at depth in LaJolla...Sports Chalet rents 7mm here for very cheap

 

[drrich2]

dberry:

I'm in a somewhat similar situation; lot'ta bioprene, normally dive the local quarry in 5 mm full wetsuit, 7 mm hood, 5 mm gloves, 6 mm boots, have been in water down to around 42-43 degrees (one dive) deep in the quarry, but probably 50's above that 2nd thermocline, and that was fine, but unsure about doing multiple dives over a few days.

All that vs. renting a wet suit, & hoping it fits. My Henderson Thermoprene 5 mm full suit is 3x, and fits snug but okay. My Henderson Thermoprene 3 mm shorty is 4x & fits a bit loose. Thermoprene is stretchier than normal neoprene. So even if I decide to rent one, the question of what size wouldn't be clear.

Richard.

P.S.: Thanks everybody for the input.