Summer water temps around Vancouver Is.?

[Token]

I'm considering doing some dives around Vancouver Island in the May-September timeframe, but I really don't want to get into drysuit diving. Instead I'm looking to invest in good semi-dry wetsuit. I'm fairly cold-tolerant...mid-70F temperatures I find quite comfortable in a 3/2mm Bare suit. What kind of water temperatures should I expect?

My LDS sponsors a live-aboard dive around Hornby Island in late May every year or two, and it looks like a fun trip. Would a good 8/7mm suit be okay at that time?

Any advice/info would be appreciated...

 

[jjhill]

West Coast water typically run in the mid 40's F for water temperature. I dove those temperatures at the west coast for years in a 7mm Farmer John and Jacket style wetsuit before I upgraded to my drysuit. On average I was fairly warm during the dives. I did notice I started to get chilled after about 35 minutes in the water. Generally I think a well fitting 7mm suit will do you just fine, the only place where you may start to have an issue is with repetative dives, the more dives in a day the colder you'll get by the end of the day. Make sure you stay warm and hydrated between dives and use warm water to warm the suit up before you put it back on for repetative dives. A little warm water in the boots, gloves and hood work wonders too to make sure you start every dive as warm as possible.

Happy Diving

jj

 

[MarkH]

That time of year in parts of the Strait of Georgia and some of the calmer inlets, surface water temps can be over 15 degrees. Below about 30 feet, it drops to about 8 degrees. In the Strait of Juan de Fuca, it's about 8-12 degrees from top to bottom.

 

[coldwaterlloyd]

A cold water semi dry suit should work fine for you / Putting it on for repetitive dives , bring a thermos of hot water to warm it up first . I used a 7mm semi dry suit for my first 50 cold water dives . It was fine .
Basically if you can dive the lakes in Alberta the west coast will feel warmer . Enjoy , this is an el Nino year , it may warm up to 55 degrees by the summer .

 

[BradnerBoy]

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