Wet Suit Questions

[rstofer]

Does anybody change down to a 5mm wetsuit for the summer months at Breakwater? The last time I was their (6/14), my 7/8mm AquaFX was just too much. The semi-dry thing seems pretty nice when the water is cold but when it's over 60 deg F, maybe it isn't that clever.

Same question for the lakes. We are thinking about diving Lake Tulloch, Commanche or Hogan this weekend and perhaps 5mm is more appropriate. The weekend after we are going to dive at Lake Tahoe.

Any thoughts on wetsuit thickness?

Richard

 

[Drewpy]

Richard,

I'm glad you stay warm..but I don't think the temps ever get close to 60? Mid 50's would be pushing it IMHO!I recently switched to a DS and love the warmth..but hate donning it on a hot day in the sun. I had a 7ml hyperstretch and would often get very cold on my second dive! Temps at Point Lobos and Carmel can often be in the mid to upper 40's..thats cold after 45 mins when wet!!!

I can't offer any advise on the Lakes,as all my local diving is in Monterey/Carmel.
I would love to try Tahoe some day..but from what I've been told, it's a wasteland with good viz?

Drew

 

[rstofer]

Last trip to Breakwater, the computer says the water was 62 deg F. We never got cooled down. It was a little cooler at depth but not much.

I dove Lake Tahoe many years ago and the only living things I saw were crawdads under rocks. We grabbed a few hundred, cleaned them, added them to marinara sauce and served them over spaghetti. Pretty good!

I didn't think viz was all that good but it could have been the location.

Richard

 

[rmitchell248]

Does anybody change down to a 5mm wetsuit for the summer months at Breakwater? The last time I was their (6/14), my 7/8mm AquaFX was just too much. The semi-dry thing seems pretty nice when the water is cold but when it's over 60 deg F, maybe it isn't that clever.

Same question for the lakes. We are thinking about diving Lake Tulloch, Commanche or Hogan this weekend and perhaps 5mm is more appropriate. The weekend after we are going to dive at Lake Tahoe.

Any thoughts on wetsuit thickness?

Richard

I dove breakwater for a couple dives saturday, sunday then tuesday. I saw temps on the surface at 64* and 61* at 25-30 feet, now when we got out a bit towards the canary pipes and the metridium fields we saw temps at 51-53* at 45 feet. I would have been cold with much less than my aqua lung solafx 8/7. I would guess that you stayed closer to the break wall. I would not want to change suits and limit my ability to venture out if I chose to. I think that the warm temps in the shallow area right at San Carlos is simply due to the warm weather we have been having and wont last for long when the current brings in some fresh cold water you wont be happy you spent a couple hundred on a new suit if that is your main area to dive.

Robert

Oh an tulloch, my parents live on tulloch and I have seen it damn near empty in the winter when they drop it and I would not want to dive there.... nothing but bare rock... I cant imagine seeing too much, the rock walls near the inlet from New Melones may be cool to check out but keep in mind the water temp on the surface when tying up to the ropes at the dam are 41* this time of year while the temps on the other end of the lake may be 82* on the same day

 

[Jon Nellis]

I've seen the bay as warm as 68F on the surface, but drop down 25 feet and it is the same old 52F and have actually seen it colder at depth in the summer (45F) when there is a good offshore breeze bring up the really deep water.

The same goes for Folsom lake and Tahoe, get a little depth and it gets cold. If you want something to look at in New Melones, swim along the bottom under the bridge and see what has been thrown off. According to some FBI guys I met once, the local chapter of the Russian mob likes to drop their "retired associates" there.



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[sarita75]

I dove last Saturday (July 11) and our computers registered 48-50 degrees. I wore a 7mm full and 3/5mm hooded vest and was still freaking cold. My feet were positively numb. Also remember that many times the water isn't what chills you, rather it's the surface interval. Summer along the coast can be downright chilly b/c of fog banks.