How to rate visibility

[BTravlin]

I'm a warm water wuss and about the only time the viz is less than 30' for me is on night dives.

 

[abies]

Really depends on the dive, the pond I dove on Sunday is usually 50+ feet, I don't dive it often so I went with the 5 to 15 option as that reflects, the other lakes I dive in the summer. Under the ice, well that is a different story again.

Ben

 

[driftwood]

James has already mentioned Spring Lake in Texas. That is where I do the majority of my dives. The way I estimate the vis is from specific spots in the lake to objects that are a known distance. I always take my best guess at the start of the dive because once we start working the vis can drop to inches in a heartbeat.

 

[whereisthesea]

Yesterday, in Facebook, Leisure Pro published a question "What do you consider to be good visibility?".
Up to now there are 16 answers, and the shortest was "when you can see your hands" and the biggest was 60+ feet.
Last week end I did a 2 days dive in a small quarry. though the dives were near noon and early afternoon, the day was cold and cloudy and visibility was more or less 6 feet. My buddy and I were with lights. After 6 meters depth, the water was really dark.
We all dream with those beautiful warm water caribean dives, but reality strikes and show us ugly quarries with little to see if you can actually see something.
I live far from caribean waters and I normally dive in open cold seas or quarries with visibilities varying from 5 to 20 feet in the best cases.
The point is which is the average visibility we usualy dive ?

You have a lots of balls to get into a quarry with less than 5 feets of visivility. Diving is for enjoying, not for having a bad time.

I welcome any corrections or adjustments as mine is but one opinion...

 

[discokat]

I know one dive shop that always lists the visibility as 100+ feet. I have dove in the area frequently and have yet to encounter visibility past 60 feet so I'm wondering where they could possibly be diving. Of course I don't believe a word they are saying and don't dive with them anymore.

 

[ReconShark]

My 30 yrs Experience in diving has mainly been in the Finger / Great Lakes and Southern California regions, with visibility mainly being in the 15-30 ft. range (hence my vote). So every time I do a get away and dive the carribbean I feel like I'm diving an Aquarium !

 

[mainedvr]

here in Southern Maine I think the best Viz I have had is maybe 15-20 ft on average I would say its 5-10 feet. still amazing what one can see. I have dove in 100+ft viz and as awsome as it was I think the disadvantage to that much viz is you miss some very cool stuff due to the fact there is so much to take in all at once. I just love being below the surface regarless of viz.

 

[barefootek]

If you were using Secchi discs you were not underwater and it's still somewhat subjective because people are determining when it is no longer visible. I am taking Elmer Fudd's side. Taking a formal measurement, not definition, is only good in a scientific situation, otherwise we have to take into account how an average person or group's estimate will correspond to a measurement in the same conditions. BTW I'm a dive wimp. I will dive in anything, but try to go where anybody's estimate is over 30 ft.

 

[khblair]

Last week end I did a 2 days dive in a small quarry. though the dives were near noon and early afternoon, the day was cold and cloudy and visibility was more or less 6 feet. My buddy and I were with lights. After 6 meters depth, the water was really dark.

i think my blue algae quarry is a bit better than the one you dive in

from that cliff you can see the 2- 35' training platforms and divers

if you can get your diving before the noobs in classes muck it up the visibility is really quite good with lots of sunk items to see

 

[Splitlip]

I guess I'm just spoiled. I won't bother if the viz is less than 40 ft unless my buddy really insists upon it. The one exception is our local shore dive at the Blue Heron Bridge/Phil Foster Park. Unlike my friend and neighbor, Jupiter Mermaid who dives for free.

I was studying in Indiana and was jonesing for a dive, so I tried diving a quarry with a couple of fraternity brothers who were local. It was cold and dark. Only sights to see were dead branches (to my eyes). That is when I took up skydiving.

I admit I'm VERY spoiled. I live in a community that is bounded on the East by the Atlantic Ocean and by the Intra Coastal Waterway on the West. From the ridge in my back yard I can see the dive and fishing boats on the ledges.

I can walk to our marina and am 5 minutes from a public boat ramp and marina. Also 5 minutes from my LDS, Jupiter Dive Center. Their dock is maybe 35 ft from the back doors of the shop. If conditions are "bad", there is always tomorrow.