What is visibility?

[Steve_C]

I am more specific with, in decreasing order,
buddy viz - how far away I can make out my buddy
sightseeing viz- how far away I can see fish and stuff fairly clearly
photo viz - how far away I can shoot a half way decent photo

In some conditions there is ship viz, when I am out on the sand, it is the distance at which I can still tell that one direction is darker and that is the direction back to the anchor line and thus important for returning home.

 

[foob]

Just release an smb. See whether you can see it at the surface.

Or hang something on the smb or read markings on smb. Or hang secchi disk on it. Basically reverse Secchi test

 

[chillyinCanada]

I'd grown quite unhappy with overall visibility no matter where I'd been diving in the world. Of all the rotten luck!

Turned out I was developing cataracts. Thankfully, I've also become quite interested in macro and the tinier the better, for the most part.

Even so, very very embarrassing when a dive guide is excited to show me something and I keep shaking my head "no, I don't see it. What?" and it turns out he was showing me a bumphead parrotfish the size of a Volkswagen.

In fairness to me, the viz wasn't that great for anyone that day, lol

 

[Ghost95]

I've noticed bottom to surface vis is way different than horizontal vis.

I've seen the boat from 60' but had trouble making out my buddy at the end of a 15' line.

I think it has to do with backlighting on the surface.

I no longer judge vis by looking up.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Vertical visibility tends to be twice that of horizontal vis. I often notice my depth as soon as I can see the bottom to see how far I can see vertically, then use half of that for my horizontal visibility.

 

[Bob DBF]

I still remember one day (jeez it was 31 years ago) we had 50' vis at Sea Ranch

You are truly a lucky man. I've been diving the north coast for four decades, and got that lucky a few times.


Bob

 

[BRT]

I always find it funny when someone says they had only 3' visibility. I ask them if they could see their fingers when they stretched out their arm. They're surprised when they realize that the viz was probably quite a bit better than 3'.

Visibility is very subjective with new divers. The estimates are always interesting.

Takes a long arm to get your fingers 3' from your eyes. I'm 5' 11" and can measure 6' of rope quite accurately by holding it with arms stretched to the sides, fingertip to fingertip. Fingertip to eye on me is about 28' and I have been in visibility in a lake where a bright yellow nylon rope I was hanging onto disappeared when I held it at arms length, more like 25" away.

 

[happy-diver]

I still talk about how fantastic that dive was.

I can see.

Visibility for me anyhow comes in the form of a statement from a non diving type
to a diver either gearing up, or gearing down, dripping gallons wet in the carpark

"How's the vis!" as a way to say hello, along with
"Have you been in yet or are you about to go in!"

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

You are truly a lucky man. I've been diving the north coast for four decades, and got that lucky a few times.


Bob

Bob, I gotta tell you about this.
One time during one of my North Coast Parties when Ross Overstreet and Claudette showed up from Socal, we had 90’ -100’ vis at bull rock out of Albion. I swear to god!
It sounds like a fish story but totally true. Water was 45-46 degrees, we caught an Alaskan cold water upwelling that day and happened to be out there right at the perfect moment. A few hours later it already started to bloom out and was gone. I got a good laugh because both of them complained about being too cold in their drysuits and I was overheating trying to get my 1/2” wetsuit off before I passed out, lol. And this was after the dive.
Another time I took Jon Davies to Arena Rock where we had 60’ vis.
That was the most amazing dive I ever did bar none. A limit of dinner plate size scallops in an area no bigger than the hood of a car. A massive GPO and a 9’ wolf eel who came out of a cavern straight at me and cut to the right at the last second. Better than a Disneyland ride! The common denominator is the water was exceptionally cold all the times I had stellar vis in northern california.
Wintertime rules for clear water on the NC.
Max bottomtime knows all of these people who I mention.
A lot of warm water divers have no idea what a place like the North Coast can be like on a nice day. Truly world class.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Warm water gin clear divers tend to rate visibility when things begin to diminish, and cold water pea soup divers tend to rate visibility when objects pretty much disappear completely.
It’s highly subjective.
To me, if I can see the end of my spear gun it’s a good day.