3 mm in August?

[wannadive2]

I am tropical diving instructor headed for a dive trip in NC in early August. Would I be miserable with a full 3 mm suit + 5 mm hooded vest + gloves and booties ? Can anybody tell me a bit about average water temps. in the 100 ft range?

Thanks! Juana

 

[DandyDon]

Don't know where your "tropical" experience is from, but you may find the air and water about the same in NC in early August. I dived off of Morehead City in May '03 and October '03, wearing a 3 mil over a 1 mil, and got chilled only on the last day of the Oct trip.

But you're more experienced than me, burning less air and calories, more easily chilled. I did 3 dives this weekend in 72oF water, hot air for Surf Int, and finally started getting chilled at the last. While I'd dive NC in early Aug in a 3 mil alone, you may want more. Your heavy vest & hood should make it fine then.

Oh, and do wear the hood. On the last dive there, I G-strided into a sea nettle. Had a scab on my forehead for a month. Rare, but possible.

 

[hex92]

I am tropical diving instructor headed for a dive trip in NC in early August. Would I be miserable with a full 3 mm suit + 5 mm hooded vest + gloves and booties ? Can anybody tell me a bit about average water temps. in the 100 ft range?

Thanks! Juana

Depends on where you are diving. Will you be north or south of Hatteras?

 

[Scubamedicjoe]

I dove all weekend in a henderson 3mm aquasuade hyperstretch and never got cold i do use a benie caps for my deeper dives .

 

[DiveMedic03]

several weeks ago off NC was a water temp of 80. the hood and all may be too much. very nice divng!

 

[SpaceCoastDiver]

I spent 3 yrs diving in NC before heading south to FL. You will not be disapointed. In August the water is quite warm. wear waht you wear at home and you should be alright. (I always pack a hood.) Shoot Thom Skalko, owner, at Rum Runner Dive Shop an e-mail, rumrunnerds@earthlink.net. He is out every weekend, he can tell you the latest conditions. Thom used to be an instructor in the Miami area so he will understand your question.

 

[bankey]

spent this past weekend july 24th-25th diving off Morehead City. I was very comfortable with a fullsuit .5mm and 3mm shorty plus beanie. Surface temps were around 83 offshore with bottom temps around 75-76. Best viz was 60' on the sub.

 

[dwright]

Living here in NC I dive NC almost exclusively...it's just hard to beat. On a normal day I dive a 3mm with 5mm gloves and 5mm booties. By the end of the weekend I sometimes add a 3/5 hooded vest.

Be careful diving here though...you may get addicted

 

[simbrooks]

Off the subject, but what kind of temps do you find in october? I dont know where exactly we would dive, but we would be coming from Raleigh/Durham area. Depending on temps i would bring 3 or 5mm, hood and gloves if necessary, but dont know your temp range there around that time.

 

[DandyDon]

Off the subject, but what kind of temps do you find in october? I dont know where exactly we would dive, but we would be coming from Raleigh/Durham area. Depending on temps i would bring 3 or 5mm, hood and gloves if necessary, but dont know your temp range there around that time.

I dived there with Dwright late May and early October last year, and I got a chilled on the second trip wearing the same suit as I did on the first. Suspect that was my learning to burn less air over the summer as much as anything else, but I'l still add a couple of mils in October as compared to August. Some newbies would be fine in a 3 mil shorty, while some experienced divers would freeze in a 7 mil, as it's impossible to say who's going to need what, but I would add 2 mil to my suit packing. {I'll take a 5 mil to wear over a 1 mil skin, though}

The first weekend in October is Seafood Festival, by the way. Rooms & boats sell out fast, but it's a good time to be there.

Dwrigth, you know if Diver Down has space left for that weekend...?