An Ophelia ? for an Oceanographer

[Gidds]

Ok looks like no diving this weekend due to crappy Ophelia-induced weather :yuck:
What about next weekend?
There is a dive I really want to do but will the vis. be exceptionally crappy from the storm stirring everything up?

 

[Diesel298]

its suposed to be crappy off shore, not sure what the bay will provide, i might try a dive at FT adams

 

[RIOceanographer]

Ok looks like no diving this weekend due to crappy Ophelia-induced weather :yuck:
What about next weekend?
There is a dive I really want to do but will the vis. be exceptionally crappy from the storm stirring everything up?

I may be an oceanographer but I never make guarantees about visibility!

Storms reduce visibility for two main reasons. The first is the obvious fact that the mixing and runoff suspends a lot of particulate matter in the water. That tends to be a short term effect, so as long as the weather calms down the particles settle and it should improve after a few days. Not knowing the weather for next week yet it is impossible to say if things will be given a chance to settle down by next weekend.

The other thing storms do is that they make nutrients available to the surface water through both mixing and coastal runoff. This can result in a phytoplankton bloom after the storm. If that happens, it could affect visibility next weekend. I put a link below that specifically talks about how hurricanes induce blooms in the open ocean but the same idea applies to other storm induced mixing events.

http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/hurricane_bloom.html

 

[RIOceanographer]

The other unknown here is just how much we will actually get from Ophelia. Looking at the latest forecast track, we could just get swells from it, or we could get lots of rain and wind too depending on which way the storm swings.

So like I said I never make guarantees about visibility.

 

[Tampico_ED]

ARE you trying to spoiled my Saturday dive buddy?

 

[scubastew]

I'm not sure we will see to much from Ophelia saturday and sunday. i am hoping the storm will be moving off by friday am and things will get back to "normal" sunday.

not exactly sure what "normal" is, the viz on the south shore of massachusetts (cape cod bay) hasnt been very good at all over the last month or so

 

[Diesel298]

where you people planning a dive?
Ft Weatherall might not be the best due to the wind and waves rolling into that cove..
as i mentiond im gonna try FT adams and see what conditions are...
its a little more sheltered from the open ocean than weathell but still close enought to the mouth of the bay where we get out of the silt of the upper bay....

 

[RIOceanographer]

where you people planning a dive?
Ft Weatherall might not be the best due to the wind and waves rolling into that cove..
as i mentiond im gonna try FT adams and see what conditions are...
its a little more sheltered from the open ocean than weathell but still close enought to the mouth of the bay where we get out of the silt of the upper bay....

Diesel is right, how it will affect vis is also site specific. The site's exposure (south, east, west whatever) compared to the direction of the wind and waves is a big factor.

Also what type of sediment is present matters. Fine mud and silt stir up more easily and take longer to settle than coarse sand.

Tides and currents are also a factor since the water (along with everything suspended in it) moves around.

Anyway, as you can see there are a lot of variables which is why I always come back to: I never make guarantees about the visibility!

 

[ScubaSarus]

"Fine mud and silt stir up more easily and take longer to settle than coarse sand. "

Hmm My secrete spot Don't you mention it to anyone Don.

Possibly a night dive Saturday