AOW on Oahu (Kinda Long Post)

[Nicholaa]

I passed my OW Certs this weekend iat Dutch Springs in Bethlehem, PA (near where I'm from) and I'm headed out to Oahu this weekend. I plan on starting my AOW on Monday next week. So, here is a little information on my OW experience and a request for some insight/questions from you guys on my upcoming AOW experience.

Where I did my Certs, I had to wear a 7mm wetsuit. I probably should have wore gloves and a 7mm hooded vest, but I didn't. After my certs were over, we took a celebration dive and wanted to go down to see this sunken school bus (since I'm a teacher). It's about 45-50 feet down. Well, the visibility was so horrible that I couldn't see the bus until I was on top of it and that was descending with a buoy.

We had tried to swim to it from another sunken attraction and we couldn't see anything but each other 3 feet away. The water was disgusting and murky and I hated every moment of it. We passed through 2 thermoclines. It was about 70 at the surface and about 55 degrees at 45-50 feet. Between the cold and the viz (especially the viz), I began to be a little hyper and wasn't breathing as well. I didn't shoot for the surface, but that viz ... OMG... I was so scared. I did have a little trouble equalizing on the way down, but I managed to do it (it was my 5th dive in 2 days).

So - my questions are:

1) What will the viz be like at a typical 80-90 feet dive in the waters off Oahu? We are actually planning to dive the Corsair for my deep adventure dive and I believe that's at 90+ feet. If I can't see anything as I am swimming/descending, I'm not going to want to do it. I feel disoriented and freaked out. If I can see the wreck beneath us, I'll be fine - I think - if I can take it nice and slow.

2) What will the temperatures be like when we get that deep? Are there thermoclines like we had in the rock quarry back in PA? We only planned on bringing our 3mm wetsuits. If we have to bring our 7mm to dive Hawaii down that deep, I don't think I'm going to want to go down to 90+ feet. I can't imagine having to dive in water that's 65 degrees in a "tropical environment" and wear a 7mm wetsuit.

3) If I used 22 pounds in a 7mm suit in freshwater, how much weight would you anticipate me needing in my 3mm suit in saltwater?

Anyways - thanks for any Oahu information - I am excited, but nervous about the depths, temperature and visibility.

 

[justleesa]

Aloha! we have days of low vis and days of 200'+ vis...it all depends on the weather (run off) and the ocean tides and swells. Right now vis tends to be much better than lets say in the winter months. The other day on the twilight dive we had about 70' vis, the main deck is at about 90'. Took a bit for us to see it, but we had the line right there to lead us down. When will you be here?

The water temp around now at depth is in the upper 70's.

The weight question would depend on your 3mm suit, is it a full suit or a shorty? Brand new? your weight?

 

[somewhereinla]

First of all you shouldn't have done a 50ft dive with no viz on an OW cert. You just got certified an on your first dive after your cert. you already show bad judgement.

Viz change constantly so it's impossible to predict how it will be during your vaction there, but if you know the days of your various dives you can look up a tide chart for that particular location to predict what time will be best to dive. Also calling the shop you will do your AOW with will be helpfull.

I go to Hawaii, mostly Oahu, every year and I usually dive with a 5mm or a 7mm. A 3mm would not be enough.

 

[rockjock3]

Just dove this weekend (YO-257 wreck). It was 77 degrees and 90+viz at ~110fsw.

 

[friscuba]

First of all you shouldn't have done a 50ft dive with no viz on an OW cert. You just got certified an on your first dive after your cert. you already show bad judgement.

That's a bit harsh. First of all, dives 3 and 4 are as deep as 60 feet with most agencies. Second, being is it sounds as though it was at the same spot they were certified, they've probably done that depth or near that depth in more or less the same conditions. Third, I suspect the Instructor and crew may have been present, although the poster doesn't say.

Back to the original poster. Height and weight and gender and anyone in the biz can give you a good idea of how many pounds you'll need in their area. Unless you hit a really, really bad day, the Oahu diving will be a very pleasant surprise for you.

Have fun,

 

[KrisB]

I agree with friscuba on that.

Don't worry too much about the tides -- they only swing a few feet (max) each day in Hawaii, and usually have little bearing on the dive's conditions. Of more concern is the swell model, but that's nothing that anybody has any control over -- we're either getting nasty swells, or we're not.

One thing not mentioned yet -- the thermocline in Hawaii usually rests somewhere around 300' deep. If you plan on going there with just an OW/AOW cert, then, in the words of somewhereinla: "you already show bad judgement."

I don't know the Oahu sites really at all -- there are some pseudo-thermoclines off the islands, however. Near 2nd Cathedrals (Lanai), there's a freshwater upwelling that is significantly colder than the surrounding water and shows a similar visual disturbance as a thermocline.

 

[scubadrewvideo]

I go to Hawaii, mostly Oahu, every year and I usually dive with a 5mm or a 7mm. A 3mm would not be enough.

I live on Oahu and dive almost daily and I don't wear a wet-suit at all. Don't be so quick to judge!
Regarding vis on a deep dive.....This is an average day on the video.
Mahi Shipwreck-Max Depth 96ft

 

[MeiLing]

If you're used to diving colder waters, a 3mm full suit will be plenty. If you're boney skinny or get cold easily, then a 5mm would be better. 7mm is an awful lot of suit for Hawaii, especially at the height of summer!

 

[crab lover]

I use a 2mm shorty most of the time and am fine. Only had to break out the 3mm fullsuit for the night dive last week. But that's me. Others I have been diving with get cold in situations where I am nice and comfy. I think 7mm is WAY too much, but that's me.

BTW congrats on your OW cert! I know how exciting it is when you finally start blowing bubbles!

 

[Nicholaa]

Thank you to the very helpful people here! And I knew there would probably be some judgemental folks. I'm not new to forums, just to this one. There are always high and mighty folks or even "trolls" (not that anyone that posted here fit that category), but I take what I read with a grain of salt and I can weed out the good and the bad information.

I'm flying into Oahu this Saturday and will be diving Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Monday is our 'Introduction to Hawaii' dives - with some shallow reef diving (probably only 25-35 feet or so).

Monday:
Dive #1: Fun Dive - my brother will be along to do a Discover Scuba
Dive #2: Fish ID Adventure Dive

Tuesday:Dive #1 Deep Dive - my husband wants to do the Corsair. If and when I ever feel uncomfortable, believe me, I won't go down that deep. I know it's a deep dive and I just want to get below the required footage to pass the "Deep Dive" adventure dive. I don't really ever foresee myself being a true deep diver - at least not until I really get buoyancy under control, so if I can't handle it, I know when I can't handle it. My fear tells me that. I never, ever question my fears.

Dive #2 Navigation Dive - yuck. I'm a gal that really has got to learn to use a compass. Hah

** We will also be learning the Nitrox Speciality Course this afternoon. I've been reading the manual, working on Knowledge Reviews, loving the RDP (Not) and so that should be fun! We'll be diving tomorrow with Nitrox if everything goes as planned.

Wednesday:
Dive #1 Wreck Dive
Dive #2 Peak Performace Buoyancy

I figured - while I am in *Hawaii* - in the warm, gorgeous waters that I adore so much, I will do as much as I possibly can. Who on earth would choose doing their AOW Certs at the St. Lawrence River in Canada over Oahu? Well, I'm sure there really are some that would, but never could I imagine it.

My wetsuit is a full 3mm, so I guess I will believe you all when you say that if I got used to swimming in Dutch Springs water (70-->55 degrees), that the waters of Hawaii should be fantastic feeling to me. It is brand new and I'm a chunky woman (Going to use Scuba to help change that!) So, the theory I was told is to take 10% of my body weight and subtract 1 or 2 pounds. But, I was also told that I would probably need about the same weight that I used with my 7mm in fresh that I would in my 3mm with salt (I used 22 pounds).

As for my low vis experience. It was at the same place I did my OW Certs and there were 3 of us: My husband and I and a Divemaster from the shop. Since we were having the LOW vis (note, I never said ZERO vis), that is why we surface swam to the bus buoy and then re-descended. But, I still didn't enjoy myself at that point because even at depth, it was kind of murky and definitely cold - and no fish. Fish are what makes Scuba so intriguing for me. I mean wrecks are really cool too, historical and interesting, but keeping fish is my "main hobby", so to see fish in their natural environment and be able to swim with them is incredible.

Scubadrew - thanks for the video! That made me feel more comfortable!