Catalina Water Temp/and conditions?

[LisaP]

What is the water temperature around Catalina this time of year? I dive in a drysuit in No. CA but also have a poor fitting (too big) and old 7 mil wetsuit I could bring this weekend for my three dives if the drysuit is going to be too much. Thoughts? Also a conditions/crystal ball dive forecast report would be excellent.
Thanks, Lisa

 

[Otter]

Depends on depth. The first 20-30 feet have been in the mid-60s. Go to 100' and you are looking at mid- to low-50s.

I say bring the Dry suit and remove some undergarments if you get too hot. A buddy dived Belize in 79F water in a dry suit with just swim trunks a t-shirt underneath and was fine (he did get a bit of razzing)

P.S. I will be on the Cee Ray on Monday over at Catalina...

 

[iggy23]

I was out at geiger reef & eel cove sunday at catalina. The water temp was 68 degrees and at about 60 feet there was quite a thermocline where the temps dropped closer to 60 or below. visability was very good there and the marinelife was out in full force....Lobsters galore !

 

[Frank O]

I was getting around the same temps last Saturday ... surface from 66 F even up to 70 F, at depth 59 F at 74 ft, 55 F at 114 ft.

I probably could have hacked even that deeper dive in my 7mm hooded wetsuit, maybe with an extra rashguard or two, but that suit fits really well. For boat diving I usually prefer to go with the drysuit -- Saturday I was toasty with 300g polar fleece and polypro.

It's a little early to read the tea leaves on swell, though wetsand.com suggests the calmest day this week will be Friday, with conditions slipping as the weekend progresses. There's usually somewhere on frontside Catalina that's relatively protected, though. I'd wait and check out the other models later in the week.

 

[drbill]

Upper water temps above the thermocline (60-70 ft) have been downright toasty... mid to upper 60's, even 70-71 on occasion. Below that down to about 58-59 in the dive park. 7mm or less conditions IMHO. Heck I'm diving with my dilapidated legless 7mm.

Vis has ranged from 30-70 ft the past week or so.