Coldwater PNW Diver Moving To The Gulf

[Zach The Diver]

Good evening, all. I'm an AOW drysuit diver with around 140 dives that is moving from Washington state to southern Alabama for work and, naturally, will be conducting dives in an environment significantly different from that of the Pacific Northwest. My only warmwater experience was during vacation in Hawaii, with the rest being in the PNW (Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia).

I am planning on taking a doubles primer (I have exclusively dove singles so far) and GUE Fundies after I get settled. I'm certified to 130 feet but would like to start getting into tech diving (I want to dive the Oriskany right!) and perhaps cave way on down the road. I run a DIR configuration with a SS BPW with long hose and HP100s. Once I get into doubles I plan on using HP100s as well since I'm already comfortable in a dry suit and long tech dives or dives during the "cold" months in the Gulf would render the use of a wet suit moot, but I do plan on getting a 3mm for warm summertime recreational dives.

I'd appreciate any advice anyone could offer, especially regarding the use of SS backplates (and whether I should get an aluminum one), diving doubles in Florida Panhandle water conditions with a dry suit vs. wet suit, transitioning into tech and cave, and the overall GUE crowd in the area. Again I have not dove doubles or even taken Fundies yet, but I have applied many GUE/DIR principles to my diving already and it has helped immensely.

I know much of this is contingent on my own buoyancy characteristics and I'll have to experiment, but any feedback would be welcomed as I'm essentially entering a completely different world of diving than what the PNW offers.

Thanks!

 

[Rilelen]

I'm in Florida, but not very familiar with panhandle ocean diving (most of my diving is in the springs/caves). One thing that's different in our area is the popularity of low pressure steel tanks. Because everyone cave fills around here, you see a lot more LP85s than you do HP100s. I've used both for doubles, and prefer the 85s personally.

Dry suit is the norm for Florida caves, and plenty of folks dive dry even on open water spring dives if they're teaching or in the water regularly, esp in winter months; that 72 degrees gets chilly esp on extended dives or cool days. I use a steel backplate, and believe most of my buddies to as well. Gulf temperatures fluctuate a LOT by season, from tropical warm in summer to quite chilly (low 60s and below) in winter. I've done the gulf in winter in a 7mm wetsuit + 7mm vest/hood/etc, and didn't care for it, so if you're anticipating year-round diving, you may still want the dry suit.

If you are thinking of eventually going cavern/cave, you will have plenty of choices of instructors; there is also a big GUE presence in the High Springs area, if you want to stick with them (drop by Extreme Exposure if you find yourself in town). But I'd suggest talking to different folks, getting recommendations, and choosing instructors based on personal fit, rather than agency.

 

[TMHeimer]

The Panhandle water temp can go down to about 56 in Jan. I always used my 7 mil farmer john wetsuit when we were snowbirding there in winter (Destin). Only decent shore dive I found in AL was right at the FL line (Perdido Pass). Anything West of Mobile Bay was a mess. Let me know if you want other info. on Panhandle shore diving, or boats out of Destin, P'cola or PCB.

 

[billgraham]

You are close to some of the best cave diving (and instruction) as well.