diving the keys

[ScoobieDooo]

I don't think I'll be diving wet again once I get my drysuit. In fact, my brand new, never used Akona 6.5mm 2-pc suit JUST got eBayed.

 

[Scuba Duffer]

Headin down in 2 weeks and will be diving in Largo, West, Crystal River and WPB. So will a 3mm do? Although we are from the great white north - we have only dove the tropics to date. Florida will seem cold by comparison and were thinking 3mm won't be enough.

 

[MikeS]

My wife and I just got back from the keys, dove mostly Looe Key and Sombrero. The water temperature ranged from 66 to 72 degrees F. I dove with a Parkway T1, 2.5 mil. I was cold on the first dive so after that I wore a Henderson Hyperstretch/Goldcore combination drysuit hood (bought it for drysuit class) and was much more comfortable. Deb wore her Goldcore 5-mil with a 3-mil tropic hood. She said that there were only several occasions where she got to warm and broke the neck seal to let in cool water.

Based on that my guess is that you want to be somewhere between 2.5 and 5 mil but should defiantly take along a hood. While I’ve heard a hundred times that most heat escapes from your head, this trip made me a believer.

Mike

 

[ScoobieDooo]

In the 73 deg water when WE were there the 3mm worked fine....I was never cold in the water at all...air temps were around 75 or 76. At the VERY end of the 2nd dive (to 35 ft) I was JUTS beginning to feel JUST a tad cool. I had NO hood or gloves on, but did have 5mm booties on.
I'd say a 3-5mm suit would be ideal.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

The water temp today was 71° F -- that temp was at 25 feet on Looe Key. The water temp at 100 fsw on Adolphus Busch was about the same.

There is typically no thermocline between the surface and say 120fsw.

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Yup,
Its not only about thermoclines but about surface temps and hypothermia in between dives. I know many instructors up here who routinely travel to tropical places (including the Keys) who take their drysuits along, and just wear a real thin layer of poly or sweats underneath them.

Up here, our instructors wear their jeans and t-shirts during the summer and dive dry just so when they come out, they strip off their drysuits and head out to dinner with their friends or have their shore cookouts and party.

 

[Capt Jim Wyatt]

Quite right...I dive my dry suit in the winter months here too. Just a t-shirt and shorts underneath.

The air temps coupled with 10-15 knot winds can and do make ya pretty cold in between & after dives.

I have had several divers laugh at me when I put my dry suit on...but after two dives and on the trip back in .. they quit laughing & I start!!

 

[KeyLargoBrent]

tho the water isn't bad at 70f. We did two great dives on Molasses Reef today! Conditions were excellent... flat calm seas and ~50ft of viz. We made an hour dive, followed by a 3/4 hour dive. I was wearing a 5mm back zip, and was glad for the sunshine at the end of dive two. I know... I'm spoiled!

 

[ScoobieDooo]

Capt,
Thats what I thought when I saw someone on the charter with their drysuit on that day, BUT, after my 1st dive, when I came out and go so chilled and was shivering, I ahd to go back into the water to warm up again! Ya figure the air temp was about 76, and with the 10-15 mph wind, now the air temp was only about 61-66 degrees! So, while it looks like 'overkill' it really made sense. The wetsuit would have worked out OK as long as one has a parka or some fleece-type pullover, like the new PADI Bio-Tech Parka's out - to keep you warm inbetween the dives.

 

[taz22]

Man, I'd love to have a 61F air temp right now. Temp outside is 2F and with the wind-chill it's -9F.

Come on Key Largo!!!!!