Dry Suits

[spt29970]

My magic number is 58F. If the water is above 58F I dive wet with a 7mm and hooded vest. If below 58F I dive dry. The only exception is when I do shore dives, which I always do wet. I find that my drysuit is too much of a hassle in the surf, and I don't like getting sand in it. Besides I am fine down to 50F or lower if I am only doing one dive.

Overall, I love my drysuit and I have plenty of dives on it, but I still find diving wet easier. I feel so much more streamlined.

 

[robint]

I hardly dive CA enough to be any type of expert on the divers, etc. Tom provided the temps on dives we did as well as some diving he did as I continued my "Family" vacation...

After doing two trips out there I have noticed that a lot of divers are not down for max bottom time (or the magic one hour boat limit). I am not faulting them, just an observation, and for the most part I have no idea why, so getting cold is only one possibility.

You may get more insight on the CA forums, but then again MOST divers are NOT on SB even if we do have a very large amount here.

I have been out to Calif for 5 yrs in a row now (2-3 days of diving each time), so maybe I can add an opinion here. Some of the divers in Calif, on the boats, are diving without a computer and doing flat tables. Many are also diving until they are low on air, zipping around and burning through it faster than others. And some just like doing short dives. In our 5 yrs of diving out there, I have only heard 1 person complain that they came up early due to being cold. ONE. I actually marvel and the Calif divers, how they don't whine and complain! I do get chilly (diving a 7mm wetsuit, hood & gloves) in 60 degree water so I have been known to get back on boat after 40 minutes, but it is usually also because I want to end dive before I hit the yellow on my computer. I always have plenty of air left in my 80 alum tank, too. We have done a couple of dives out there, like at Pyramid Cove on San Clemente, where I didn't want to get out of water and pushed it to the limit. That is rare for me. If I lived in Calif and could dive it any time I wanted, I might not push the dive times either.

Just my 2 cents.
robin

 

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Ron,

I just returned from diving San Diego and Laguna Beach. I have to admit, San Diego has freakin cold. My computer measured 49F, the coldest I have ever seen in So Cal in the summer. All 3 deep dives were doable, but less than comfortable (OK, I was COLD by #3 and at 49F I did want a d/s). Of the 20 divers, 16 were wet and 4 were dry, but even 2 of the d/s guys admitted to being cold (thin under garmets?). The other 2 were Canadians, so it was warm for them. The DM on the Lois Ann told me it was the coldest summer since 1933, I don't question that. Freaky weather. The next day I did La Jolla shores, maybe 51F, still cool. Poor vis.

The next day I drove north 1 hour to Laguna and the water was a balmy 54F, what a difference 5F makes. Warm and toasty for 2x 60 minutes dives, vis wat 30-35, one of the best days there for me in the last 2-3 years. No need for a D/S.

Dive Safe

 

[spt29970]

That actually brings up one if the problems with drysuit diving in southern California. The last time I was in San Diego I dove the Yukon. The water was around 50f on the bottom so I was glad I had my drysuit. But I nearly roasted to death on the boat. The air temp was around 80f and the sun was shining. In retrospect my wetsuit probably would have been a better choice.

In summary: cold water + hot air means you will be uncomfortable somewhere!