Texasguy
Contributor
I am in S. Florida. Winter waters usually are 73-74F with dips to 70F. Probably 2-4F lower at depth but doesn't vary much unless below 100 feet. During summer surface can be 86-88F (upper 90's in shallows) and 84-82F at depth. So, these are the extremes.
If I dive the shallows in the middle of the summer, I tend to do it just in swimwear. Boat dives I still do in full 3mm, I crawl the wrecks and jellies near surface can be a nuisance. Mostly it is a question if I put on my hood in the summer.
Winter dives are crappy, if you are wet and cold wind blows, it is the most uncomfortable feeling. Mind you, it is the surface break between the dives that chills you most than the waters. Drysuit doesn't fully solve the problem, I am still sweaty from the dive. So, I have a choice, not to open my suit and continue to sweat or remove the drysuit and change the base layer for a dry one (probably most sensible). The dive boats here don't have inner spaces that could be heated. But thankfully this is for no more than 2 months. By then you can catch some warm sun and actually enjoy the surface break.
I probably enjoy the shore dives in the winter in a drysuit the most. When you are done, you are done, take off the base layer and enjoy some warm clothes, no more cold dips, jump into a heated car. Why I don't like the wetsuit during the winter shore dives is that the trip from the ocean to the parking lot can be most teeth shattering in high wind.
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PS: I have no idea how people dive in cold regions. My theory is that some die out from the extreme chill and ones you see are the evolutionary survivors.
If I dive the shallows in the middle of the summer, I tend to do it just in swimwear. Boat dives I still do in full 3mm, I crawl the wrecks and jellies near surface can be a nuisance. Mostly it is a question if I put on my hood in the summer.
Winter dives are crappy, if you are wet and cold wind blows, it is the most uncomfortable feeling. Mind you, it is the surface break between the dives that chills you most than the waters. Drysuit doesn't fully solve the problem, I am still sweaty from the dive. So, I have a choice, not to open my suit and continue to sweat or remove the drysuit and change the base layer for a dry one (probably most sensible). The dive boats here don't have inner spaces that could be heated. But thankfully this is for no more than 2 months. By then you can catch some warm sun and actually enjoy the surface break.
I probably enjoy the shore dives in the winter in a drysuit the most. When you are done, you are done, take off the base layer and enjoy some warm clothes, no more cold dips, jump into a heated car. Why I don't like the wetsuit during the winter shore dives is that the trip from the ocean to the parking lot can be most teeth shattering in high wind.
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PS: I have no idea how people dive in cold regions. My theory is that some die out from the extreme chill and ones you see are the evolutionary survivors.
