Exposure protection and weighting for Morehead City diving in August

[drobertsca]

Hi folks,

Most of my diving is in Lake Ontario wearing a 7mm one piece, hood and gloves. I've bought a 3mm one piece for a Morehead City trip the 1st week of August. Water temp is supposed to be high 70s and low 80s, so I know that temperature wise I won't need a hood and gloves, but was wondering if folks diving there wear head and hand protection anyhow ... and if so, what would you recommend?

I was also wondering about the changes in weight I'll need. I'll be going from a 7mm in fresh water to a 3mm in salt water. I suspect this change will be dwarfed by the tank change. Instead of a Worthington 80 cf steel tank I'll be using the 100 cf aluminum tanks that Olympus rents ... I really wanted to buy a couple of steel 100's or 130's before the trip ... but alas it is just not in the budget.

 

[cgvmer]

I'm going to bump this question as well since I am planning to be diving the Dixie Arrow Hatteras Aug 3rd.

 

[rlskill1]

FWIW: This time of year, I'll wear a pair of coveralls and no wetsuit. We had a chilly thermocline last weekend on the sub, but even in coveralls, it was doable for the dive. Thursday last week, the Caribsea had a thermocline that went from 80 on the surface to 68 on the wreck.
On the boat, I'll see divers wear everything from a bathing suit and t-shirt; 3mm; 5mm; 7mm; drysuit. Hoods and gloves too. To each his own I guess, but If I can get by without wearing a wetsuit I'm doing it!
If I was to wear a wetsuit, a 3mm would be sufficient. No hood, and gloves just to protect hands from the wreck.
Weight wise? In a 3mil in freshwater I use 8-9lbs. Saltwater 15-16lbs.
In coveralls: Saltwater 12-13lbs.
If you had time the day before your charter, you could run over to Radio Island and do a weight check.
Have A Safe Trip!

 

[cgvmer]

Thanks for the info

 

[Mike Campbell]

On the boat today thermal protection ranged from drysuits to bathing suit. Thermocline at around 100' dropped the temperature a few degrees. I dive pretty much all year here and use a 5mm one piece from June until the end of November and then switch to 7mm two piece if that helps.
Mike

 

[lulubelle]

You are a Canuck. You could probably dived naked in our waters in August and be just fine. But there are other issues.

Personally, I like a 3mm this time of year. Even though when I hit a thermocline and it is 68 or 70 I might wish I was in a 5mm. To wear a 5mm topside in August for even a few minutes would probably cause me to die of heatstroke. So a 3mm it is. I would suggest a full suit or at least a full skin. I would not suggest wearing shorties, coveralls with no arms, etc. If you have to ascend and do your safety stop in a big pool of jellies you will learn why the hard way.

Wear gloves, though a lightweight pair is perfect. Mine are just canvas/leather TUSA gloves. Some folks wear work gloves from the hardware store. Lots of rusty sharp things down there and we all wear them all year. Not for thermal protection this time of year, just protection.

Head covering? I wear a beanie with a strap because they are so darn sexy. That and my hair will get horribly tangled and tear if I don't. But a lot of guys don't bother this time of year. To be honest, I want a lightweight hood, because that tiny bit of neck seems to be perfect for the jellies to get to, and awfully interesting to the friendly cudas.

If my tanks are not in use that weekend, you can borrow them. They live in Morehead. They are HP steel 100s.

 

[drobertsca]

Ya I seem to tolerate cold fairly well, even for a Canuck. 42 on the bottom of Lake Ontario in my 7mm is fine. Must be the natural insulation.

I know a guy here that wears a beanie when he dives down south to keep the jellies off. I'm pretty sure my vanity won't let me do that until I'm stung once. But I'll probably pick up a pair of light weight gloves. Not sure I'd like the feel of work gloves under water.

Sunday July 31st was going to be a rest day (from driving) for me, but I think I'll try to get out to Radio Island (whatever that is) or maybe a half day charter to get a solid weight check in and get used to the aluminum 100 tank and wet suite before hitting the open seas on Monday.

 

[lulubelle]

Ya I seem to tolerate cold fairly well, even for a Canuck. 42 on the bottom of Lake Ontario in my 7mm is fine. Must be the natural insulation.

I know a guy here that wears a beanie when he dives down south to keep the jellies off. I'm pretty sure my vanity won't let me do that until I'm stung once. But I'll probably pick up a pair of light weight gloves. Not sure I'd like the feel of work gloves under water.

Sunday July 31st was going to be a rest day (from driving) for me, but I think I'll try to get out to Radio Island (whatever that is) or maybe a half day charter to get a solid weight check in and get used to the aluminum 100 tank and wet suite before hitting the open seas on Monday.

Only issue with that plan is that you have to dive Radio Island at slack tide. I betcha the DMs on the boat can help you with a starting weight based on the adjustments to your gear/exposure protection/tank, then do an atypical entry and hang onto the tag line to make sure you are weighted enough to sink and maintain your safety stop, and then you can check it properly at the end of dive one at your safety stop.

 

[rlskill1]

Ya I seem to tolerate cold fairly well, even for a Canuck. 42 on the bottom of Lake Ontario in my 7mm is fine. Must be the natural insulation.

I know a guy here that wears a beanie when he dives down south to keep the jellies off. I'm pretty sure my vanity won't let me do that until I'm stung once. But I'll probably pick up a pair of light weight gloves. Not sure I'd like the feel of work gloves under water.

Sunday July 31st was going to be a rest day (from driving) for me, but I think I'll try to get out to Radio Island (whatever that is) or maybe a half day charter to get a solid weight check in and get used to the aluminum 100 tank and wet suite before hitting the open seas on Monday.

Radio Island is a walk-in shore dive between Morehead City and Beaufort. High tide is near 9AM that day so would you be there for a dive?
For a weight check you could don your w/s and weights swim out from beach area there at RI and see how you're weighted. You wouldn't need to dive for that.
Have a safe trip.

 

[rlskill1]

Sunday July 31st was going to be a rest day (from driving) for me, but I think I'll try to get out to Radio Island (whatever that is) or maybe a half day charter to get a solid weight check in and get used to the aluminum 100 tank and wet suite before hitting the open seas on Monday.


One of the dive shops Olympus or Discovery would probably have an afternoon trip to the Indra on Sunday.