Ft. Wetherill Thermocline?

[Gidds]

Please don't shoot or flame me, I was born landlocked so I don't know much about the physics of the ocean.:15a:

Where is (are) the thermocline(s) at Ft. Wetherill at the moment depth-wise, specifically in the right cove?

I know in lakes it varies with the season and the thermocline in the lake I know best is at 10-15' usually. Once while I was doing a safety stop my head was actually sticking out of it while the rest of me was freezing below.

I'd like to know because while I snorkel there a lot I stay on the surface and I'm hopefully going to be diving there soon and I'd like to have an idea of what to expect.

Any other hints about things to except other than the thermocline are also very much appreciated

 

[RIOceanographer]

The thermoclines are pretty weak compared to the ones you get in lakes and they will vary with the tides, storms, mixing etc.

This weekend there was more than one thermocline. I did a dive to 87 ft there on Saturday, which is almost as deep as you can get and the temperature was 59 degrees F. I didn't pay too much attention to the depth of the thermoclines but above the first one (I'd guess about 30 ft) temps were upper 60s and above the second (I'd guess 70 ft) temps were in the mid 60s.

Right and left cove are basically the same as far as thermoclines go.

 

[Soggy]

I was there two weeks ago and the temp at 80 ft was 64 degrees. I don't notice thermoclines when it's that warm

 

[RIOceanographer]

I was there two weeks ago and the temp at 80 ft was 64 degrees. I don't notice thermoclines when it's that warm

I only noticed because I saw my computer's temperature display....

 

[Gidds]

Ok so do you guys just enjoy cold water, have paralyzed facial nerves, or are ocean thermoclines different from those in lakes? I am used to seeing it as I descend and it is usually significantly colder underneath. Fortunately I am not going anywhere NEAR 80' or even 60' for the time being.

 

[Soggy]

Ocean thermoclines are normally *much* less pronounced than lake/pond thermoclines. In a lake, it's not uncommon to have a single thermocline at 15ft where it is 75 degrees on the surface and 50 or colder. In the ocean there are usually several thermoclines, but the temperature delta at each step is much less and they are not, ordinarily, visible as in fresh water.

 

[Gidds]

Well if I can't see it I suppose it will be one less thing to bother me. Does the vis. stratify as well like it might be good above or below the thermocline? Or if the vis. is crappy is it crappy everywhere?

 

[RIOceanographer]

Ocean thermoclines are normally *much* less pronounced than lake/pond thermoclines. In a lake, it's not uncommon to have a single thermocline at 15ft where it is 75 degrees on the surface and 50 or colder. In the ocean there are usually several thermoclines, but the temperature delta at each step is much less and they are not, ordinarily, visible as in fresh water.

Just to throw a little physical oceanography into this, the reason why this happens is because lakes and quarries as a general rule have less fetch to generate wind mixing and they also lack tidal mixing. The result is a much deeper mixed layer in the oceans than in the average lake.

 

[ScubaSarus]

The thermo incline will be a non event in the ocean at this time for a snokeler. It is very gradual and not nearly as distinct as in a lake. You dont get the nether layer in the ocean like that thick first layer in a lake or quarry.

 

[lord1234]

but, yes, we do love the cold....