Greetings and salutations

[Roanoak1]

I am a complete newbie, having just completed SSI course except for the open water certification. <br><br>
I alternate between Louisiana and Southern Cal... for those of you in So Cal, how cold is the water? What sort of wetsuit will I need?

<br><br>
Thanks y'all!

 

[DandyDon]

:hi: And welcome to Scuba Board. :wave: It's a fun place to learn, compare, argue.

When I go to Catalina Is, even last Labor Day Weekend when they were suffering unusually warm water temps, I dove with a 6 mil plus neo beanie - even though natives were diving in 3 mils. :cold: Needs will vary with the diver and what you used to, both.

You might do it like I do, in layers. Buy a 3 mil long, and a 3 mil short to slide over the long if needed. I never dive in a shorty alone, no matter how warm. It's too easy to bump something in the water and come back with a rash.

don

 

[GotAir]

To the Scuba Board
PM me when your back in LA I mean Louisiana. we can go catch some ocean-going crawfish sometime . I'm in SW AR.


Mike

 

[Roanoak1]

I've been meaning to start diving since I was in the fourth grade, the first report I remember writitng in grade school was a history of diving. Living in Minnesota, I became a lifeguard and was usually waterlogged from swimming all summer long, but the closest we got to diving was playing with masks and snorkels.

I finally took the "plunge" this past September when my family and I went on a cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. In Cozumel I joined one of those four hour, quick lesson and go diving tours. That's all I will ever need. I remember especially telling myself to slow down and just enjoy the experience. The next thing I remember thinking was how much more fun this would be with someone to get excited about it with.

After the trip a friend at work out of the blue asked if I wanted to take diving lessons with him, he'd been checking out a dive shop here in Louisiana, Harry's Dive Shop. We enrolled, but due to some health issues, my friend couldn't take the course with me. I took the lessons without him and hope that in the next session he can go ahead and we'll still be able to take our certification dive together in Fla.

Thanks for the tips on the Wet Suit Mr Dandy! I wanted to know particularily what thickness to start with and will be looking at 3mm.

Hey Mike you're going to have to get me caught up on local Louisiana spots!

Sorry about the rambling on....

 

[Dan The Man]

Here in San Diego, the water is generally between 65 and 55 degrees. For example, the other day it was 61 on the surface and 58 at depth.

It may not sound all that cold, but after you've been in it for an hour (and if your wetsuit is compressed to half it's thickness from the depth) it can be a little chilly.

You'll probably want a 6 or 7mm wetsuit, and a hood (better yet a hooded vest).

3mm may be OK for surf & snorkel but take it for a dive and you will be freezing.

--Dan

PS: Welcome to the board!

 

[Tekdiver10]

Hey and welcome to the board. Here in Virginia I generally use a 7mm two-piece in about 65-48f water. For me that never even keeps me warm enough, can't wait for a dry suit.
Tekdiver10

 

[Roanoak1]

Thanks again to all of you for the information

I'm going to love it here I can tell.