Los angeles exposure suit

[Hatul]

It also depends on whether you're shore or boat diving. By far most shore divers use wetsuits here, but you need 7mm with a 5 mm hood or hooded vest. On boats the ratio is something like 70% wet and 30% dry, but dry is definitely preferable. If you do get a drysuit get trilaminate with front zipper as you can easily overheat when on land when in the sun.

 

[Damselfish]

At what depth would you say that it gets to the low 50's? Sorry I was reading a water temperature report for only the summer.

The thing about water temperature reports, whatever season they are typically for surface temps which are usually warmer than below. You have to look harder to find a listing of temps at diving depths, often you will get better info by digging around sites of dive ops in an area.

 

[spectrum]

At what depth would you say that it gets to the low 50's? Sorry I was reading a water temperature report for only the summer.

Most published water temperatures are buoy data and often at a depth of less than 1 meter, essentially the water a swimmer or person at sea would be trying to survive in. Some buoys do have deeper depth. If you look the site will declare the depth.

I wish I could be diving in my local published water temperatures!

Pete

 

[Hatul]

The diving water temps here range from 55F to 63 or so depending on season and location. Mostly you have to expect 59 deg waters.

 

[Bopper]

The thing about water temperature reports, whatever season they are typically for surface temps which are usually warmer than below. You have to look harder to find a listing of temps at diving depths, often you will get better info by digging around sites of dive ops in an area.

Exactly. I think the OP is seeing surface temps. From what I've observed, this is actually the warmest time of year for SoCal at depth. Forget about what's going on at the surface. The air temps are not warming up the deeper waters. Our temps at depth don't follow those seasons. They seem to be dictated by the pervasive upwellings, or lack thereof. Oftentimes you'll find colder temps at depth at the beginning or even the middle of summer than what you'll find in the dead of winter.

As far as the exposure suit, I'd say at the minimum a 7mm. Best choice is a drysuit.

 

[drbill]

Of course for L. A. topside, you may need a hazmat suit

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Oftentimes you'll find colder temps at depth at the beginning or even the middle of summer than what you'll find in the dead of winter.

We had a two year run of 48° around Palos Verdes in July. My cheeks were the first part of my body to begin screaming at me for leaving the 90° heat on the beach to 48° in the water.