Nautilus Guadalupe July Season Openers - worth it?

[AZTinman]

I'm signed up to do this dive in mid-September... Any idea what the temps will be like?

Water temperatures during the fall typically run 64-75 degrees (F). This information was provided by the operator I use. Your operator can probably give you their perspective based upon their trips to the island.

I suspect the majority recommend thicker wetsuits and hoods. Personally, I like using my own gear. I know I'm picky, but my wetsuits have never been peed in. Yeah, I know rental suits are supposed to get rinsed out, but... (LOL).

-AZTinman

 

[togatown]

I'm signed up to do this dive in mid-September... Any idea what the temps will be like?

I would say it was between 68-70 in early October, so perhaps 70? I get cold easily and by the end of each stint in the deep cages, I was ready to come out.

 

[AZTinman]

Isla Guadalupe is a remarkable place. I'd go back every year if I had an unlimited dive trip budget or didn't want to pursue underwater photographs at other locations. My 2016 trip resulted in lots of very good white shark images like this one. A large male named The Legend decided I looked like a sea lion or Guadalupe fur seal hanging off the cage and made a run for me. Lucky, it was as easy to slide back into the cage as it was to slide out of it. The image was captured with Nikkor 10-24mm lens set at 20mm. Wide angle lenses make things appear farther away than they actually are. I had opportunities to photograph The Legend again in 2017, but the images weren't as dramatic as this one. Fun stuff!

-AZTinman

 

[RCB1882]

@togatown based on the FAQ, I assume you bring your own exposure suit but no reg/bcd needed for the cage dives, right? Did anyone bring dry suit on your trip?

We went on the Belle Amie in early August 2018 and brought our trilam drysuits. We were the only guests diving them but all of the crew wore them. Water temps for us were 71-73 degrees. We loved having them. I was spending more than 5 hours in the cages each day and was happy as a clam (and I have very poor cold tolerance). I wore a couple pairs of lightweight thermals, a 5mm hood, and gloves. Wetsuit folks were struggling into (and out of) two suits whereas we could be in/out in a just a minute or two. They keep a scuba tank with a drysuit hose in each of the submersible cages so you can alleviate some of the squeeze that you get on those dives (but since you're standing in the cage, your legs will always be pressed to some degree). It was an amazing experience -- one that we'll definitely be repeating at some point in the not too distant future.