Ok. Who peed in the kiddie pool?

[Belzelbub]

An interesting observation here is I have seen an abundance of S Florida tropicals not normally seen here. Some speculate Ian pushed them up here, but I suspect the environment is changing and perhaps the Gulf Coast reefs will begin to look like those in the Keys and S. Florida. So while maybe some areas are dying, new areas are growing.

I've noticed the same. You are probably in the gulf a lot more than me, but I have definitely noticed more fish I usually see in the keys up here.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Too many factors. The buoy itself is going to be absorbing a ton of sun and with no current that heat will be transfered to the temp probe.

I would think the designers of temperature-measuring buoys would take that effect into account and ensure there is adequate thermal insulation between the probe and the rest of the buoy, or even build in some kind of temperature compensation to account for that heat transfer. We would really have to understand how these buoys measure the water temperature to know how accurate the reported measurements are.

 

[100days-a-year]

There are about a dozen NOAA and state research vessels transiting these waters multiple times a year using a scientific instrument called a CTD that measures temp as well as other conditions every ten feet
Thousands of these are deployed every year for more than 50 years.
The data is free and available.
The sea is dynamic , not a static uniform temp throughout.
Relying on single data points that support your position is less than scientifically rigorous

 

[edwants2dive]

It's been abnormally cold in most of the eastern side of Florida.

West Palm 7/7 - 77 degrees at 60ft (really cold) light current at .5kt
Boynton Beach 7/8 - 76 degrees at 50ft (brrr) heavy current at 3.5kt did the whole reef line on two dives
Jupiter 7/9 - 71 degrees (winter at 90ft) light current at .5kt

Should be in the low/mid-80s now, it's really cold with a heavy thermocline even in the gulf stream.

I notice the same thing this year. Temps have been cooler this year as compared to the last couple of years. I have had to wear thicker suits later this year than the last 2 years I have been here.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Thousands of these are deployed every year for more than 50 years.
The data is free and available.
The sea is dynamic , not a static uniform temp throughout.
Relying on single data points that support your position is less than scientifically rigorous

I'd be curious as to what the posted average water temps in this area were during the summer and fall of 2000 and how much they have risen over the past 23 years. As inconvenient as it may be for some, the truth appears to be that things are getting warmer.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I'd be curious as to what the posted average water temps in this area were during the summer and fall of 2000 and how much they have risen over the past 23 years. As inconvenient as it may be for some, the truth appears to be that things are getting warmer.

I dived south Florida reefs since 1995. Water temps peak in late August. Back then, surface temps would be in the low to mid 80s during the peak. We’re not at the peak yet, so even warmer temps are yet to come.

When we left in 2014, peak surface temps in the last two weeks of august would be 92ish. (I’ve complained on here before about sweating inside my mask while diving during the peak.)

We now go back every year in late August, and I’ve seen beach water temps peak at about 94 in the last couple years.

We go again in about a month, I’m sure it’ll be in the 90s.

I started diving in 1987. Since then, the decline of the reef and the decrease in the number of fish has been dramatic.

 

[NW Dive Dawg]

Not sure that I would enjoy diving temps in the mid 90's... The perfect temp for me is 80F.....and I dive in only a full rashguard and am totally comfortable and "refreshed" for any length of dive.....or multiple dives. However, I'm sure that my wife would love 90F water! She can get a bit chilled after an hour of 80F even in a full 3mm.

 

[edwants2dive]

Not sure that I would enjoy diving temps in the mid 90's... The perfect temp for me is 80F.....and I dive in only a full rashguard and am totally comfortable and "refreshed" for any length of dive.....or multiple dives. However, I'm sure that my wife would love 90F water! She can get a bit chilled after an hour of 80F even in a full 3mm.

Yeah the 90's is a bit warm but the low to mid 80's gets a little cool on dive #5 and 6 of the day even though I carry around my own layer of blubber.

 

[HalcyonDaze]

I notice the same thing this year. Temps have been cooler this year as compared to the last couple of years. I have had to wear thicker suits later this year than the last 2 years I have been here.

Jupiter and Palm Beach have also been getting a lot of runoff from freshwater releases, particularly Jupiter ... the last time I was out on the Deep Ledge we hit a layer of cool murky water at about 40-45 ft.

 

[chillyinCanada]

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