Post your rules of thumb for predicting visibility!

[mahjong]

Precisely, "visibility depends on a number of factors, including time of year, swell, recent wind shifts, Poseidon's state of mind, etc."

Obviously a precociously new Monterey diver.

 

[Peter_C]

Tide has an effect on vis although it doesn't seem consistent. For instance at Gerstle Cove I find more often than not the vis is better on a low tide. Seen the same thing at Lobos too, although there are others with far more experience diving at Lobos than I.

 

[KRL1973]

In my mind 2 main things cause poor viz.

1. Agitation due to wave action: This is fairly predictable. Big waves = more agitation = more suspended material. During and immediately after the big waves sees the poorer viz. Shallower dives near shore most affected

2. Bloom: stuff growing in the water. Longer days = more growth. The layer with the bloom can move around and vary in thickness / depth. Best indicator is recent reports from other divers. When you dive pls post a report indicating site, depth and viz to aid other divers.

I want to go diving tommorrow and will head to carmel in hopes of avoiding the very poor vis recently reported for monterey shore dives. I will be looking anxiouslyfor any new reports from folks diving yesterday-today to aid my decision

 

[ktkt]

I assume it will be terrible to bad, and sometimes I'm pleasantly surprised