San Miguel Water Temps

[sffrenchman]

Preparing for a trip to San Miguel next week and trying to decide which undergarment I am taking. I usually dive with a thinner undergarment in the Channel Islands compared to what I dive with in Monterey/Carmel but I read that San Miguel water temps are closer to NorCal than SoCal. What kind water temps can I expect?

Thanks

 

[natew]

I was there about two weeks ago, my lowest was 49 degrees at about 50/60ft. My highest was I think 51 degrees at about 40ft around noon (this was on the south side). That was following a relatively warm week on the coast here too, it has been pretty gloomy and overcast the past week so I wouldn't go expecting anything better than that.

 

[sffrenchman]

Thanks. Seems like I will be taking my NorCal undergarment!

 

[fnfalman]

Warmest I've ever felt at San Miguel was 52F in September. Usually it hovers around 48-50F.

After the first five minutes and then your body goes numb, it ain't too bad.

Well, it's definitely nippy, but I've survived three or four dives at San Miguel in one day without much worse for wear. There's this Asian lady who dives San Miguel also in a 7mm wetsuit (with 3mm liner). That's impressive because I at least have a lot of natural insulation to keep me more or less warm.

 

[TSandM]

Both times we have been there (both in June) water temperature was in the high 40's. It's windy, as well, so you can get cold on the boat. I'd definitely recommend a Monterey-worthy undergarment.

I hope you get to dive Wyckoff Ledges. I thought that was a stunning dive -- it was so good, that on the first trip, we did it twice!

 

[sffrenchman]

Thanks all for the useful information. Hope that the seas will be calm enough for us to dive there.

 

[limeyx]

Both times we have been there (both in June) water temperature was in the high 40's. It's windy, as well, so you can get cold on the boat. I'd definitely recommend a Monterey-worthy undergarment.

I agree, Water was actually 52-54F this last weekend, but the surface temps were down in the 40s and wind/fog made it pretty unpleasant.

I hope the conditions are better than we had, which was about 5 feet of vis at best.

This compared to 40+ and glass-like conditions last year

 

[White Knight]

True Story: The last wetsuit dive I ever did was at San Miguel. I got so cold I had to sit the last dive out. The next day I drove to the dive shop and bought a DUI CF200 crushed neoprene dry suit. It’s that cold! (I dive Monterey too, I use the same gear for both. Monastery at 80 feet might be a degree or two colder, but that's it.)

 

[drbill]

Last time I dove it was a year ago in September. The min temps I got were 51-52 F. Perfect for a 7mm wetsuit (if you've seen my dry suit, you'll understand)!