Suggestion Tampa bay sub-forum

[dgiese01]

Anybody in here live in the Tampa Bay area? I'm new to diving and am looking for a buddy or 5... My only friend who dives lives in GA so we can only dive together a few times a year. I'm getting a little sick of always being at the mercy of dive charters all the time.

I'm not into any specialty or difficult dives yet, I just want to log some nice easy dives for awhile until I get more comfortable and then the real fun can begin!

 

[Missdirected]

I'm wearing my 7. It'll be hot topside but fine in the water.

Perhaps I should just lug one. I hate lugging stuff I only have a little M3.

 

[eandiver]

Water temps at Clearwater were 74 today. That's shallow temp. Going to be cooler at 40'.

 

[Missdirected]

Thing is, I have to grab some tanks for meme. She flies in on Saturday. So I told her I would grab them. Oh, well.

 

[Brewone0to]

These are some really cool and helpful website links for you guys to check out
Some concern weather for dive planning Others are site orientated
Have a couple of fun hours checking these out (I know I did)


WEATHER LINKS
http://weather.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/fmtbltn.pl?file=forecasts/marine/coastal/am/amz650.txt
http://www.ssd.noaa.gov/PS/TROP/DATA/RT/watl-vis-loop.html
http://www.saltwatertides.com/dynamic.dir/tampabaysites.html
http://ahps.srh.noaa.gov/index.php?wfo=tae

SITE LINKS
http://northfloridadiver.net/
http://www.shorediving.com/Earth/index.htm
http://www.srwmd.state.fl.us/water+data/surfacewater+levels/real-time+river+levels.asp
http://northfloridadiver.net/sites/cflframes/cflframes.htm
http://www.mejeme.com/dive/index.html

 

[eandiver]

Look at www.ndbc.noaa.gov/Maps/Florida.shtml and click on the shaded box around the Tampa Bay area then click on a bouy for temps. Looks like the mid to upper 60's out there.

Car's going to be loaded down eh?

 

[eandiver]

Everyone is too fast for me tonight........time for another beer!

 

[Brewone0to]

yeah I was on a site earlier (sorta the same type info)
It show off Pasco/Pinellas as being about 67
Venice is alittle warmer though
For me 65 starts to get alittle cold
I'd definitely be wanting 5-7m suit for that

 

[wstein]

ok, you guys are starting to worry me talking about this 60 degree water temp stuff. I have done all my dives in 72 and higher water.....if that is the water temps this week, see ya....I'll wait until it is in the 70's..

 

[Daylonious]

A 3/2 is fine for one or two dives, but when I was in Jupiter, we dove in 71 degree water (also it was a drift dive, so we weren't moving around a lot) and by dive 3 I was getting cold.

I had a 7mm, hood, and thin gloves. Dives were about 45-50 min each with a 20 min surface interval for the first two, 2 hours, then two more dives back to back.

By dive 4 I was getting uncomfortable - and by uncomfortable I mean that the chill was more top-of-mind than being interested in looking/appreciating the fish -

Just my two cents..

D.

 

[eandiver]

The Gulf water is still a bit cool so plan for it. My rule of thumb is below 75 is a 7mm, above 80 is a 3mm and in between is a 3/3 farmer john. Since I don't have a farmer john I make do with the others. Everyones tolerances are different so you need to keep that in mind. Suit fit makes a world of difference too.

Sunday is shaping up to be an excellent day. Nice and warm topside and cool (not cold) water temps so there should be no problems.