Typical SoCal conditions?

[happybuddha]

Can someone give a brief description of typcial SoCal conditions? I may soon be considering a job in San Diego County and I do most of my diving in the Philippines (live in China) and I want to know what the trade off will be (besides being closer than a plane/car/boat ride away from the dive sites).

From reading the board seems like most people dive dry. I'm afraid I may be spoiled, water temp in Philippines never gets below 72F, and that's really cold day in January. Typically its 3mm wetsuit, at least for me, time (75-80F) for most of the year.

Viz where I normally dive (Puerto Galera) varies, but a good day is 80 ft and a bad day can be 5 ft, but typical is 50-70 ft I guess.

Also, what's the marine life like?

Thanks,
Drew

 

[gballard]

Can someone give a brief description of typcial SoCal conditions? I may soon be considering a job in San Diego County and I do most of my diving in the Philippines (live in China) and I want to know what the trade off will be (besides being closer than a plane/car/boat ride away from the dive sites).

From reading the board seems like most people dive dry. I'm afraid I may be spoiled, water temp in Philippines never gets below 72F, and that's really cold day in January. Typically its 3mm wetsuit, at least for me, time (75-80F) for most of the year.

Viz where I normally dive (Puerto Galera) varies, but a good day is 80 ft and a bad day can be 5 ft, but typical is 50-70 ft I guess.

Also, what's the marine life like?

Thanks,
Drew

Hey Drew,
The water conditions in southern california are usually on the colder side,mostly lower 60s.In the winter it can get in the upper 50s,I wear a hood in the winter and it still get pretty chilly.I do have a dry suit, I don't like to use it on shore dives but on occasion I have.The warmest water I have on a dive here is 71 degrees, and that was a September dive.If you want to see info and pics of the dive sites and wildlife,try going to www.ocscuba.com .

gballard

 

[SNOBORDJON]

Can someone give a brief description of typcial SoCal conditions? I may soon be considering a job in San Diego County and I do most of my diving in the Philippines (live in China) and I want to know what the trade off will be (besides being closer than a plane/car/boat ride away from the dive sites).

From reading the board seems like most people dive dry. I'm afraid I may be spoiled, water temp in Philippines never gets below 72F, and that's really cold day in January. Typically its 3mm wetsuit, at least for me, time (75-80F) for most of the year.

Viz where I normally dive (Puerto Galera) varies, but a good day is 80 ft and a bad day can be 5 ft, but typical is 50-70 ft I guess.

Also, what's the marine life like?

Thanks,
Drew

San diego has some great diving all up and down the coast, with the best being in La Jolla. The water temp is a bit colder 60 ish right now but will get into the high 60's to 70 this summer. People freak out and wear 7 mil suits all the time, but I use my 2/3 full surf wetsuit and I am fine even this last month. Gets a little cold below 50 feet though, I advise to mix in a 5 or 7 mil hood vest under the 3 mil suit. I havent actually been diving in SD yet (just started in July), but I grew up surfing there.
Lots of different fish, bass yellowtail, rock fish, sculpin, sheephead, halibut etc, and your normal crustaceons, i.e. lobster, crab etc.

John

 

[happybuddha]

gballard and SNOBORDJON,

Thanks for the info, sounds a bit better temp-wise than I expected. I'm especially worried about my Filipina girlfriend :07: who will be following, she get's cold diving in the Philippines (she's a working DM), so we may wind up diving dry eventually anyway.

I like the fact that SoCal has easy access to diving, currently it takes me 5 hours of travel to the Philippines, 2-3 hour car ride and a one hour boat ride-so a dive weekend requires more than a weekend. Also you guys have a very active diving community and you all seem very friendly so should be easy to find buddies.

Now if only I can convince the girlfriend to leave the beach and move to the States, I'll keep you posted.

Thanks,
Drew