Understanding Visibility

[SnapSlap]

Off Jacksonville anything over 30ft and it's like Christmas for us!

 

[Diver0001]

Perfect or Crystal Clear = 130' +
Great or Excellent =
Good =
Fair =
Poor =
No Vis or Muddy = 1'

How would divers from the Netherlands see this?

Perfect or Crystal Clear = 10m = 33ft+ no diver from the Netherlands has ever seen viz better than this except on vacation...
Great or Excellent = 6m = 18ft
Good = 4m = 12ft
Fair = 3m = 10ft
Poor = 2m = 6ft
No Vis or Muddy = 1m = 3ft
[/qUOTE]

 

[offthewall1]

Visibility
Infinite = 200'+ (OK for all Diver Levels) Example: San Salvador Island Bahamas
Pristine = 100'+ (OK for all Diver Levels) Example: Roatan, Honduras
Excellent = 70 - 90' (OK for all Diver Levels) Example: Atlantic Beach, NC
Very Good = 50 - 60' (OK for all Diver Levels) Examples: Sea of Cortez
Good = 30 - 40' (OK for Divers with some experience) Example: Local Quarries in MD, VA & PA on a good day
Fair = 10 - 20' (Requires Training in Night/Limited Vis Diving) Example: Ocean City, MD
Poor = Less than 10' (Requires training in Night/Limited Vis Diving) Example: Cooper River, SC
ZERO Vis = Less than 1' (Requires Training & Extensive Experience to dive deeper than 30ft) Example: Baltimore Harbor

 

[Papa_Bear]

Visibility
Infinite = 200'+ (OK for all Diver Levels) Example: San Salvador Island Bahamas
Pristine = 100'+ (OK for all Diver Levels) Example: Roatan, Honduras
Excellent = 70 - 90' (OK for all Diver Levels) Example: Atlantic Beach, NC
Very Good = 50 - 60' (OK for all Diver Levels) Examples: Sea of Cortez
Good = 30 - 40' (OK for Divers with some experience) Example: Local Quarries in MD, VA & PA on a good day
Fair = 10 - 20' (Requires Training in Night/Limited Vis Diving) Example: Ocean City, MD
Poor = Less than 10' (Requires training in Night/Limited Vis Diving) Example: Cooper River, SC
ZERO Vis = Less than 1' (Requires Training & Extensive Experience to dive deeper than 30ft) Example: Baltimore Harbor

It doesn't sound like you have been to California! Where 10ft is a great day even for beginners! 30ft is fantastic! :mooner:

 

[kathydee]

ZERO Vis = Less than 1' (Requires Training & Extensive Experience to dive deeper than 30ft) Example: Baltimore Harbor

Do people dive in these conditions for fun? Why? Wouldn't you see more in a swimming pool?

 

[NudeDiver]

Yeah, I'm afraid I don't get the point of this one either....

But....for where I usually dive locally, Whittier, Alaska:

Perfect = 50-60 feet
Excellent = > 35 feet
Good = 25-35 feet
Fair = 25 feet
Poor = 15 feet
No = 2-3 feet

 

[mpgunner]

Sure. After a short surface swim we did a dive to 90ftt with a group of buddies. We dropped (keeping in very close contact) with almost no visibility due to recent rains. But we knew that after 20ft it would clear up. It was good training in dive planning and staying in close contact. Viz at the bottom was about 20-30 feet.

 

[diver 85]

as scuba divers are always concern about visibility.

I like to categorize this. Since each region of the world has a different tolerance for visibility. To keep this on a level scale. Let's look at this from a recreational stand point. Perfect visibility would = 130ft + and no visibility would = 1ft

please fill in the blanks as you see fit. Of course in feet of visibility.

Perfect or crystal clear = 130' +
great or excellent =
good =
fair =
poor =
no vis or muddy = 1'

100', ~70', 50', <30'........

 

[DOkie]

I thinks it's all relative. I've been in Florida before and had the LDS say that "viz is pretty bad today" when it's 50+ feet. At home, a good day is 5 feet. There are many times I can't see my buddy's glow light on his tank and he's right next to me. Of course, if it was 5 foot viz in the ocean, you'd never catch me in there! 50 feet at least gives me a head start on those hungry sharks! (Just have to get behind my buddy!!!)

 

[Sas]

Do people dive in these conditions for fun? Why? Wouldn't you see more in a swimming pool?

The challenge is fun. I find having to keep constant depth as well as keep track of my buddy in no or low viz is a good challenge. Usually low viz where I am means strong surge so I have to deal with that and also the poor viz, so it teaches me a lot! It also makes you focus on smaller areas so you miss less. In normal viz, it is easy to just skim looking over rocks and pylons and reefs and things like that, were as if you can't see much you tend to go very close and see a heap of interesting things you might ordinarily miss I will dive in any kind of viz!

To the people who do not see the point of this thread, well I for one am finding it interesting to hear about what kind of viz people experience and different places