What dive temps have you been recording locally?

[spectrum]

Hi, I got certafied last fall and did a bit of diving over the winter, but in warm water. My schedule is finally lightening up for the weekends and I'm hoping to get out next weekend for a few dives. What do you consider the minimum temp to be some what confortable in a 7mm suit with gloves and a hood? I've done some in 50F water, but never tried anything lower. Thanks.

As mentioned, it depends. If that's a 7mm with 2 layers on the core like a John and Jacket you have plenty of dive options right now, assuming a trypical cold tolerance. 50F is often cited as when diving wet becomes a challenge, especially for closely spaced multiple dives. Depth and profile will play a big part.

For instance we dove Sebago lake last weekend. On a 50 minute dive we went to 85 feet for a while and at depth it was 43F. I was fine for the time spent there. We had come from mild water in the shallows and returned to the same. I was in a Bare Arctic 7mm and Bare 7mm hooded step-in vest. Were I in for a deep and constant 43F I would have chosen my drysuit. At 85' the neoprene compression was very apparent.

Pete

 

[ProfessorAronnax]

57? Were you in the water at the time?

JHeil -- tolerances are totally up to the individual. Without knowing your body type, expectations, etc. it's hard to say what temperature you'd be comfortable doing. With water temps now in the 50s in shallow depths (~25' or less), you could easily go and see what you're comfortable in and then if deeper water is too chilly, you have a lot of options.

Some easy and cheap ones are getting a chicken vest with integrated hood, wearing a shortie under or over your suit, wearing neoprene socks, better/thicker gloves, warming up between dives with warm water (or during the dive). If you like diving locally and are still cold, consider a quality semi-dry suit or dry suit.

First dive of the season! The water in the Bay fluctuates like crazy depending where and when you dive. If you hit an outgoing tide at the end of a warm, sunny day it can get into the 60s even now. I was lazy and dove my 3mm no hood(I don't recommend this-7mm and a hood is minimum for these temps). Froze momentarily, but after spotting a few bugs forgot about the chill. A hard southerly wind made for awesome vis.

 

[bikeflip22]

71 degrees!!! in MAY!??
what the hell..

 

[all4scuba05]

Jamestown had 50 down to 80ft the other day

 

[Downeast Diving]

46F at 68 feet in Eastport. I like it!

Dennis--

 

[Ken abucs]

48F @ 21ft at Ft Foster, ME last Saturday.

 

[AttitudeAdjuster]

45 on the Pinthis 6/2

 

[LobstaMan]

You can get to 80fsw at Jamestown? Is that a shore dive like Ft. Wetherill or were you diving off a boat? Is Ft. Adams in Jamestown? I know you can get quite deep there. Either way that's pretty warm.

LobstaMan

 

[RIOceanographer]

I had 54 degrees F at 55 ft on the Ft Getty Crane Barge wreck in the West Passage of Narragansett Bay today.

 

[joeabroad]

53 degrees off Niles Beach in Gloucester Harbor yesterday. That was the temperature of both the water and the air.