Where does poor viz start?

[CompuDude]

The viz is disappointing to me when it's down to 10 feet or so. If it's bad enough that I can't get far enough away from my buddy to frog kick without hitting him, then I'm starting to wonder if it's worth it. I have started a couple of dives where my face had to be about 18 inches off the bottom to see the bottom, and then I turn around and go out to lunch instead.

20 feet is nice viz. You can dive as a team with a little space between you, there is usually some ambient light, and you can see things coming before you swim into them.

I agree... Locally, I'm fine with vis down to about 10 feet... below that I start wondering if there may be better way to kill time.

That said, I've had some fantastic dives with 5-8' vis, although they're the exception to the rule. Above 15' and I'm pretty happy.

Mind you, this is for local shore dives. If I pay for boat dives, I'm not very happy if the vis is less than 25' or so.

Once the vis hits 40', I'm happy pretty much anywhere, even warm water destinations where the locals are complaining about the vis "only" being 40'.

 

[Walter]

When I'm diving Venice, viz is great if it's over 6 ft. When I'm diving the Keys, it's poor if it's under 40 ft. When I'm diving Cayman, it's poor if it's under 90 ft.

 

[TSandM]

Once the vis hits 40', I'm happy pretty much anywhere, even warm water destinations where the locals are complaining about the vis "only" being 40'.

Yes, it's quite funny, listening to the guides apologizing for the poor viz, when I'm reveling in it!

 

[ScubaSteve]

Just once I would like to dive in water that is 100+ vis.....well after once I would probably want to do it again but it sure would be interesting.

 

[guamguy]

I've become quite jaded in the past year after moving to Guam. Many people I know, who have never dove anywhere else, think the viz sucks if it is 30' or so. I grew up diving in Lake Michigan, where 30' viz would be a real treat. Lately, we've been getting a LOT of rain here, so 5' viz has been the norm, but I'm still havin' a good time:cool2:

 

[gcbryan]

Six feet is poor although I've been in far worse. At an interesting site six feet and I'll do a normal length dive. Otherwise the dive will be shortened. I'd prefer 15 feet which I suppose is our average. Thirty to fifty feet and old dive sites look like new places. At a great site like Quadra Island in B.C. with 100 foot viz possible in the winter and it's a dive to not be forgotten.

 

[piikki]

Personally, I call <10ft poor, so I seem to fall in with the majority in this poll. I am fairly comfortable diving down to 5-6ft viz. That's when you can see about diver's length, not smack your fins into each other at every kick, and have a little forewarning of objects coming at you. Maybe even get some penetration with your light. In swifter current, dark and water where there are or a lot of branches etc I get uncomfortable because I don't like things grabbing onto me. Yech!

If viz drops down to 2-3ft I am ready to call it. No fun anymore for me. I was surprised though when I heard some divers comment that under 10ft viz is no place for recreational divers to be in. That it's too demanding and dangerous. Gee, where would many of us dive then???

 

[Walter]

I was surprised though when I heard some divers comment that under 10ft viz is no place for recreational divers to be in.

If that was in this thread, I missed it.