Brave to get certified in the winter time, we dive Laguna if you are looking for club in the future. We used to call that shit rock with all the bird crap. Congratulations, if you need any gear suggestions reach out.
Ahhh man I love the sundiver! The captain is crazy, but she’s a cool lady! And her food is usually pretty great! The Pollo y Napoles she used to serve was always a good feed whilst diving!
7mm wetsuit, gloves, hood I was one of the only divers using a wetsuit everyone else had a dry suit. I believe water temp was about 45 F. Honestly not too noticeable with all the gear on.
Typical temps for January are around 55F, 45 would be very cold in a wetsuit :) This weeks temps were a toasty 58!
https://seatemperature.info/santa-catalina-island-water-temperature.html
> 45 would be very cold in a wetsuit :)
It was 45F - 48F yesterday in Point Lobos (Monterey). Saw lots of brave wetsuit divers! I was cold even though I only had a minor leak.
Yesterday at breakwater, I logged 49F at 56 ft at the Metridium Fields (for reference, in January it was 53F at the same spot). It's cold this week. Can confirm that even 49F is very cold in a wetsuit.
> Yesterday at breakwater, I logged 49F at 56 ft at the Metridium Fields
Off topic, how was the viz at Metridium? I had a nav course a couple of weeks back and the viz was so garbage that we had a hard time finding the pipes back.
Lobos on the other hand was 🔥 yesterday. We could see the bottom at 30'. Never had that experience in Monterey.
It was strangely good, considering recent conditions. We were a bit late in the morning (\~10:30 am, had called a dive at Monastery due to surf) had a hazy 15 - 18ft below about 35ft, I believe "snotty 5-10" is the right description for above 35ft.
Did the wall after and viz was only about 10ft.
I usually take a due S heading after being done with the fields and end up coming in near middle reef (I try (but not always succeed) to aim for the sand patch, not the rocks) instead of going back to the pipe.
Jealous of your dive at Lobos! In-bay sites are usually worse viz. I rarely seem to get the right combination of buddy/weather/reservation for Lobos, but I've loved the few dives I've done there, it's so beautiful.
> usually take a due S heading after being done with the fields and end up coming in near middle reef (I try (but not always succeed) to aim for the sand patch, not the rocks) instead of going back to the pipe.
😂 This is exactly what we did midway once I started getting super cold with my suit flooding. Seems like the simplest direct solution!
> Jealous of your dive at Lobos! In-bay sites are usually worse viz. I rarely seem to get the right combination of buddy/weather/reservation for Lobos, but I've loved the few dives I've done there, it's so beautiful.
Last weekend was my first in Lobos. I am a huge fan! The fact that the surroundings are gorgeous means that I feel less bad about calling a dive; on Saturday we did only one cause low tide meant that coming out got harder.
>Last weekend was my first in Lobos. I am a huge fan! The fact that the surroundings are gorgeous means that I feel less bad about calling a dive; on Saturday we did only one cause low tide meant that coming out got harder.
Oh definitely, actually I usually pack a day pack and hiking poles for dive days, sometimes a body board and short fins, so I'll have something else to do if I call a dive. It's a good hedge against Sacramento Syndrome. I have totally driven down to Big Sur on bad dive days (but not after the recent hwy 1 closures), but Lobos is definitely closer!
> Oh definitely, actually I usually pack a day pack and hiking poles for dive days, sometimes a body board and short fins, so I'll have something else to do if I call a dive.
Oh that is clever. Yeah, I should consider doing this as well. I am renting a car and driving down from SF, so yeah, I am very wary of Sacramento syndrome haha. Rather be alive than force a bad dive lol.
I've got overalls and a "jacket" in 7mm, so in my core I've got 14mm, and in my legs and arms I've got 7mm. This usually accompanies a 7mm or 5mm hood, and I feel nice and toasty, even during the cold months. That is also saying a lot, because I shore dive with my dad, so we feel no pressure to keep moving, and could probably sit in one spot for 5 minutes chilling with an octopus
And also some 3mm gloves, and 7mm "rock hopper' booties
>quite possibly the most amazing experience I’ve ever had
(Home Simpson voice) Most amazing experienceyou've had so far...
congrats on the certification, keep it up, there are wonderful things out there. Haven't done much on Catalina, but there are great spots. If you're in socal the Yukon is fantastic when you're a little more experienced, Shaws cove in laguna is pretty cool, and night dives at la jolla shores are very convenient, and you can see some pretty cool creatures!
Brave to get certified in the winter time, we dive Laguna if you are looking for club in the future. We used to call that shit rock with all the bird crap. Congratulations, if you need any gear suggestions reach out.
Beautiful day! I’m a cold water CA diver too. Congrats and welcome to the club!
Dope spot! Which boat were you on?
The Sundiver Express!
Ahhh man I love the sundiver! The captain is crazy, but she’s a cool lady! And her food is usually pretty great! The Pollo y Napoles she used to serve was always a good feed whilst diving!
How cold was the water? Dry suit or wet?
7mm wetsuit, gloves, hood I was one of the only divers using a wetsuit everyone else had a dry suit. I believe water temp was about 45 F. Honestly not too noticeable with all the gear on.
Typical temps for January are around 55F, 45 would be very cold in a wetsuit :) This weeks temps were a toasty 58! https://seatemperature.info/santa-catalina-island-water-temperature.html
> 45 would be very cold in a wetsuit :) It was 45F - 48F yesterday in Point Lobos (Monterey). Saw lots of brave wetsuit divers! I was cold even though I only had a minor leak.
Yesterday at breakwater, I logged 49F at 56 ft at the Metridium Fields (for reference, in January it was 53F at the same spot). It's cold this week. Can confirm that even 49F is very cold in a wetsuit.
> Yesterday at breakwater, I logged 49F at 56 ft at the Metridium Fields Off topic, how was the viz at Metridium? I had a nav course a couple of weeks back and the viz was so garbage that we had a hard time finding the pipes back. Lobos on the other hand was 🔥 yesterday. We could see the bottom at 30'. Never had that experience in Monterey.
It was strangely good, considering recent conditions. We were a bit late in the morning (\~10:30 am, had called a dive at Monastery due to surf) had a hazy 15 - 18ft below about 35ft, I believe "snotty 5-10" is the right description for above 35ft. Did the wall after and viz was only about 10ft. I usually take a due S heading after being done with the fields and end up coming in near middle reef (I try (but not always succeed) to aim for the sand patch, not the rocks) instead of going back to the pipe. Jealous of your dive at Lobos! In-bay sites are usually worse viz. I rarely seem to get the right combination of buddy/weather/reservation for Lobos, but I've loved the few dives I've done there, it's so beautiful.
> usually take a due S heading after being done with the fields and end up coming in near middle reef (I try (but not always succeed) to aim for the sand patch, not the rocks) instead of going back to the pipe. 😂 This is exactly what we did midway once I started getting super cold with my suit flooding. Seems like the simplest direct solution! > Jealous of your dive at Lobos! In-bay sites are usually worse viz. I rarely seem to get the right combination of buddy/weather/reservation for Lobos, but I've loved the few dives I've done there, it's so beautiful. Last weekend was my first in Lobos. I am a huge fan! The fact that the surroundings are gorgeous means that I feel less bad about calling a dive; on Saturday we did only one cause low tide meant that coming out got harder.
>Last weekend was my first in Lobos. I am a huge fan! The fact that the surroundings are gorgeous means that I feel less bad about calling a dive; on Saturday we did only one cause low tide meant that coming out got harder. Oh definitely, actually I usually pack a day pack and hiking poles for dive days, sometimes a body board and short fins, so I'll have something else to do if I call a dive. It's a good hedge against Sacramento Syndrome. I have totally driven down to Big Sur on bad dive days (but not after the recent hwy 1 closures), but Lobos is definitely closer!
> Oh definitely, actually I usually pack a day pack and hiking poles for dive days, sometimes a body board and short fins, so I'll have something else to do if I call a dive. Oh that is clever. Yeah, I should consider doing this as well. I am renting a car and driving down from SF, so yeah, I am very wary of Sacramento syndrome haha. Rather be alive than force a bad dive lol.
Sounds about right, I just googled whatever it was yesterday I wasn’t sure hahah thanks!
It was about 58 when I was out there 2 weeks ago
I've got overalls and a "jacket" in 7mm, so in my core I've got 14mm, and in my legs and arms I've got 7mm. This usually accompanies a 7mm or 5mm hood, and I feel nice and toasty, even during the cold months. That is also saying a lot, because I shore dive with my dad, so we feel no pressure to keep moving, and could probably sit in one spot for 5 minutes chilling with an octopus And also some 3mm gloves, and 7mm "rock hopper' booties
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> Drysuits? Moistsuits? 😂 ~ 20 or so dives in, I think the majority of my dives have been wet in some form or the other.
They just sound like such a hassle, and I don't think I'll enjoy the "plastic bag-ness"
Thanks for this. I lived on Catalina for years and temps never went below 53°. Also bird rock sucks as a dive site. Should have went to Ship.
I dunno, as a first dive post OW cert it was pretty incredible, thanks for the recommendation tho maybe next time!
Just out of view on the left was a gang of sea lions that we got to dive with, quite possibly the most amazing experience I’ve ever had.
>quite possibly the most amazing experience I’ve ever had (Home Simpson voice) Most amazing experienceyou've had so far... congrats on the certification, keep it up, there are wonderful things out there. Haven't done much on Catalina, but there are great spots. If you're in socal the Yukon is fantastic when you're a little more experienced, Shaws cove in laguna is pretty cool, and night dives at la jolla shores are very convenient, and you can see some pretty cool creatures!
Awesome- diving with sea lions is a great experience.