[dropcap]A[/dropcap]s summertime dive season heats up this month, local divers can expect some of the best conditions of the year as winds become light and seas lay down for weeks at time. Calm conditions can be deceiving though and divers are wise to pay attention to weather patterns for indications on how the next dive will be.
Expect exceptional visibility during the dog days of summer when temperatures are at their hottest. Offshore winds, common during August, blow the ocean flat resulting in clear water along the immediate coast. As long as the winds stay light and offshore, visibility will hold for weeks allowing divers to access areas typically plagued by poor visibility. Beaches like Pepper Park in Fort Pierce, Bryn Mawr in Jensen, the George’s Valentine wreck off the House of Refuge or Bathtub Reef in Stuart make for an exciting and unique experience.
West winds also carry strong thunderstorms across the state during the afternoon and are a fact of life during late summer. These daily occurrences should be taken into consideration when planning diving activities. Storms can move in quickly and heavy rain can make following divers in the water difficult. Captains should review their plan for handling white-out conditions with divers before heading out.
Strong west winds that drive storms also influence sea conditions beneath the surface; every year the local area experiences strong cold-water up-welling’s that are related to August’s afternoon storms. If west winds persist for more than a week, the warm waters of the Gulf Stream are blown offshore allowing cold water to fill in from beneath sending chills down the spines of the unprepared. Spear fisherman may take advantage of up-welling’s too since fish typically move into shallower water seeking warmth and are more lethargic and easier to capture when the water is cold. Visibility can vary during these event from pea-soup to gin clear and temps down into the low fifties have been reported in years past.
August diving conditions are generally great and very predictable if an eye is kept on the wind. Look for great visibility at area beaches in the morning and thunderstorms in the afternoon when winds blow offshore. This blessing of calm seas can have harsh side effects though and chilly water temps can hang around for a week or two before being flushed away.
PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Thank you Deep Six Dive and Watersports and welcome aboard Steve! Our readers (and us) are looking forward to your dive reports, forecasts, and spear fishing hints and tips. Readers, to reach Steve, email him at Steve.Wood@deepsix.com. Be sure to check out the Deep Six-Stuart Facebook Page to view some awesome dive videos.