Naia Tonga trip then few days land based...where to go? Camera advice?

[Shasta_man]

@Lorenzoid the temps for your Red Sea would equal 5MM for me and even the Florida dives if on the higher end of the temp range you mention. The surface interval conditions also matters as to how much body warmth you can recoup.

Regardless, my point to the OP or other readers was that everyone's input is accurate for them, but there isn't one right answer for thermal protection and to consider temperature data in evaluating the input as people's temperature tolerance can be different.

Just like someone from Alaska might not think it's cold outside, I came from New York to California in November. The locals were already cold and hating the breeze while I was in a Tshirt and loving the cool non-humid weather.

Separately, I was thinking wow, snorkeling in a 7MM suit must require a significant weight belt to get neutral.

 

[Lorenzoid]

@Lorenzoid the temps for your Red Sea would equal 5MM for me and even the Florida dives if on the higher end of the temp range you mention. The surface interval conditions also matters as to how much body warmth you can recoup.

Another part of my comment was that it can depend not only on surface interval conditions but also on how many dives per day for how many days. About halfway into the 10-day trip, divers started adding layers. Sure, 5mm felt fine for the first few days. But it seems that as the dives start accumulating over the course of a week or 10-day trip in cool/cloudy/windy weather it can get harder and harder to get your core temperature back up with the same surface intervals.

Regardless, my point to the OP or other readers was that everyone's input is accurate for them, but there isn't one right answer for thermal protection and to consider temperature data in evaluating the input as people's temperature tolerance can be different.

Amen!

 

[OceanEyes]

Hi bluedogs.

Just checking in to ask how you enjoyed your cruise in Tonga, and see how you made out with your exposure suit and camera. I visited the Nai’a website and read the cruise directors blog entries about the season, and believe that you were on the second to last trip of the year. Looks like you enjoyed some spectacular interactions with the Humpbacks.

My own cruise was delightful in all regards: extremely pleasant companions, mostly good weather, exceptional crew, and days filled with fantastic whale action.

 

[bluedogs]

Hi bluedogs.

Just checking in to ask how you enjoyed your cruise in Tonga, and see how you made out with your exposure suit and camera. I visited the Nai’a website and read the cruise directors blog entries about the season, and believe that you were on the second to last trip of the year. Looks like you enjoyed some spectacular interactions with the Humpbacks.

My own cruise was delightful in all regards: extremely pleasant companions, mostly good weather, exceptional crew, and days filled with fantastic whale action.

Sorry for the delay in response!

Exposure suit: didn't need my vest at all for the snorkeling part, just my 5/4/3 full wet suit, and at times that was too much. For diving in Tonga, I did borrow a 3ml shorty, and used that over my wetsuit instead of my 3 ml vest and was toasty. I almost always wear a skin under my wetsuit too, but stopped wearing that also when I realized how warm I would stay with all the swimming while snorkeling.
When Mo was our guide, we did a lot more swimming! He preferred to follow the slower moving whales by swimming rather than get back in the skiff...good workout!

Camera: got many good shots and video with the Go Pro. Definitely a learning curve and was a bit disappointed at first until I decided if I got one or two good shots (by my unprofessional standards) that I was satisfied. I was one of only 2 people who managed to capture a shot of a baby whale with its mouth/gullet fully open on its way to the surface, so I have a shot looking down its gullet! Pretty amazing. Other person had a better camera, got a somewhat better quality shot but Hey i was there and saw it in person and still got the picture too.
I had trouble deciding if I wanted to shoot video during interactions or still pics so I did some of each.

Yes, we had the most amazing long involved interactions from Day 1 both from the ship and in the water with them.

Weather was about perfect,there could have been a little more sun for my tastes, but never rained.

I was a little discouraged with the amount of engine noise and vibration in my cabin, making it hard to sleep. Ear plugs didn't help, neither did the fact my assigned bunk mate didn't want the fan on and I got too hot at night. She eventually moved to an empty cabin in the back...without telling me, so that was kind of weird.

Food was excellent as always.

I then went on to Taveuni for 5 days, but thats for another review.