3mm or 5mm?

[glbirch]

It depends on your body shape (tall, thin people need thicker
suits) but also on if it is your fist or second dive. What I'd do
is bring a flexible kit. A thinner suit but also a vest or hooded
vest, gloves and whatever then you can put more or less of it
on as required.

The other idea is to bring a thick suit and if you over heat
strech open the neck a little to let in some cold water.

Hey, I use a thinner suit. Are you suggesting I'm not tall and thin?

 

[jlemieux]

I appreciate all of your comments.

As it turns out, I had gotten the wrong statistics for the water temperature at the Flower Gardens in late May. Apparently, it will be closer to 78.

I may just augment my Henderson 1mm Microprene with a 3mm "core warmer" and/or tropical hood.

Again, thanks to eveyrone for their insights.

 

[BradJ]

Yea, 73 sounds a little cool for late May in the Gulf. It will probably be 4 or 5 degrees cooler on Stetson though, but you will probably only dive twice there on the last day.

I just got back from a Blackbeards cruise to the Port Lucaya area of the Bahamas where the water was 73 degrees on every dive. I get cold fairly easy and came real close to bringing my drysuit but opted for a 3mm full with a 3mm hooded vest. I would get cold near the end of dives but maintained my core temp seemingly well. I was always ready to get back in for the next dive.
Maybe I'm not the wimp I thought I was...