Bonaire-- 3mm wetsuit or 5mm?

[Tom Smedley]

My favorite suit for Bonaire diving is a speedo......

 

[bnajdrovsky]

My favorite suit for Bonaire diving is a speedo......

Heh... I suppose goin' commando would get some funny looks.

 

[El Orans]

3 mil should be plenty. I brought mine for the ScubaBoard trip last year, but spent the whole time diving in my shorty instead. This year, I may not even bring the 3 mil. (that's right, El Orans, I'm planning on joining Natasha's merry band of SB'ers again. ;-) )

Lucky you!

 

[herman]

Ohh Herman, what do you know about Bonaire?

Only a little, I only have somewhere around 150 to 175 hrs logged under water in Bonaire.....and have more in the planning stages.

 

[Argos]

Only a little, I only have somewhere around 150 to 175 hrs logged under water in Bonaire.....and have more in the planning stages.

I worked in Bonaire for 9 mths and only ever used a 3mm suit.
Who you gonna be diving with? Where are you staying? How long you going to be there for? If you get the chance take a dive boat to Klein Bonaire some nice easy diving there for newlings..........Whatever.......... have fun! :14: If you need any advice about the island let me know.

 

[Robtjm]

Thanks Argos.

We'll be down there from Feb 16-28, and will be staying with former neighbors who moved to Bonaire a few years ago and are now permanent residents. Both have done lots of diving around the world, and Bonaire was their favorite destination. They are very exeperienced, and I will trust them to set our diving itinerary. I feel pretty lucky to be doing this with them.

Three mm wet suit it is then. Thanks for all of the good advice everyone.

 

[Puck]

In December, I was fine in a 3mm doing 4+ dives per day. Some people used a hood on their night dives, but more for bump protection than temp control. Water temp was 80-85 all the time.

 

[spectrum]

Water temp was 80-85 all the time.

Man, as a first year diver who has yet to experience warm water diving that seems incomprehensible! I hope I can adapt!

Pete

 

[Tom Smedley]

Heh... I suppose goin' commando would get some funny looks.

Actually - way up at Taylor Maid there'd be nobody to give any looks except who you took with you.

 

[BigTuna]

I dove there in early April (mostly boat dives), with water temps around 80 degrees, and the air a bit warmer, and with strong sunshine.

I used a 3mm full suit and was comfortable the entire time under water. In the sun, between dives, I stripped off the top part to get cool, and I used a wind shirt to protect from the sun and boat-breeze. On shore it was always shorts and T-shirt.

A chum added a beanie for her perfect balance. Another chum was comfortable in a shortie.

I think about half the divers I saw were using shorties, and the other half fullsuits. No gloves allowed, BTW.