Dive Op that picks up from Coz Palace for 6-8 divers?

[ScubaERDoc]

It's not about having to wear a wetsuit. As a ScubaERDoc, you should know that the human body needs to compensate when exposed to colder temperatures. The average naked human body gets "cold" when submerged in water around 93F. Less than that, and the average human body will compensate by shivering, shunting blood, and generally expending more energy.

In addition, there are all sorts of nasties in the water that can sting the uncovered diver: hydroids, jellies, and fire corals to name a few. But it's your choice.
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Totally get it. Points about hypothermia are valid and obviously important as regards to basic dive safety. That being said, not everyone is built the same and the human body has a wide degree of variance in all aspects. Part of the reason why I love diving warm locals is that I rather enjoy being unencumbered by neoprene and weights. But I don't recommend it for everyone. I just have a somewhat higher tolerance for heat loss than some, doesn't mean it's a better or worse way of diving. I'm not gonna be naive about exposure protection however, I do run the risk of getting hit with stings at exposed parts of my body, in mid-70s water I begin piling on the neoprene, and I just began drysuit diving up here in Nor Cal. I also recently lost 20 lbs and 10% body fat so I may begin feeling the effects of heat loss a little more...I'll see how it goes.

Appreciate the recommendation.

 

[Mike]

That may work better for showers that have shower curtains instead of doors, but in my experience wetsuits don't dry so well hung up indoors in a damp environment like a shower and in the morning they're cold and still wet. Which again invites hypothermia.

Not all of us are from cold midwestern climes where the locals ice dive in their long johns. Sitting in a wet wetsuit exposed to the air on a swiftly moving dive boat after already substantially cooling our cores by spending over two hours underwater can chill those of us from more delicate climes. Lucky you.

Damn, but you are fragile!

I have the feeling you out weigh me, could out drink me and probably pin me in an arm wrestling match, and just plain a manly-man, but dang it man, you are amazingly, microscopically aware, informed and knowledgeable of any and all minutia when it comes to wetsuits, to a simply uncanny level!

 

[Mossman]

Totally get it. Points about hypothermia are valid and obviously important as regards to basic dive safety. That being said, not everyone is built the same and the human body has a wide degree of variance in all aspects. Part of the reason why I love diving warm locals is that I rather enjoy being unencumbered by neoprene and weights. But I don't recommend it for everyone. I just have a somewhat higher tolerance for heat loss than some, doesn't mean it's a better or worse way of diving. I'm not gonna be naive about exposure protection however, I do run the risk of getting hit with stings at exposed parts of my body, in mid-70s water I begin piling on the neoprene, and I just began drysuit diving up here in Nor Cal. I also recently lost 20 lbs and 10% body fat so I may begin feeling the effects of heat loss a little more...I'll see how it goes.

Appreciate the recommendation.

I use a Henderson hyperstretch suit that's really comfy and easy to don, probably providing more protection against stinging sea life than the cold. That works for me down to about 80, at which point I have a hyperstretch "core warmer" that I don first. In April, you're still getting the winter colder water even though the air is starting to warm up. It's possible you'll see water temps below 80, though not by much.

If you do choose a dive op that uses steel 120s, you'll get bottom times of 70-90 minutes and that can be a lot more chilling than the typical Al80 45-50 min dive that's common elsewhere in the tropics. But if you do get cold, you could probably gain that 20 lbs back just from the amazing Palace lunch buffet (and that's coming from someone who normally hates buffets).

Fortunately Cozumel is rather benign as far as stinging critters. Hydroids are my usual and I mainly get stung on my hands, which are required by marine park regulations to be uncovered anyway, but they're pretty harmless. I haven't heard much about sea wasps/box jellies, which are my greatest worry when diving the Caribbean.

Enjoy the Palace. I did my last two trips at AIs to the south, mainly because they offered single rates, but the Palace was better than both IMO. Excellent service, very good food and drink, and a beautiful room.