Dry Suit for Galapagos Islands?

[jhawke]

I'm planning on spending Christmas in the Galapagos Islands (probably on a live aboard). This summer I bought a dry suit (Andy's) and have been diving in it locally to improve my dry suit skills.

I've talked to various people about using the dry suit in the Galapagos and I keep getting different responses. Some people laugh at the thought of using a dry suit there and other people say that its a great idea. The books say that the water varies in temp so that sometimes you will wear 7mm and other times 3mm.

I only have a 3mm (which I also plan on taking). My thought is that if I need anything more than a 3mm I should switch to my dry suit. Sooooooo, my question is this: Would you want a dry suit on a Galapagos dive trip?

Thanks,
Jason

 

[sharkster]

I have never been to the Galapagos, but my LDS owner once told me a funny story... he took his DUI CLX450 drysuit down there for a trip and the water temp was in the low 70s. Naturally he was diving like a madman, but on the last day of his diving one of the other boat denizens approached him and asked if he could borrow the suit for a night dive (it fit him apparently). After the dive he came back and offered him 2K for the suit on the spot!!! As he was leaving the next day and the other guy was staying longer, my LDS owner took the deal since he already got 4 years out of the suit. This most likely provides you with no useful information but I thought I would share it with you all the same

 

[Diver Lori]

I've not been either, but I do know several people who have......all have dived the area in drysuits.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

My 4 mil crushed wouldn't work there as I'm pretty certain I'd be overheated but a shell suit certainly would. A couple of divers I know took tropical drysuits there last year and were very comfortable in them. Wetsuit divers got chilled after a couple of days.

 

[woodfrogs]

Hi,
My husband and I were just there in August. Water temp about 72 most of the time. I dove in a 5mil with hood, gloves and booties. It was perfect. Almost everyone else has 7mil suits, no dry suits on board. Not being dry suit certified, I'm not sure how dry suits would work with back flipping off the panga. It was an awesome trip! We had a blast! And Aggressor was a beatiful boat.
Barbara
Poughkeepsie, NY

 

[teksimple]

I was there this last August for a two week trip on the SkyDancer. In the southern islands below the thermocline it was 59 degrees F. It has been known to get even below that at my absolute favorite dive spot in the world called Punta Vicente Roca. Remember, upwelling of the cold (and clear!) nutrient rich water is what feeds that enormous food chain. For those kinds of conditions to be comfortable, you either better have a drysuit or at the minimum a newish (not compressed from 100 dives) semi-dry with hooded vest. I had the latter and because I was also diving a closed circuit rebreather (which keeps you dramatically warmer) I was fine. Other than the two drysuit divers, I WAS THE ONLY ONE ON THE BOAT WHO WAS COMFORTABLY WARM.

Once we got to the northern islands (Roca Redonda, Wolf and Darwin), the other people on the boat who were wearing wetsuits actually were reasonably confortable. Most of the time they were skipping dives in the souther islands.

Supposedly in the time of year that you are going there is less upwelling, so maybe a bit warmer.

My recommendation if you want to make very dive: BRING YOUR DRYSUIT! You may find the 3mil will be ok for snorkelling, but not for being comfortable for longer dives.

 

[Doc Intrepid]

I've not been there, but know the owner of a dive shop who took a group of divers to the Galapagos. Their input was that the water temps there were decidedly not tropical. Moreover, the weather topside could be cool as well, depending on time of year. They wore drysuits, and were planning on returning - and bringing their drysuits.

FWIW.

 

[goldcountrydiver]

My wife and I were on Sky Dancer for 10 days in September. Had a wonderful time. The water in the southern islands is indeed cool, as low as 59 degrees. In the northern islands (Wolf, Darwin), it was as high as 72. On our boat, everybody but two people were in wetsuits, mostly 7mm. As you might expect, the people in wetsuits were chilly in the southern islands, but fine in the northern. The drysuit folks were a bit warm in the northern islands, but not uncomfortable. My guess is that the big variable for you is what the water temp will be in Jan. I believe it should be a bit warmer than when I went. Just to be safe, I would definitely bring the drysuit.

 

[doole]

I'd have expired from heat exhaustion in a drysuit.

7 mil attached hood. In my experience (time of year was June, I think) the water was mostly 80-ish except for the occasional blisteringly cold underwater stream that would curl your ears and last for 5 minutes or so, but that didn't happen often enough to cause me to complain, although things certainly got smaller during those dives.

At least the water flowing through a wetsuit keeps you from poaching.

 

[large_diver]

One issue to consider with drysuits....seals...especially given the $$$$ you are shelling out for the trip. If it were me, I would bring my drysuit....but I might think through options of what to do if a seal lets go.

- bring wetsuit for back-up = more luggage - :-(
- If seals are older, take a pre-emptive strike and have them replaced before the trip
- Zip seals (DUI)
- Perhaps boat has back-up wet suits available for rental