going to cancun

[creamofwheat]

So, being the ignorant cold water diver that I am, I have no idea what kind of exposure protection I will need for when I head down to Cancun. Basically, I am going down and doing some cave diving, and not sure what I need. Obviously, I dont need to bring my drysuit, and diving wet for once in my life could prove to be a fun new experience. Would I be ok in a 3mm full suit? I tend to get cold really easily, so would a 5mm be better, particularly because i will be going into caves and water will be slightly more chilled there. I am heading down at the end of july. What kind of water temperatures should I expect? Will I need gloves? What kind of booties should i look into? any and all advice would be greatly appreciated, as this warmer water thing is totally foreign to me. Thanks!

 

[Karen Cleveland]

The caves are around 76 degrees. Depending on how long your dives are a drysuit with light underwear might not be a bad idea. For dives under 80 minutes a 3mm with hooded vest work fine for me (3mm body/5mm hood). I did a 3 hour dive in a 5mm with a 3mm hood and I was fine too. I would forget the gloves, if you are doing cave diving you will want to feel the line. I have used 6mm boots and 3mm boots, both work fine for me.

Have fun, just got back after spending 15 days cave diving. Lots of fun!!

 

[TSandM]

I get cold easily, and I dove 75 degree water in Maui this last trip in a 3 mil suit with a 2 mil vest/hood, and I was good for three dives a day.

Given that you will be doing cavern (and intro?), your dive times won't be that long.

I am miserably, viciously envious.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

So, being the ignorant cold water diver that I am, I have no idea what kind of exposure protection I will need for when I head down to Cancun. Basically, I am going down and doing some cave diving, and not sure what I need. Obviously, I dont need to bring my drysuit, and diving wet for once in my life could prove to be a fun new experience. Would I be ok in a 3mm full suit? I tend to get cold really easily, so would a 5mm be better, particularly because i will be going into caves and water will be slightly more chilled there. I am heading down at the end of july. What kind of water temperatures should I expect? Will I need gloves? What kind of booties should i look into? any and all advice would be greatly appreciated, as this warmer water thing is totally foreign to me. Thanks!

In July you can expect the water temp in the cenotes to be around 78 or 79 degrees. This being said, about 40% of my clients wearing only a 3mm full length wetsuit tend to get cold after the second 1 hour cavern tour. About 90 % of my clients are frozen if we are doing cavern training. Those wearing 5mm for training or cave diving are just fine and those wearing 5mm and a hood remain toasty warm. Up to 75% of heat lose is through your head.

I wear a 5mm full length with no hood for cavern dives and a TLS350 drysuit for cave or training dives.

Keep in mind that if you are diving in caves/caverns you should not wear gloves.

Since you tend to get cold I would recommend that you use a 5mm with a hood or bring your drysuit with you.

Dennis

 

[Diver Lori]

I get cold easily too. 3mm? Don't even think it. I go to Akumal every year for a week of cave diving and always take a 7mm jumpsuit, 3mm hooded vest, fingerless 5mm gloves, a 3mm bolero and a 3mm hood.

I mix and match as needed depending on the length of the dive. In December I did a 2 hour traverse I've done several times before. I wore all my thermal protection and was quite toasty. (only one hood tho...lol)

I wear the fingerless gloves to restrict water flow up the sleeves of my suit and the hooded vest to restrict flow down the neck.

 

[AZTEK DIVER]

I personally dive a 3 mil with a 3/5 hooded vest, and have no problems with 3 hour dives. On the other hand I know people who get cold in a 7 mil on the same dives.

 

[Darnold9999]

COW - everyone is different on this one. I am fine in 26 C water with a 1 mil shorty no gloves no hood for 5 dives a day, my buddy oin the last trip, from Ohio, was in a Tshirt and shorts the whole week. One person in the same water same time was in full 5 mil hood gloves and cold at three dives. Most were in 3 mil suits no hood no gloves. Dry suit is overkill - particularly the ones we use up here. A shell maybe neoprene no way, but a shell would ruin the experience IMHO.

For someone that dives regularly up here, a full 3 mil with hood is likely to be more than you need - 78F is warm water. If it turns out you need more you can probably rent a vest to add to the 3 mil.

If you can, take your backplate, diving with minimal weights is great.

Expecting a trip report when you get back!

 

[teamheatwave]

I bring 2 suits - a 3mm full suit for the cenotes which run about 75-76F year round and a 1mm suit for reef diving. But a lot of the times I may opt not to wear the 1mm. depends on the location and weather.