hood for the cenotes?

[vieque]

If I were to dive the Cenotes.. should I use a head hood? In most of the pictures i've seen of divers at the cenotes, most are wearing a hood. I have a 4/3 wetsuit. And another 3mm spare.

 

[JTB]

I am just back from a two tank dive at Cenotes. I wore a full 5mil with a thin hood. Was very comfortable. Dove the same last year w/o a hood and wished I had used one. Do it if you get a chance. Fantastic dives.

 

[Kat]

I am always cold. I wear my 7mm in the Caribbesn & get laughed at. I did not wear a hood in the cenotes & I was not cold. Maybe it was the 7mm Goldcore, but I was comfortable.

 

[Pez de Diablo]

I never wear a hood and I regularly do 2 - 3 hour dives in the Cenotes. I also wear a light weight drysuit with very thin underwear.

Bring your hood with you, do a dive. If you were cold, put your hood on for the next dive. I'm sure you wouldn't be that uncomfortable for one dive

The water is between 74 - 76 F, most people I see don't wear a hood.

 

[chrisc]

We wore 3mm shorties, and were not cold, but this was in July. There was a mix of suits at Dos from dry suits to shorties. When we go back in the spring we will be diving with 3mm fulls. Unless you get cold easy, I would not think you'd need a hood.

Chris

 

[diver_paula]

I wore a light weight polar fleece hood. & usually do on dive trips due to the multiple dives for several days.

Another reason to wear a hood in the cenotes is to protect yourself from bat 'droppings' when you surface in the caves. Very yucky!

Paula

 

[Ale]

I usually use a hood in the cenotes. I prefer to be warm and feel confortable than to be cold. The temperature of the water right now is around 77F. If you get a sunny day you will have a great surface interval in the jungle but otherwise better you take with you a towel to dry or a t-shirt to wear between dives. I use a semidry but living here I got used to the water temperature. Usually a 3 or 4 wetsuit is ok. Enjoy this unic adventure!

 

[ggunn]

I usually use a hood in the cenotes. I prefer to be warm and feel confortable than to be cold. The temperature of the water right now is around 77F. If you get a sunny day you will have a great surface interval in the jungle but otherwise better you take with you a towel to dry or a t-shirt to wear between dives. I use a semidry but living here I got used to the water temperature. Usually a 3 or 4 wetsuit is ok. Enjoy this unic adventure!

Is the appropriate rubber rentable at the cenotes? I use a 3mm shorty for ocean dives, but it sounds like it may not be enough for the cenotes.

 

[got4boyz]

Yes, the dive shops will have warmer wetsuits to rent.

I didn't use a hood when I went.

 

[teamheatwave]

I guess it varies from person to person. But we did not experience problems during any of our dives at Dos Ojos and we were there a few times during several different times of year. (I also have adequate insulation!) The temperature usually runs about 75F degrees. I wear a 3/2 full and my dive buddies wear a 3/2 shorty. One of the dive buddies is also bald so you would think that he of all people would get colder first but no complaints from him. They do have warmer suits there but I don't think you'll need it. If its your first time in a cenote you will be so busy looking around at everything you won't even notice the temperature.