Key Largo in December (thermal question)

[vapovick]

What suit should I bring? will a shorty @ 3mil be ok? or do I need more.

 

[ZzzKing]

Last week the water was 79F at 30 feet. 3 mil felt great. Don't know about in a month. Also depends on how much you tolerate the cold I suppose.

 

[Nomad]

What about greater depths? Does anyone know current water temperatures at 100 feet in the Key Largo area?

 

[ClevelandDiver]

I was diving the Grove last year at the end of December. Water temp was around 68F at 90 feet. 3 mil shorty worked fine for me. If you dive primarily warm water, you might want consider a full suit. All of the local divers were wearing full suits from 3 to 5 mil, some even wore hoods.

 

[vapovick]

thanks for the responses. either way, I'm going in

 

[String]

I got cold wearing a full length 3mm suit in July there after the 3rd 1hr dive of the day.

Suspect id be in a 5mm semi dry this time of year but i do tend to feel the cold.

 

[DandyDon]

What suit should I bring? will a shorty @ 3mil be ok? or do I need more.

Yeah, the answer will vary greatly with different divers, how many dives you do a day, how many days...?

But - I wouldn't own a shorty, wouldn't even suggest one to a surfer. I might sun bathe on the boat, but I want my skin protected on the wreck dive, the drift line, the ladder, etc. But if you already own one? Got a long skin you can wear under it...??

You can usually get water, air and other conditions for Key Largo waters at this NOAA buoy site: Station MLRF1 - Molasses Reef, FL but it seems to be down now. You might save it and check just before you leave. I keep it's phone number on cell phone speed dial.

The next buoy down the Overseas Hiway is reporting: Station LONF1 - Long Key, FL with Air Temperature 77.9 °F, Water Temperature 78.6 °F - but expect cooler at depth if you were doing deep wrecks. I might pack the 3 mil, 7 mil just in case.

I don't leave for Key Largo until Dec 25, so who knows what the weather forecast will be by then, and I'll be diving for a week. I'm thinking I'll dive the 5 mil, with the 7 mil along just in case. I'll also wear my light beanie, the 3 mil packed just in case.

Don't drink anything cold until you're thru diving for the day, and wear a good cap on surface intervals.