Komodo in Nov/Dec Water temperature, Thermal protection?

[Freewillow]

Hi,

we are going on a cruise at the end of November around the Komodo Island.

I have read that the water temperature can be very different in the South, compared to the North.

Any personal experience that can be shared here? I am quite sentitive to the cold, so I wonder about thermal protection: 3, 5 or 7mm?

 

[dirtfarmer]

The south can be chilly! Im not a huge fan of being cold so I use a 3mm with a vest and hood. Some LOB have 5mm for rental suits so that tells you somthing. One time I was using their 5mm in the central region and I had to keep flushing the suit by pulling open the neck to cool down. My hood is separate from my vest so I can micro manage my temp during the dive. Jump in and if it's chilly I strap the hood on, get chilly during the dive pull the hood out of my pocket and strap it on. Get to warm pull it off.

 

[JackConnick]

5mm. I had a 3.5 and pile vest and damn near froze on some dives.

 

[surgeonfish1]

Mid November last year on the Adelaar a 3 mm was ok. Coldest water temperature at Cannibal Rock was around 26 C.

 

[VKE]

Hi,

we are going on a cruise at the end of November around the Komodo Island.

I have read that the water temperature can be very different in the South, compared to the North.

Any personal experience that can be shared here? I am quite sentitive to the cold, so I wonder about thermal protection: 3, 5 or 7mm?

Hiya Freewillow
We were on Komodo/Flores from 16th Sept and did North/South and the water temp varied between 28 to 23; most of the time I dived in a 3mm full suit and was generally fine but when we moved to the colder I added:
A 1mm full skin and was fine and I'm a strict warm water diver
Husband generally wore 3mm full suit and added 1mm shorty and a hat (bald head) and was fine
Some of the other divers on the trip wore 5mm full wetsuit and then added additional shorty / additional full and one diver wore 5mm full and then added an additional 5mm full

Enjoy the bubbles.....
Vicky

 

[Freewillow]

Thank you Vicky. As I see it , a HUGE variation between individuals. I guess I will come with my 5/4/3 full wet suit and bring an overvest/shorty with hood 5mm. The only problem is that local planes only allow 20kgs of luggage

 

[VKE]

Thank you Vicky. As I see it , a HUGE variation between individuals. I guess I will come with my 5/4/3 full wet suit and bring an overvest/shorty with hood 5mm. The only problem is that local planes only allow 20kgs of luggage

Hi Freewillow
With regards to luggage allowance if your refering to local planes when in Indonesia then check the allowances as are allowances were:
UK to Bali 30kg for hold plus 7kg hand each
Bali to Bima was 10kg; they thankfully didn't weigh the hand luggage but charged us excess of 30kg
Maumere to Bali was 10kg; again didnt weigh hand luggage but charged us excess of 40kg - oh the joys of having all your own gear and two lots of camera/video gear!

 

[charlier]

In my experience, it’s a rare day that domestic airlines charge for baggage. I usually travel with 10kg hand luggage and 22kg check luggage, sometimes more. Another way to look at travel, a dive vacation to Indonesia is expensive, so an extra $20 is perhaps cost of travel with a few extra pieces of gear.