Komodo Water Temp in May???

[Wooly-Headed Seacow]

My husband and I just got back from Raja Ampat (the Seven Seas) and absolutely loved it (second time). Everyone tells us we should go to Komodo, but I suffer from excess colditis and really can't dive in water much below 79. I hear the southern part of Komodo gets cold--dipping well below 79-- but someone told me that in May it doesn't dip below 80. Can anyone give me some concrete info on the water temps? I hate to be a baby about this, but I've tried everything and I really do suffer below a certain temp so before I take the risk of blowing all that money and being disappointed and not being able to dive, I'm trying to do the best I can to find out. Thanks!

 

[RinaW]

I have one vague memory of diving in Komodo and the water was relatively warm, unfortunately I don't remember when that was. Most of my other trips to Komodo (mainly Sept-Nov) included memories of myself shivering. Just like you I have excess colditis and at minute 45 during any dive anywhere, I start to shiver. But Komodo is spectacular, so it's worth braving up the cold.

 

[Reefwalker]

I have dived extensively in Komodo during May through to October. I have noticed that water temps in south Rinca (Horseshoe Bay) are often warmer in May than in September/October.
But this is not always the case, it largely depends on the arrival of the south-east trade winds. When the SE winds begin to blow, there are upwellings of 'cool' Indian Ocean water all along the southern coastlines of the Nusa Tengarra Islands of Indonesia (these come from the deep water trenches south of Indonesia).
The SE winds 'normally' arrive late May or early June, but this last year they were much later and with less strength than the previous 3 years. Hence the water never really cooled down as much as it can.
I'm not good with degrees farenheit (I didn't know anyone still used farenheit??), but in degrees Celcius these are typical temps:
Cannibal Rock in May: minimum 25C, max 27C
Cannibal Rock in September: mimimum 22C, max 25C

 

[Big fish63]

last year in may the temp around the south was between 19-21 in the north around 27/28+