Monterey Bay Wetsuits

[zf2nt]

Despite having completed over 1000 dives and having worked my way up to PADI OWSI, I have never once been diving in cold water...but I am determined I am going to make that plunge this summer. Thus I have some really dumb questions I need to ask about cold water protection.

I live on Little Cayman Island from October-April of each year, then come back to my home in Saratoga for the summer. Normally, I leave all my dive gear in the house here on Little Cayman. This coming Tuesday, though, I'm going to lug it all home with me on the airplane. The immediate question is whether there is any value to bringing my wet suit and booties home with me? Both are really ragged and need to be replaced before next winter, but I can't help but wonder if putting that thin wet suit (~3mm?) on underneath a 7mm suit would be enough for Monterey. I don't know if these thin booties are the same things people use for cold water, so am not sure if they are worth the suitcase space. I'm hoping I can get by with buying a heavy wet suit, a hood, and gloves. Will that do it?

So really, my question is whether it is worth bringing my thin wet suit home with me to use as an undergarmet? I do plan on doing a lot of diving over the summer--I would like to hook up with one of the bay area dive shops and teach through them while I'm back in CA. But come next October, I'm back to Little Cayman!

 

[jdf]

I wouldn't bother bringing your 3mm stuff. I tried wearing 3mm gloves and boots at Lake Tahoe last summer (which is warmer than Monterey) and when I got below 65 degrees, my fingers and toes felt like I had stuck them in ice. As far as putting your 3mm under your 7mm, it probably won't fit. You don't want to buy a bigger wetsuit because you will be compromising having the good seal that will keep you warmer. If you are planning on buying a new wetsuit, look into a 7mm semi-dry especially if you are planning on teaching and being in the water alot. Another alternative is to get a 5mm core warmer to go over the 7mm (Henderson makes them to go over their suits, which is what I have and I was toasty warm in 50 degrees.)

So save the space in your luggage for more important stuff!

 

[Chuck Tribolet]

Almost everyone diving Monterey regularly dives dry.
This applies doubly to instructors and DMs who may have
to spend a lot of time in the water.

A good wetsuit can be tolerable, but I did 300 dives in one,
then went dry and wouldn't even consider wearing the
wetsuit again in Monterey.

Those who do dive wet, wear 7 mm, and multiple layers.
I wore a 7mm hooded vest, Farmer John, Beaver Tail
jacket in my wetsuit days.

Booties are typically 5mm, mayber 7mm.

Since you will be in Saratoga, stop in at Any Water
Sports on Saratoga Ave in San Jose.

Finally: Please get some serious Monterey experience
before you even start to think about teaching here.
It's very different from the tropics. First and foremost,
tropical divers get very spoiled by the small buoyancy
changes with depth, and get really foxed by the large
buoyancy swings. And then there's kelp, and cold water, and
big surf, and ...

 

[Brian Gilpin]

Forget about it.

Chuck's got it right. You can do one dive a day and stay warm in late summer or fall but for most thats all. Go dry. Suit rentals are available around your area.