Proper wetsuit at Akumal during Christmas?

[nomoreno]

Hello all,

A question about proper thickness of wetsuit. I plan to go to Akumal, Mexico during Christmas. How thick of wetsuit should I wear? I am sort of skinny so I get cold maybe a bit faster than others. I guess 3mm fulll wetsuit will do in my case?

Thanks for your information.

 

[Diver Lori]

You didn't say what kind of diving you plan to be doing in Akumal. I am going to Akumal again this Christmas for the 3rd time in a row and I wear a 7mm jumpsuit.

I would guess the 3mm will be fine if you are planning to dive in the ocean, but if you are planning to cave dive or cavern dive, it won't be enough.

I do long cave dives up to 2 to 2.5 hours and am chilled by the end of the dive in my 7mm. I'm planning on taking a hooded vest this year.

 

[nomoreno]

Thanks for your information. Could you give me some ideas what the ocean water tempture would be like? I will dive probably 4 days in a row, mostly in ocean.

 

[Diver Lori]

Sorry, can't help you with the ocean. I've only done cave diving in Akumal. You may want to post in the Mexico forum and see if you get more hits. I do know there are some who ocean dive in Akumal in that forum.

FWIW....the cenotes are around 78 degrees....can be chilly in a 3mm for a longish dive, but I have seen snorklers in bathing suits!! BRRRR!!!!

Good Luck!

 

[scubawife]

We were there in mid-Dec last year and are going back again this year. The ocean was 75-78. We were doing 3 dives/day so I got chilly and added my 1mm under my 3mm after the 2nd day. The nice thing is that you're back on the beach for a couple hours btwn dives so you can take off the wetsuit(s) and warm up and dry them out a bit.

The cenote's were about 73-75 and I also wore 4mm for that and was pretty chilly by the end of the 2nd dive.

Where are you staying and what dive shop are you using? The ocean dives were nice, easy drifts, healthy reefs but not as much to see as you would get in Coz. We really liked Akumal though because it's so laid back and relaxing. No big hotels just smaller condo buildings and private villas and homes. No really touristy stuff, just a few shops and about 7 restaurants.