Question about Cozumel

[INTRUDERDIVER]

Hellow everyone,
As some have you have noticed I am fairly new to this web site just like SCUBA diving. I have been having an arugment with my local boat shop about diving in Cozumel. The topic of this argument is whether or not I need a wet suit or not in Cozumel. My wife and I are heading to Cozumel in 3 weeks for 7 nights, we plan to get in as much diving as possible when we are down there. The thing is that I just purchased a wet suit for my wife that is a 3 - 2mm wet suit. Well I have a shorty which is a 2-1mm wet suit. I am being told that this should be more then enough protection against the tempeture and sea life (IE, Fire Coral). I was told that currenlty in Cozumel it is around 70 degrees at 80 feet. Also remember this is going to be our first dive after our OW certification. Does anyone have any opinions of this or personal experince with this?

Thanks for any opinions INTRUDERDiver

 

[glbirch]

The amount of thermal protection you require varies greatly between individuals. I find a 3mm full suit more than sufficient for Cozumel waters, while others feel chilled after a while. IMO, a full suit is always better than a shorty for protecting your skin from whatever might happen on a dive.

There is a Cozumel section in the travel forums (where I suspect this thread will be moved shortly) and there have been several discussions about what kind of suit you should be wearing.

Colorado, eh? Wouldn't happen to know Weaver's Dive, would you?

 

[Burner]

I was just there and wore a 4/3 full length suit with a 7/5 hood.
If you are doing long dives it might not be enough to keep you warm. If you are doing short dives and don't get cold easily then it may be enough.

 

[Scott Riemer]

I'm finding this thread confusing since my LDS is telling me all I'll need in Cancun/Cozumel is a dive skin. What is the water temp? I was hearing mid to upper 70's to even low 80's. I'm going May 1st for a week.

 

[DandyDon]

I'd like to say that I'd never buy a shorty suit, but I bought one by mistake when I was new. It's just too easy to get skinned up bumping into things, like the lines they throw to you in the water, the ladder, etc. You can buy a long skin for $50 or so, and wear it with your shorty.

If you're in Cozumel in late April, you might be fine in a 1 mil or cold in a 3 mil. In January, I wore a 3 on boat dives and a 1 on shore dives with little current. This just varies with individuals, like Glbirch suggested, how chilled you get between dives, what you drink, etc. Heavyset people don't get as chilled as skinny ones, and - Newbies don't get as cold as Experienced. Take a hooded windbreaker and a cap for each of you, just in case.

My own tolerances vary so much (at my age, anyway) that I'll take 4 different suits on every trip, then try to wear as little as possible.

Have fun, dive safe, and don't believe everything the Dive Guide tells you...

 

[glbirch]

I'm finding this thread confusing since my LDS is telling me all I'll need in Cancun/Cozumel is a dive skin. What is the water temp? I was hearing mid to upper 70's to even low 80's. I'm going May 1st for a week.

I just got back, and the temp. last week was usually 76 to 79 Farenheit. (Plus or minus a degree or two depending on how accurate my dive computers are, but they were usually in sync with each other within a degree.) I suspect Burner is one of those people who chills more easily. I myself spent several hours in the Cenotes in the mid-70's without much discomfort but I don't mind cooler temperatures. Again, it will vary depending on how easily you personally get cold on a dive.

(Quick edit) One other thing, you might want to consider a 3mm or 5mm dive hood or 'beanie' for diving. They take very little space in the luggage and can make a huge difference diving, since a disproportianate amount of body heat is lost through the head. My wife swears by hers.

 

[DandyDon]

One other thing, you might want to consider a 3mm or 5mm dive hood or 'beanie' for diving. They take very little space in the luggage and can make a huge difference diving, since a disproportianate amount of body heat is lost through the head. My wife swears by hers.

Good One!! Forgot to mention that. I'll carry a 1 mil Beanie and a 3 mil, too - add as needed. Very often the 1 mil is all of the additional I'll need.

Just rmember that water is a great heat condutor, which is why we boil eggs in it...

 

[crispos]

Well, we are having this discussion on another thread. I say the shop that advocates a skin in Cozumel is not correct. I vote for a 5mm full length suit, you can get away with a 3mm but then you need some protection after the dive, like a jacket.

http://www.scubaboard.com/t52560.html

You are a new diver so you may go into the shallows and dive with a 3 mm. But if you get on a fast boat, you will get very cooled after the dives without proper protection.

 

[VMO-2]

A lot of what you need depends also on the amount of fat and blubber you carry on your body. Whales don't need as much as a skinny person like me. I take a full coverage with Hood, 3mm at least. I'm old, too...61.

 

[glbirch]

Well, we are having this discussion on another thread. I say the shop that advocates a skin in Cozumel is not correct. I vote for a 5mm full length suit, you can get away with a 3mm but then you need some protection after the dive, like a jacket.

http://www.scubaboard.com/t52560.html

You are a new diver so you may go into the shallows and dive with a 3 mm. But if you get on a fast boat, you will get very cooled after the dives without proper protection.

Sorry Crispos, but I will continue to disagree with you. If I spent the day diving in a 5mm full suit I would be poached by the end. After the dive I am happy in the breeze with my 3mm, or I unzip the back if I'm feeling too warm. All depends on the individual. What's right for you isn't right for everyone.