Question about skins....

[doctorwhodiver]

Hello!

Next month I'm going to be traveling to Great Barrier Reef and going to be doing my first diving in tropical water. The last time I was to the GBR I only snorkeled and they gave us the equivalent of what I'd consider a dive skin today (It was 11 years ago and knew nothing of diving so I couldn't tell you for certain) and it was told to us that the "skin" would protect us from jellyfish stings as Australian waters are known for them.

I was going to purchase my own skin for the trip and was wondering if this was true--do all skins protect you (to some extent) from stings or do certain ones or was that just a line of bs? (For the Aussies- are there actually that many Jellyfish in the GBR?)

Just a side note: I know I can buy a 3mm shortie (or full body) as well to dive in tropical water. I just don't plan on doing that much diving in tropical water and I stay pretty warm in general that I think I should be fine in just a skin. I also need to buy a skin in general to help get my 7mm on for my regular diving locations.

 

[AfterDark]

"and it was told to us that the "skin" would protect us from jellyfish stings as Australian waters are known for them".

That's what they say, also coral stings and even mild abrasions, that's what they say. I wear my skin under my 7mm farmer john makes getting it on and off a breeze. I don't have any personal experience using it in tropical waters.

 

[iluvtheocean]

since the skins are lycra/nylon they should protect yes... saw a documentary on tv where life guards on the reef were using women's pantyhose to protect them from box jellies
plenty of people around here either wear them under the suits to make getting on/off like AD or as rash guards against fire coral etc.

 

[diversteve]

Another inexpensive option: Neo Sport 1mm Mens Neo Skin Jumpsuit It's slightly thicker than a Lycra skin.

 

[AfterDark]

Another inexpensive option: Neo Sport 1mm Mens Neo Skin Jumpsuit It's slightly thicker than a Lycra skin.

It may make you a little buoyant but not a lot. I like that.

 

[diversteve]

My buddy wears one under his 3mil when a 5 mil is too warm. I have one in the closet I've never used since I'm a t-shirt/board shorts diver. I bought it for shore dive entries off Kona (over lava) but then didn't get to go. I don't think a jellyfish could get thru it. An urchin most likely would. It's quite a bit more substantial than a lycra skin but still folds like one.

 

[Steve_C]

Yes skins protect you from jellies

Yes GBR has jellies

Box jellies are very bad in fact some times fatal.

"Box jellyfish are known for the extremely potent venom produced by some species. Chironex fleckeri, Carukia barnesi and Malo kingi are among the most venomous creatures in the world. Stings from these and a few other species in the class are extremely painful and sometimes fatal to humans."

 

[freewillie]

Keep in mind that for Australia they are "down under" and their seasons are opposite of ours. That is, for August it is their winter temperatures and the water will be at its coldest in the low 70's. I would look at full wetsuit at least a 3mm or even a 5mm. The last time I was near Gladstone/Brisbane on the GBR in Heron Island the temps were around 70 and needed all of the 5mm for my discover scuba adventure. I recall being a little chilled at the end of a 45 minute dive and could have gone 7mm.

The box jellies tend to reproduce and hang around the estuaries and tend to stay on the coast and would not normally be seen on the reef. On rare occasion you will find the Irukandji jelly on the reef but again is not very likely. The jelly season is apparently Nov to April.

Any covering including pantyhose (thick not sheer) will protect you against a jelly fish sting and a lycra dive skin would be just fine for protection against stings. Consider a wetsuit for thermal protection based on your tolerance to cold.

 

[starelf]

I sugget you to take or rent a wetsuit since it's winter time in Austrilia, the water temprature can be low.
For the skin part, I wore a 1mm nylon skin and it protected me well from jellyfish.

 

[corvettejoe]

I wear a skin sometimes if I know I will be in an area with jellies. I've run into them on occation.. or brushed up against some fire coral while shooting macro photography or rubbed on some fire coral/sponges on a buoy line and it's protected me pretty well. I'll usually wear a skin while reef diving at night since you can't see everything you're swimming around in.

It's also great sun protection too. You won't get fried while diving all day long in one. (Just watch the back of the neck).

During the day (if a wetsuit isn't needed) I dive with a long sleeved columbia style shirt. Keeps the sun off, protects from above said things and dries quickly when I get out of the water. It's great for keeping the sun off on a dive boat.