Raja Ampat: which wetsuit in November?

[Hintermann]

I am sure this has been asked before, probably by me included, but I'll ask it once more with due apologies.

I am going to Raja Ampat in November this year and on board the MSV Seahorse. About 39 dives are scheduled on a combined North-South itinerary. I know that the water temperature in RA is almost constant through the year but what I want to ask is, can I get away with a 3mm shorty plus a rash vest underneath, considering that it is a 11-day trip? I have a good 5mm full suit but it is cumbersome changing in and out of it 4 times a day. I do not want to carry both if I can help it due to luggage weight limitations.

I am about average when it comes to feeling the cold underwater. I used to be very good a few years ago but I guess the years are catching-up these days.

 

[Darnold9999]

I would say probably no. I dive a 2/3 shortie and a full 3 mil suit and am pretty good re feeling cold. I found that by the end of the day diving the shortie in RA I was cold and glad of the full suit for the night dives and later in the trip sometimes even the last day dive I switched to the full suit. Nothing but a shortie for all dives I would suspect would be not quite enough. Doable but you might find yourself skipping a dive and going all that way to skip a dive or two isn't what I would do.

However, I would also say that the 5 mil suit would be way to warm for me to dive every dive.

I would be tempted to pick up a cheap 3 mill suit and take it and the shortie.

 

[Hintermann]

Excellent answer, thank you. I do not own a 3mm full suit and my 2.5mm shorty is a little worse for wear after around 300 dives. I can pick-up a new 3mm shorty for around £45 ($70) and take it along too and hope that my luggage weight will not be over the limit. I can use the shorty plus vest for most of the day dives and the 5mm full for the night. Like you, perhaps more of the 5mm after a week.

 

[puncho]

I dove w/ just a rash guard in March, so it all depends. I am in colder climate usually but was in Indonesia for 3 weeks prior to diving.

 

[jake11]

I dove in a polar tech fleece with a 3/5 hooded vest for the first part of the trip and then switched to my 3mm towards the end. We were there in late November.

 

[bqualls]

Was there in Oct. And wore a full 3mil. ---was just right for me. YMMV

 

[Zippsy]

This past November I was happy with board shorts and a rash guard for about 40 dives. It depends on how much you like 28• water. Some people need 5mm and hoods. Some people get to travel light.

 

[CarcharodonCarcharias]

Just got back from RA last week. The water temp was consistently between 27c - 29c.

Wore a 3mm full and it was comfortable for me while others donned rash guard and shorts.

Granted, some dives I could've done it in rash guard and shorts but I chose to wear the 3mm full just for the protection.

 

[DivingShane]

Ahhh, this is a very helpful thread (going diving in RA in December). Sounds like I need my 3/2mm long suit. The boat also recommends a hood. Do you think this is needed? Or will just the long suit do?

 

[chillyinCanada]

Take a beanie hood. You may not need it but better to have and not need than need and not have.

I first used my beanie because the cleaning wrasse were trying to clean my ears when we were at Manta Point and that wrasse action stings a bit and its distracting from the main event. Later, I'd wear it just because of core temp. The full suit was beneficial the day the feather star decided to take a ride on the back of my calf. But who knows, maybe it wouldn't have clung there had it been my bare leg.

If you have a reef hook, take that too. We didn't need them on every dive but there were a few. The boat I was on didn't have enough for us all.