Water comfort in late September

[kmarks]

No, I'm not asking about water temperature, at least not directly. I've been to Cozumel three times: twice for a week in December and once for a day in April, but only gone diving in December. I will be spending a day in Cozumel coming off of a cruise on September 22 and will be diving. I know there is a lot of variation in what people consider warm or cold water, and I know from Christi's stickied post from 5 years ago that the water will be about 4-6° F warmer than I'm used to, but I've never actually dived in water warmer than Cozumel in December because my diving at home has been in an ice bucket of a quarry.

I specifically want to ask people who have done dives at various times of the year about how different the water actually feels in late September compared to early December. I don't exactly have a lot of natural insulation and have always worn a 3/2 wetsuit, and last year I even felt just a little cold on a couple of dives when my computer said it was 82.4°F at depth. But, since I'm going to be on a cruise ship, I'd like to leave the wetsuit at home so I don't have to deal with it in the cramped quarters of a cruise cabin.

Would I be asking for a cold, miserable day without my wetsuit, or can anybody reassure me that they dive with a wetsuit in the winter, but are perfectly comfortable without it in the summer? And by without, I mean wearing board shorts and a rash guard.

 

[DjDiverDan]

Everyone is different in terms of tolerance to cold. Even if 50 posters here told you that you'd be fine in a swim suit and Teeshirt, that's no guaranty that you wouldn't feel an uncomfortable chill. Personally, I've never been to Cozumel in September - one of only a few months that I've missed. I've done dives in Cozumel in December, January, March, April, June, July, August, and November, with a range of water temperatures from a low of 79 deg. F to a high of 85 deg. F. I was just fine in a swimsuit and Teeshirt, at least for one day, during most of those dives. In my early years of diving, early 1990s, I regularly would dive 2-3 dives a day, 3 days in a row, with only a swimsuit and Teeshirt during July trips to Coz. Now, though, if I am doing multi-day diving, I always wear a "skins plus" - a full suit, fleece lined, with 0.5 mm neoprene. But unlike you, I carry a LOT of my own insulation, and I'm not particularly sensitive to cold. The only time that the skins plus wasn't enough to keep me comfortable was an early March trip, right at the tail-end of winter, where the water was at its coldest. After shivering through my second dive on the first day, I just rented a Shorty to wear over my skins for a few days, and I was comfortable. September, being at the tail end of summer, I assume will have the water at its warmest. But even if you are particularly sensitive to cold, you should be able to rent either a full wetsuit or a Shorty from your dive op.

 

[kmarks]

Everyone is different in terms of tolerance to cold.

That's why I'm specifically asking if there is anyone who can say they dive there year round and are comfortable in the summer without a wetsuit, but require one in the winter. I know I'm not going to perceive water temperature the same as everyone else. There are people who dive in shorts and t-shirts in December when I'm in a wetsuit, so I don't think even their summer experiences would be very similar to mine.

 

[cvchief]

The wife wears a 3 mil in September and occasionally adds a vest/core warmer. She wears a 7 mil in February. Just the 3 mil usually in the summer. She stays down a LONG time and gets cold.

I wear board shorts and a shirt year round.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

September will see the water temp drop from 86 F to 84 F. In my 23 tears here I don't remember getting cold in September.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[MMM]

I wear a wetsuit year around. Lots more neoprene in the winter than in the summer, but I would be cold and miserable without a 3 mm in summer WITH my hooded vest underneath (which is supposedly a 3 mm also, but more like 1 mm these days). Like you, not a lot of natural insulation.

 

[Ron Lee]

I use a backpack and camera bag on my dive trips. I manage to take a 3 mil shortie and all other required stuff (no BC).

Take the wetsuit and take less other fluff stuff.

 

[Skittl1321]

I use a backpack and camera bag on my dive trips. I manage to take a 3 mil shortie and all other required stuff (no BC).

Take the wetsuit and take less other fluff stuff.

We're trying to pack in one suitcase and two carry-ons (though one will likely just be camera gear) for 2 people for 11 days. Fins alone are going to take up a good portion of that suitcase.

If he needs the wetsuit, obviously he'll take it- but for 2 days of diving; if he can do without, I think we'd both rather wear clothes.

 

[diver 85]

Hot as hell-----watch out for hurricanes----too......

 

[Skittl1321]

Hot as hell-----watch out for hurricanes----too......

We usually go in December. Hurricane seems less likely than Norte.