Water temperature question

[eagerbeaver]

I've done a bunch of dives in Sabang and the Visayas in a dry suit. In the water it is fine, infact i love it. But its just the prep which is bad if the sun is out etc...

For $100 you can prob pick up a budget 3 or 5mm...if you dont want to spend then just go with the D-suit...you got a pee valve? As you want to make sure you stay hydrated during your diving...and Vioch, Vodka is not hydrating mate!

 

[pakman]

Doing multiple dives including night dive? ? A 3mm and a hood would be just fine.

Agreed, but I would say a 2mm hooded vest + 3mm full suit. I think this is probably the best/versatile combo for most of the Philippines. Too cold, slap the hooded vest underneath. Too warm, just go with the hooded vest.

And if you're still cold, make sure you bring along a nice bottle of Russia's finest vodka for a post-dive shot... that should warm you up..."За вас"!

 

[Zeeman]

I'm with Jag. Board shorts and a rash shirt.

Z...

 

[vioch]

And Vioch, Vodka is not hydrating mate!

Inspite of I'm Russian, I can't even remember when I drinked vodka last time )))

 

[eagerbeaver]

Inspite of I'm Russian, I can't even remember when I drinked vodka last time )))

Apologies for the stereotyping! Maybe if we bump into each other in Sabang we can drink a shot together...

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers,

Matt.

 

[CODMAN]

Inspite of I'm Russian, I can't even remember when I drinked vodka last time )))

I have some russian friends in Moscow, and most of them can't remember the last time they drank Vodka either! Or what happened after they drank the Vodka for that matter...

Dasvidania!

 

[Joe Cool]

When I dove Dumaguete early this year, I was with a group that included a Russian couple. They wore a 7mm hooded full suit that he uses when diving in Russia. It was a thick suit but he was comfortable in it. I live in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), Canada area and dive the cold waters here. I do not own a dry suit but I have taken the drysuit course. A shell-type dry suit might be fine for PG diving provided that you don't have thick undergarments (maybe shorts and a thin non-cotton shirt). A thick neoprene drysuit might be too warm for PG diving. I wore my 3mm wetsuit ovar a rash guard shirt and 2mm hood or skull cap.

Matt Reed's suggestion that you purchase an inexpensive wetsuit is the way to go. For us who are used to 8 to 11-degC water, even a skin suit (1mm) would do at certain times of the year. It just makes tropical diving a whole lot more easier and fun because of more freedom of movement. Drysuits feel so baggy IMHO.

 

[AndyT]

........with water temperatures 3-4 C all year round at the depths below 20 m.

And I was feeling sorry for myself in 7-10 deg over here......

I normally use a full 5mm in the tropics, managed Ok with it in the Northern Red Sea in Aug last year.

 

[kosmonooit]

I've been diving in PG in April and June, and Boracay in August and December, mares tropic 3mm shorty has been fine, which I bought in Manila btw.

 

[JimHar99]

Wow this is a great thread and it answers the questions I have. I may be traveling to the Philippines in late December to early January. I already told my wife, if I'm traveling half way around the world, to one of the best diving areas in the world, you better believe that I'm packing scuba gear and I'm taking a few days out to get some diving in. Maybe 4-5 days in PG. I was just a little concerned about what the temps might be.