Wetsuit advice for Bonaire

[scubadada]

My wife and I are currently on Bonaire for our 6th visit. We have always worn our full 3 mm suits and have been quite comfortable. I have always had our 5/3 hooded vests for reserve, but not needed them. I don't remember a water temp less than 80, often 81-83.

This 2 weeks, the water temp has been 79 every dive. We got quite cold on our 3rd dive of the 1st day and then added the hooded vests. Now, 3-4 dives per day, all over an hour, and we are comfortable and warm. We have seen many a diver get out shivering and/or passing on afternoon dives. The divers renting 3 mm shorties are doing particularly badly.

Not that mid-summer is going to be cold, but it sure pays to be flexible and have options. In addition, even with what we are wearing, both of us have had a couple of minor stings to the face or hands

 

[homerdoc]

I have been to bonaire multiple times.

If you are cold tolerant, you don't need anything - I dive in shorts and long sleeve rashguard. I do put a full dive skin on if I do a night dive to have some protection from stings.

I like to dive like that because I like the lower weight I have to take.

Now...my wife and daughter, if they are not in their 5mm and vests, they will be thumbing a dive at 40 minutes like clockwork.

Second the point you have to have good hard soled boots.

I really don't ever get dumped except at the salt pier of all places. That place has my number. It embarrassing and there is always, I mean always a crowd watching.

 

[uncfnp]

Best not to fall, so I made these for the entries and exits. Amazing how much easier they are with a little added stability (especially as you get a bit older like us ).

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8232791/

All IMHO, YMMV. Have fun. Dive freedom...

1++. We already have ours packed for next week.

As to thermal protection, 78/79 degrees will find me in my 5 mil. With a hood!

 

[GJC]

I have not been to Bonaire, but for any warm water diving, I suggest you consider the Inferno V Skin, Sharkskin or Lavacore (I have a Lavacore). Available in jumpsuit or tops and bottoms styles.

Advantages:
Light weight and compact for packing
Provide equivalent of about 2mm neoprene warmth
Provides more protection from abraision than rashguard
Neutrally buoyant, requiring little or no lead when diving

Disadvantages:
Takes a while to dry
More difficult to get on when wet (thin rashguard under it makes getting it on a lot easier)

 

[scubadada]

1++. We already have ours packed for next week.

As to thermal protection, 78/79 degrees will find me in my 5 mil. With a hood!

Exactly, if I would have known it would be 79, we would have brought our 5s and would have been toasty. The hooded vests saved us from being cold on every dive

 

[AdivingBel]

As to thermal protection, 78/79 degrees will find me in my 5 mil. With a hood!

That is a bit chillier than we usually encounter. Have fun.

 

[Mr. Sunday]

Last trip I took a 3/2mm full and was pretty cold after multiple dives. I then added a 3mm shorty and a hood on top of the full suit and was about perfect. Everybody is different when it comes to cold tolerance.

 

[drbill]

I always use a full wetsuit when diving in the tropics, mainly for skin protection from stingers. On my last trip to Bonaire, I wore this slightly ventilated 3/2mm

 

[wgw04024]

The last two trips we've been to Bonaire we haven't wore wetsuits at all. I only found myself getting a tad chilly on night dives near the end of the week. Take it for what it's worth, we are from Maine...

 

[rddvet]

I guess I’m the weirdo. My wife and I are taking our first trip to Bonaire in late June. We are cave divers and only dive open water once every few years. We will be diving rebreathers so dives will all be 90minutes plus. We plan to dive in our dry suits. We can choose to dive lighter or heavier undergarments based on how cold we get. Seems like we’ll be the oddballs on the island in drysuits. Since we only dive dry, we get cold easily.