Wetsuit Needed for Diving in Cozumel?

[knfmn]

I was there at the beginning of the month and did some dives in shorts and a tshirt and some in a 3mm. I wouldn't worry about it if you stay fairly warm in general. It's nice to have, but not needed for reasonable length dives.

Kristopher

 

[Prostardiver]

I wore a rashguard and my wife wore her 5 mil. The technical answer is...it depends.

 

[Token]

For a single easy dive you probably won't need a wetsuit, but for repeated dives I'd vote for a 3-mil or at least a dive skin [although that's because I'm a little paranoid about being naked while diving]. As well, BCDs and related straps can chafe...

 

[Bogtrotter]

3mm shorty works for me in the Caribbean, but I guess it depends on the person, depth, location etc. I do see some people shivering in them when I feel comfortable.

 

[clpkab]

Completed my first two open water dives in Conzumel this weekend. Ended up wearing a dive skin and a shorty 3mm wet suit. Worked great, never felt cold.

Can't wait to get back below!

 

[k ellis]

Cozumel is like Hawaii in a lot of ways with reguard to the water temps. I have seen a guy in Hawaii actually use a dry suit in 78 degree water to where as I was wearing a rash guard and swim suit.

If your on a cruise introductory course you wont need to worry about getting one as they usually rent them or include them in the cost depending on where you go. Unless your going to be addicted to diving Id wait to see how you like it first instead of purchaseing the suit and never using it.

 

[rivers]

It depends when you're going. If you're headed in the late spring/summer, you'll probably be fine in a shorty or just a rashguard and shorts. In the winter, you might want a full suit.

 

[Downing]

Cozumel is like Hawaii in a lot of ways with reguard to the water temps. I have seen a guy in Hawaii actually use a dry suit in 78 degree water to where as I was wearing a rash guard and swim suit.

I took a 3mm full suit with me to Oahu in July summer before last. Wore it once, then switched back to my 2mm shorty and never put the full suit on again. Temperature was consistently in the high 70s.

I went on a night dive one night with a guide and another couple from Arizona who had just arrived from the mainland earlier that day. While we were waiting on the boat to pick us up, the Arizonans saw me wearing my shorty and changed out of their full suits into shorties.

The clacking sound of their chattering teeth on the boat ride back practically drowned out the boat engine. I felt so sorry for them. They were freezing!

Can't argue comfort.

 

[RTee]

Been in Coz twice...March 09 and beginning Dec 10.

Generally speaking most hard core divers wore some kind of thermal protection...from shorties to full body semi-dry 5 mm. Couple of factors to consider...water temperature, your own comfort level, outside temperature, wind conditions, number of repetitive dives, duration of surface interval, distance between dive shop and dive sites, water conditions (choppy vs calm...combine with wind and you get sea sprayed on the back deck), etc.

In Dec, water temp was 81F. I saw some folks getting cold in the water at the end of their dives (in most cases 1 hour long), during surface interval while the boat is moving to another location or during the transit back to the dive shop. The majority of folks were doing two tank dive but I also saw some doing three and four tank dives (especially using Nitrox). If doing only one dive you could be fine with minimal protection but repetitive dives will be digging deeper into your energy reserve to keep you warm.

Myself, I was fine wearing a full length 3mm suit, but my GF needed to wear her Chicken vest underneath hers and I saw many DM wearing 5mm semi-dry because they spent their day on the ocean and in the water.

The other thing about Cozumel is all boat dives are drift dives which means you let the current move you around...Since there is minimal physical effort, your body does not generate an awful lot of heat...especially during your 3 min safety stop.

 

[Blackwood]

I started off a series of about 30 dives with a shortie. I finished off the series wearing a 5/4 full suit. I should have just worn the full suit from the get go.