Wetsuit Needed for Diving in Cozumel?

[cathb]

When will you be diving? I just got back from Cozumel (2/24/11) and would highly recommend a wetsuit. The dive instructors wore a long wetsuit with a shorty on top and a hood. They were cold. I wish I was wearing what they had on! First dive was fine but I got cold quickly on my second dives.

 

[mikecotrone]

Need advice - will be taking an intro course on a cruise with open water dives to be done in Cozumel.

Will I need a wetsuit (if so what thickness) or would a dive skin or rash guard be sufficient?

I just the Santa Rosa and Paradise Reefs this past November in Coz using a 5mm wetsuit. That was WAY to much protection and next time I will use my 3mm Shorty.

3mm Wetsuit or shorty will be great.

 

[Comstockfire]

I just got back from Playa Del Carmen. Did my pool work, 4 open water dives and 2 cenote dives. Used a full 3 mm suit and was fine.

Have fun!

 

[k ellis]

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.

LOL its all about comfort. Its like when I was in high school I could not breathe in class and I could fry eggs on my desk from the intense heat of the room but if you so much as looked at the thermostat some one yelled "Im freezing"

Of course if you were to ask a great lakes diver about cozumel most would do it in swim trunks if they could while most people in cozumel would look at great lakes and say "Are you nuts?"

 

[blue steal]

Most of my shore dives in COZ are with no wetsuit, I have been using a Xcel 3/2 shortie for years in the Philippines and COZ for the deeper reefs and this has been fine. I just bought a 1mm Akona fullsuit because of the possible scrapes and bumps and used it for the last 3 weeks in the PI. Water temp was 26/27C or about 77 and it was fine for me. I guess it boils down to personal preference and your tolerance for cold.

 

[PSFlyer]

As mentioned by several people before, a personal comfort has a lot to do with the thickness or need of a wet suit in Coz. However, I will offer a different spin on this. Several years back I was diving there with my son who wanted to be "cool" and was diving in shorts and a t shirt. Since all you do in Coz is drift diving and you are a new diver I would caution you against what happened to my son as I helplessly watched the current push him over a "beautiful" fire coral...I kind of wished (and so did hi - later) that he wasn't so cool and wore a 3 mm. The burn wasn't too bad, nothing a little vinegar couldn't handle but, it was not pleasant. So, heed the warning - wear a wet suit even if you feel that you are not going to be cold. Happy diving, have fun