Wetsuit recommendations for USVI in February

[Tommed]

I'll be diving in the Virgin Islands in mid February. I am thinking of taking my 4/3 full suit with me. Should this be adequate? Should I bring a hood and gloves? (Note that I use this suit in New England when the water temp is 65 degrees and up.) I know that the choice of a suit is a highly subjective subject, but I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and comments.

 

[diver5]

I'll be diving in the Virgin Islands in mid February. I am thinking of taking my 4/3 full suit with me. Should this be adequate? Should I bring a hood and gloves? (Note that I use this suit in New England when the water temp is 65 degrees and up.) I know that the choice of a suit is a highly subjective subject, but I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and comments.

We are scuba diving in BVI Jan. 3rd. for a week . Taking 2/3 wet suit , skin, and a 4 for night dives. We plan on 3 dives a day, off a sail boat and some dive boats. Enjoy your trip .

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I dove St. Croix in February with a 3 mil shorty and was never cold. Hope that helps.

 

[Scuba_Vixen]

most folks here from colder climates do fine in 3 mil shortys, a 3 mil full would be great if it's a cool or windy day, your 4/3 will be toasty, even for night dives .. forget the hood and gloves only if they are the tropical variety.

Which island (s) are you visiting?

Darlene

 

[Tommed]

Thanks to all for your comments. The dive operator had suggested using a 5mm suit. I thought this sounded too heavy, and I'll be using the 4/3.
Darlene, I'll be diving in St Thomas/ St John with a trip scheduled to the Rhone as well.

 

[Scuba_Vixen]

The Rhone is on the "must do" list, soooo much history there. You'll have some nice wrecks to choose from in St T and St J waters as well, if you like wrecks. The reefs are quite god there as well. You'll have to come here to St Croix though, if you want to dive the wall. Most of us that live here and have our blood already thinned out already, (takes about 2 years here, lol) dive in 5 mil in the winter months when the water gets down to a chilly 78f, and on a damp or windy day, maybe add a vest, but the visitors seem warm in shortys, maybe a full suit for a night dive. Cold is relative to what you get used to.

Who did you decide to go with, Chris Sawyer?

Have a great trip,

Darlene

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I can highly reccommend Chris Sawyer. Dove with them this month. Very professional. Good op.

 

[Tommed]

I will be diving with Chris Sawyer. I made my choice based on the great reviews his operation has received on the Scubaboard. Darlene maybe next time I'll be able to get to St Croix.
Thanks to all for your comments. By the way I seem to be addicted to the Scubaboard. It the best online source of diving info I know of!

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Make sure that you take advantage of the their Best of the BVI trip and the Rhone wreck dive. Well worth the extra time and effort.

 

[Cherry]

Just got back from BVI 2 days ago. I was diving with UBS in a 3 mill fullsuit and except for the night dive I found the full suit almost too much. The rest of the family were in 3 mil shorties and were very comfortable. Water was 82 deg F. By all means you must do the Roan. I did both a day dive and a night dive on it and enjoyed it immensely. Also just around the corner to the south is a mooring ball on top of the Roan reef. As it is very close to the Roan it is seldom dived and as such is in excellent condition. I highly recommend you dive it too. You can reach the stern section easily from this mooring ball also. I will post a trip report later on the experience. If i might suggest UBS tho I would heartily recommend you go out with Scott. He was the head Divemater at Baskin in the Sun and left them 6 months before they went under. Many I spoke to in the Industry there pointed to his loss as one of the reasons Baskin went under ( along with growing too much too fast)

Cherry