What wetsuit for Curaçao in september?

[Clark Fletcher]

You shouldn't be contacting the reef so should not be getting scraped up. Very bad form to contact the reef.

Don't do it intentionally but, sometimes stuff happens.

 

[Doctorfish]

I always wear a full 3 mm that time of year to prevent hypothermia after multiple daily dives. Also, you never know what might come your way in the water column, jellyfish or other stinging stuff. It may be "very bad form" to contact the reef, but every once in a while, I might brush something unintentionally.

 

[Aviyes]

At Bonaire, a couple of the other divers that were in just rash guards, rcvd some jellyfish stings during our night dive. So I would recommend a full length 3mm or down to the a full skin.

 

[arew+4]

Bonaire in December, shorts and t shirt, three dives a day, never cold, but the heat loss does accelerate metabolism resulting in weight loss while on vacation

 

[tkaelin]

Yup, on night dives a skin or full suit is a plus. We have run into (or attracted with our lights) little stingy things at and close to the surface diving at nights in BON and CUR. Those in skins or fulls were much less impacted but we all got stings around the mask - ouch.

 

[jacsve]

Thanks a lot for all answers! One interesting observation is that almost everyone here seems to think shorts and rashguard is perfectly fine, while the few dive centers that I have talked to strongly recommend 3mm full wetsuit. I will probably end up just bringing a rashguard, and possibly a 1mm neoprene long arm shirt, and then buy/rent at Curaçao if I feel the need.

One additional question, if someone is still reading the thread. Should I book the diving in advance (from home), or is it enough to sign up one or a few days in advance? (Just normal 2 tank diving). The dive centers strongly urge me to book in advance, but they have some economical incentive to give that advice...

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

We didn't book anything. I prefer to see the dive shop before renting tanks. We stayed at Coral Estates and liked their dive shop. Then drove to other sites and rented from them. Was easy.

 

[tkaelin]

What dive centers are you considering and by two tank do you mean you plan on only or mostly typical two tank am boat dives? I think the answer is it depends and depends how flexible you are and whether you are willing to shore dive if an am boat happens full. Sometimes there is no predicting how busy a shop will be. If the shop is at a resort, a group coming in staying at the resort can greatly impact available space on the boats.

 

[Kharon]

Don't do it intentionally but, sometimes stuff happens.

I always wear a full 3 mm that time of year to prevent hypothermia after multiple daily dives. Also, you never know what might come your way in the water column, jellyfish or other stinging stuff. It may be "very bad form" to contact the reef, but every once in a while, I might brush something unintentionally.

Poor situational awareness - no excuse, no such thing as unintentionally brushing something. Pay attention, maintain proper buoyancy and it won't happen.

 

[Kharon]

Should I book the diving in advance (from home), or is it enough to sign up one or a few days in advance? (Just normal 2 tank diving). The dive centers strongly urge me to book in advance, but they have some economical incentive to give that advice...

I prefer to see what the weather is like, what all options are, how many are booked on what size boat, and what sites they are planning to visit. Just jumping on a boat can lead to disappointment.