Do I need a wet suit in Cozumel

[Kat]

Bigberg50 is right about people diving w/ hoods & gloves there. Last year there was a girl on my dive boat that wore both. My boyfriend & I called her Scuba Barbie(not to her face) as everything was color coordinated, brand new & she had full make-up on. After each dive she would touch up her make-up. She actually was very nice & said she always wore the hood & gloves. It was obvious that she did not enjoy diving & was only doing it to make her boyfriend happy.

 

[maxigirl]

Hello everyone!..My husband and I were there last month and we both wore wet suits...he had a shorty and I wore a full 3/2..perfect as we ran into jelly fish..my hubby came back with more stings than I did. We also ran into alot of other little friendly critters..and I was very happy that i had a full suit on..so its nice to have one just in case

 

[FastDen]

I had the same question before my trip to Cozumel in February, and all the advice I got was to go with a 3mm full, which I did (even though my partner thought the shorty was more "sexy"- like the fish care!). The water temps were 75+ degrees, and near the end of 6 days of 2-3 dives a day I was getting a little chilled on the second or third dive. But I have a pretty low body fat %, which probably accounts for the chilling. A shorty would definitely been a problem.

So much depends on your own personal stats and preferences, but I'd say go with the 3mm- you could always let a little water in if you get too warm.
FastDen :rainbow:

 

[ScubaBurt]

Just returned from Coz this past Sat. The Water temp was 82 F down to 92 ft. The air temp was 88 F. Like others have said, It all depends on the individual diving. I wore a poly-o-film and Flo wore a 3mm Titanium. I was fine the whole week and she didn't get chilled until the 5th day of diving and then it was on the second dive of the day. You do need to wear at least a skin for cover in case of the stingy things. They are there when you least expect them. I suggest you carry your wetsuit. If you start to get chilled you can put it on the next dive. Don't forget to adjust your weights if you change. Good luck and safe diving.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi rlitt,

You've thus far received over a dozen replies, yet not one has asked what time(s) of year you are interested in, a matter you did not specify in your post.

This is rather important as temps can reach a low of 77 in mid-winter and high of 86 in late summer, although the expected range is more like 79-84. Even so, for most folks 79 means different thermal protection than 84.

It is also important in that thermal comfort is quite idiosyncratic. Asking a random audience if you need to take a wetsuit and what type will yield a variety of responses, as can be seen in the present thread, e.g., "swim trunks & a T-shirt" to "7 mm wesuit."

To put it in perspective, below is a piece, in part, from my June '00 "Ask RSD" column in "Rodale's Scuba Diving":

"Have you ever been out on the street in the spring or fall and noticed people wearing everything from shorts & T-shirts to full coats with hats & scarves, all apparently in comfort? Well, things are no different underwater. This comfort is highly variable among individuals depending on such factors as percentage of body fat, age & tolerance to thermal discomfort. Other determinants, like how many dives a day over how many days you are planning, are also important. When you ask "What wetsuit should I wear?, you'll get answers ranging all the way from "just a bathing suit" through "5 mm full."

The question is better asked: "What water temps can I anticipate at my destination?" You'll receive a pretty accurate answer to this, and then can decide what's best for you based on your personal thermal comfort needs.

It's always a good idea to come thermally prepared, just in case."

Because of the healthy reefs & currents in Coz, it's always a good idea to wear a full covering of some sort, although whether that is a simple diveskin or a substantial wetsuit in part depends upon time of year.

Is there a particular time of year in which you're interested?

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[ayesa]

Hi! I live in cozumel and work in a dive shop. I totally agree with Dc. Vikingo. and add, In summer a LIKRA full-suit would work perfect! We do have some jelly fish, harmless...you feel it like moskito bites and ussually can't see them.

 

[Roooter]

we were there in April. water temp was 80f at depth. we wore lycra skins until about Thurs then changed to polyfleece skins. were perfectly comfortable all week.

 

[Starfish]

Just back from Cozumel. We wore 0.5 mm suits to 82 feet and were fine.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Ayesa,

Nice to see you back.

Thank you for supporting a voice of reason in what has become, at points, a fairly nonsensical thread.

BTW, speaking of "sea lice," I've heard from several recent visitors to Coz that they have gotten bad cases. Ditto from divers in Belize & Grand Cayman. Got a bumper crop this season?

Best regards.

DocVikingo

 

[ayesa]

Thanks for the note Dc. I've been on the cruise ships helping.
BUT I'M BACK!!!
And we haven´t had any reports on it.
Just a few "moskito bites" on our snorkel trip in Dzul-Ha (Do you know it?) But nothing that we can't control with a little of Vinager!