equipment question for the bay islands

[Jack Scuba]

Hey,

So I will be in Utila and Roatan for 2 weeks - April 26th to May 11th. Looking at thermal protection I was going to use my pool gear - rash guard under a shorty, reef gloves and my regular booties. Then I realized my shorty was 'misplaced' at a resort in the Philippines.

Talking to a couple people who have been to Roatan they mentioned being cold after the 2nd dive a few times and they switched to a 3mm full suit. I am not the getting cold type, but since I have to buy a new suit I thought I would ask opinions. My plan is to do 3 to 4 dives a day and a night dive or two. I was also thinking the full suit for additional protection from little stingers and such...didn't know how much of an issue that was.

And since I am asking about equipment... was also planning on bringing my venture 360 and alum backplate. Lotsa lift but I haven't had any issues when I am in the pool with loss of buoyancy control. But my rubber arm can be bent into buying a travel bcd too.

 

[CajunDiva]

I was also thinking the full suit for additional protection from little stingers and such...didn't know how much of an issue that was.

Hi Jack -

I am a frequent Roatan diver and would be happy to give you my personal input. We just returned last week and the water was the coldest I've ever experienced there - about 77 to 78 degrees. I guess that's to be expected in January I am also a believer in exposure protection, and it proved to be smart this trip...the water was full of sea lice, etc. I started the week wearing a skin topped by a 3mm shorty. By the end of the week I was wearing a 1mm full topped by the 3 mm shorty. This is the most I've EVER worn diving Roatan...I don't usually get cold either.

By the time April rolls around, conditions will again be perfectly toasty for diving Roatan. You will be fine with either a skin (might want to replace that shorty to throw on top in case you get chilly) or what works best for me is just a full 1mm - it's got just a tad of thermal protection along with the exposure protection.

Have a great trip!

 

[ncchuck]

I think it's obvious that everyone has their own needs when it comes to wet suits. I lived on Roatan and Utila during the time you suggest and I always wore a 1 mil in the morning and then added a shorty in the afternoon if I felt I needed it. I use these two suits in various combinations for almost all of my diving. My assistant on Roatan never went out without a full 5 mil suit. My wife used the same combination as me.
Any simple warm water BCD is best as the diving is calm and easy. Anything will work however.
Enjoy your trip.

 

[robint]

I dive in a 3mm suit minimum, wore a 5mm suit and hood in Roatan in Nov 2008 as water was 77-79 degrees. I have never been too warm, but many times I have been cold. Especially doing 3-4-5 dives per day for several days, it is important to keep your core warm as the temp will drop. Also, I have been diving with divers in t-shirts and shorts or shorties and they always seem to get back on boat with scratches, scrapes, and stings on legs and arms. I never do. I don't think it is from bad bouyancy, it is just that every now and then current, surge, or another diver bumps someone into something. I saw a diver's leg after a night dive in Bonaire a few years ago when a sea wasp hit him-- ugly and painful! He was wearing a shortie and it got him across his entire calf on one leg. For all those reasons, I cover my body in neoprene - to stay warm and protected!

 

[Doc]

In April, you may well expect temps into the lower 80's.

The expected temperature is the only real information of any value. As has been stated before, everyone is different, the only "given" is the temperature.

Only you, yourself, can decide what that will mean for you- given past experiences factored in with the intended frequency of dives.

Some folks come to Roatan and do "a lot of dives", knocking out 1 or 2 a day. Other folks look at 4 plus a night dive as the goal. The more dives, the colder you get.

It is, beyond the fact of water temperature, infinitely individually variable.

 

[adjuster-jd]

Last year I wore a 3 mil full suit during the day and a 5 mil full suit at night. Having 2 suits with me allowed me to have a nice dry 5 mil suit to use on the night dive which was nice since I didnt have the sun to keep me warm at that time. Either suit was fine in the water (with the 5 obviously being a little warmed) but it was just nice to not have to put on a damp wetsuit on before the night dive.
I also typically wear a beanie to keep my head warm (and provide surface protection) since my hairline continues to recede.

Planning to do the same thing this year - in exactly 14 days!

 

[Rand]

A diver at my LDS, Brass Anchor Scuba, compiled a list of water temperatures from around the world, from the Comprehensive Ocean Atmosphere Data Set (COADS). Without getting too technical, the list uses updated ocean temps taken by ships throughout the world and compiles listings by month. It has shown to be fairly accurate.

Here's the link to my shop's PDF on it: http://www.brassanchor.com/pdf/seasurfacetemps.pdf

You can read it for yourself, Roatan's temps are on page 11, or I can tell you it states that you should encounter temps from 81-83 in April-May there.


In reference to your question about BCDs, I would stick with your wing. My steel backplate and 30lb wing are both my local diving (drysuit) and my travel BCD. Just stick your plate in your carryon.

 

[Dive n00b]

I am heading to roatan for the first time in March, and this thread has raised a few questions for me.
First of all, the wife and I are new divers so outside of masks fins and snorkels we rent all of our gear. I have heard the rental gear at Mayan Divers or Bannanarama is pretty good, but never asked about exposure protection. Will they have full 3mm and 5mm suits available to us?

Also, the real question... I heard of two things in this thread that I've never encountered before and sound a bit worrisome. Sea Lice and Sea Wasps?!?!?! What are these things? They don't sound pleasant! Outside of wearing full suits what can/should we do to protect ourselves from these things? Should the wife and I be looking at something to cover our hair i.e. Beenine's/Hoods or am I overreacting? Is there a lot of stuff on the reef that can sting/burn/cut us? Should we go out and buy reef gloves, skins, suits etc?!?!?

My previous carribean dives have been in 3 mil shorties or 5 mil full suits and nothing else. Never had any issues. Roatan sounds like it could be a little more complex.

Please share your thoughts... want to make my diving experience as pleasant as possible.

 

[BigHarryDiver]

Also, the real question... I heard of two things in this thread that I've never encountered before and sound a bit worrisome. Sea Lice and Sea Wasps?!?!?! What are these things? They don't sound pleasant!

Check out this: DAN Divers Alert Network : Debunking the Sea Lice Myth

And: http://www.aquaticcommunity.com/jellyfish/box-seawasp.php (Don't think you'll have to worry about these nasty guys in Roatan!)

Yet another good reason to wear full protection!

Have a ball in Roatán. We did a week there last April and really enjoyed our dives at Fantasy Island.

 

[Dive n00b]

Check out this: DAN Divers Alert Network : Debunking the Sea Lice Myth

And: Box jellyfish aka Sea wasp (Don't think you'll have to worry about these nasty guys in Roatan!)

Yet another good reason to wear full protection!

Have a ball in Roatán. We did a week there last April and really enjoyed our dives at Fantasy Island.

Whoa! Thats some scary $h!t!!!
Glad the sea wasps wont be an issue in Roatan.

Have many of you experienced the sea lice?