Which wetsuit in the Caymans in January

[tkaelin]

Definitely both and don't forgot a warm hat and good windbreaker/sweatshirt fleece for afterwards. Repetive diving will lower your core temps and winter temps in the Carribean with wind chill can be chilly after a dive, or two or three etc.

 

[Hintermann]

Thanks. I have already booked my internal Cayman Isles flights and the outbound one is definitely a Boeing 737 while the return one is a twin otter. I am likely to have to pay for the return flight but $25 or thereabouts is something I'll accept.

 

[Damselfish]

If you have a stop on Cayman Brac on the way to Little Cayman, your flight from Grand to the Brac may be on a 737. But the flight to Little Cayman definitely is not, they don't fly jets there. You will understand when you see the runway.

 

[tkaelin]

Damselfish has that right. See attached. The runway is the field in the background.

 

[Hintermann]

Damselfish has that right. See attached. The runway is the field in the background.
View attachment 161843

Thanks. That's a nice little model of the Twin Otter.....er it is just a model, right?

 

[AggieDiver]

Actually, the runway is paved now, but it used to be grass. But the asphalt road going away beneath the tail of the plane is not the runway, that is the east-west island road that runs along the south shore of the island. I still remember the first time we went there, landing on the grass strip and taxiing up to the "terminal" which was a tin-sided shack that was about 6'x8' in size.

 

[Damselfish]

Thanks. That's a nice little model of the Twin Otter.....er it is just a model, right?

LOL

I always liked that the runway was grass and the "taxiway" was paved, though only because it was the road - was disappointed when they paved the runway. On the other hand, I do appreciate the new air conditioned waiting area in the "terminal." Progress.

 

[Doctorfish]

Take the 5, you are probably going to need it. I dive in a 5 there in winter and a 3 in summer.
Thermal issues aside, a shorty does not protect you from stinging stuff either.

 

[Hintermann]

I dive in a 5 there in winter

In that case, you must have been to the Caymans in January quite a lot. Are the seas very rough or not too bad? I found out that it will be full moon right in the middle of my liveaboard week, if that means anything.

 

[Doctorfish]

Seas are rougher than the summer but prevailing winds tend to be from the northeast so west side is protected. If the wind is coming from the west or northwest, the dive ops will dive the south. One of the great things about diving an island is that there is always a leeward shore, so there is always relatively calm water. Most dive ops will dive leeward if wave height predicted to be more than a few feet. Ocean Frontiers is the exception as they are based at east end, have big boats and go out in rougher water. They can still find protection by heading to northeast or southeast depending on wind direction. LCBR tries to get out to Bloody Bay on the north shore of LC whenever they can. They have large seaworthy Newton dive boats with an enclosed space. Occasionally it is just too rough so they dive the south which is OK but not as good as Bloody Bay.

Whoever you go out with, it does feel cold with repetitive dives so tkaelin was offering good advice re warm hat, windproof coverup etc. I would also suggest choosing a dive op with boats with shelter on GC. It is no fun being cold, getting wet from spray or rain and losing additional heat by wind convection.

Not sure what full moon has to do with wave height if anything.