Scuba thermal protection

[Jim.Doc]

Diving Bermuda in a couple weeks...is a dive skin enough this time of year or should I pack a 3mm. What do you think?

Thanks, Jim

[Jacqueline]

Even in august I dive in a full 3mm. It is relatively cold compared to the caribbean.

[bruce-r]

I would definitely go with at least a 3 mm full suit. Bermuda isn't in the Caribbean, it is in the Atlantic which would mean to me cooler water temps. I'd go so far at to take my 5 mm, but I get cold easily.

[Jacqueline]

Now I have a 5/3 wetsuit and that is what I would bring. There is often a daily rainstorn and it gets darn cold between dives. Pls bring something warm to wear inbetween dives - not just a towel. The dives are relatively shallow, air goes slowly and the dives can be long (depending on your group).

Remember, this is the Atlantic Ocean.

[nrh322]

I would definitely go with at least a 3 mm full suit. Bermuda isn't in the Caribbean, it is in the Atlantic which would mean to me cooler water temps. I'd go so far at to take my 5 mm, but I get cold easily.

 

 

Bruce... Can we take this to mean that the pic of you in your dry suit wasn't taken up in Oregon... but maybe down in Belize or something? LOL! :D

[bruce-r]

Bruce... Can we take this to mean that the pic of you in your dry suit wasn't taken up in Oregon... but maybe down in Belize or something? LOL! :D

It was taken in California. Water temps around the Channel Islands, of which Catalina is one, were low 60's to upper 50's. Several people on the trip were diving in wetsuits. I just don't see how they can do that.

 

I would take it to Hawaii if I was going there in the late winter/early spring.

 

I had to buy a new 5/4 mm wetsuit for Cozumel last December. 3 mm wasn't warm enough the year before.

 

Yep, I get cold underwater.

[nrh322]

I was just teasing you. I can totally identify. I used to wear a 7ml in the summer.. in South Florida... when I was in the water teaching all day. My students thought I was nuts! Sometimes towards the end of the day I'd have to break out a hood. :)

[bruce-r]

I was just teasing you. I can totally identify. I used to wear a 7ml in the summer.. in South Florida... when I was in the water teaching all day. My students thought I was nuts! Sometimes towards the end of the day I'd have to break out a hood. :)

I knew you were teasing ;)

 

As you well know, the longer a person is in the water, the more thermal protection is needed, especially if diving multiple days in a row.