[jballou]

Hi,

Looking for advice on what kind of wetsuit would we need for snorkeling in the Bahamas during the winter? Not deep diving, just snorkeling and free-diving.

Weight? Length?

Kind of looking for the minimal requirements I guess.

Thanks!

jballou

 

[UnionPacific]

you only need a skin, full length for jellys.

 

[aa3jy]

3mm or less and maybe shortee..carefull around the Lionfish

 

[jballou]

Lots of jellies around that time of year?

I don't remember them being a problem during the summer.

I guess a skin is good to keep the sun off as well...

Thanks

 

[Minnewaska]

The water is cooler in the winter, but quite tolerable with nothing. Nevertheless, a shorty or something with 2mm core and skin sleeves/legs would make one very comfortable. I don't ever recall a jelly issue, but knowing you can glance against a variety of poisonous stuff is empowering.

 

[gamayun]

You should base this on temperature, your tolerance to shivering, and how "water tight" the wetsuit is. You're always going to lose body heat, but those who stay warmer generally become less fatigued than those with more exposure. Snorkeling often means that you'll drop your legs when you surface, rather than stay horizontal, which drains warm water out of the suit. When the body has to continuously warm this water can deplete energy over time. Unless the water is in the upper 80s, it's would probably be good to wear something more substantial than a skin, which just protects from abrasions and sunburn. A 3 mm is pretty good for upper 70s to 80s, and then maybe a 5 mm for temps that are lower than 75. One of my coldest dives was in January in the Keys when I wasn't expecting it to be too cold, but even the natives were hunting down every piece of clothing they could find. So you can always open up the zipper and let water flow in; you can't put more on when you're in the water.

 

[PorFin]

Like others have mentioned, how much insulation you need will depend on your own personal comfort zone and energetically you swim.

At a minimum, I'd invest in a skin. They're cheap, and I've found getting into/out of wet suits is easier when you're using the skin as a base layer (maybe it's just me.) On top of that, I'd be surprised if you'd need anything more than a 3mm suit. I'd probably lean towards a shorty with the skin suit.

 

[aa3jy]

One of my coldest dives was in January in the Keys when I wasn't expecting it to be too cold, but even the natives were hunting down every piece of clothing they could find. .

Interesting...however doing deco obligations can be a numbing experience in Fla.'s 70 degree caves... But this is beyound the OP's question..

 

[gamayun]

Interesting...however doing deco obligations can be a numbing experience in Fla.'s 70 degree caves... But this is beyound the OP's question..

It is. Although one of the coldest cave dives I ever had was after an hour and a half in Indian Springs in a 6 mm wetsuit. I learned to dive dry after that

 

[aa3jy]

It is. Although one of the coldest cave dives I ever had was after an hour and a half in Indian Springs in a 6 mm wetsuit. I learned to dive dry after that

With Edd Sorenson?

 

[gamayun]

With Edd Sorenson?

Edd's biography sounds impressive, but don't know him and was diving North Florida caves at least 4 years before he learned to scuba dive.

Apologies to the OP for the thread drift

 

[aa3jy]

Edd's biography sounds impressive, but don't know him and was diving North Florida caves at least 4 years before he learned to scuba dive.

Apologies to the OP for the thread drift

Will be attending the NSS-CDS workshop in May. Edd Sorenson has been credited to saving 4 lives which is extremely rare under the circumstances attributed to diving north Fla's springs. He was also featured on American Heros Channel as a result of these rescues.

FYI I was first introduced to cave diving in Blue Springs, Orange City and Ginnie Springs, High Springs in 1973 but the training and equipment back then is nothing like it is today...

Clay
NSS-CDS
NACD

A little disclaimer concerning cave diving..it's extremely dangerous with out proper equipment and training..

 

[paulanthony]

Hi,

Looking for advice on what kind of wetsuit would we need for snorkeling in the Bahamas during the winter? Not deep diving, just snorkeling and free-diving.

Weight? Length?

Kind of looking for the minimal requirements I guess.

Thanks!

jballou

My experience from warm climes would suggest just a t-shirt to begin with and then if you really get into it a neutrally buoyant wetsuit system otherwise you will have to ponce around with weights all the time because the minimum of neoprene thickness will inhibit your ability to duck dive properly unless you are weighted. Your biggest asset in the first instance would be a swim cap and some gloves.(You can get webbed snorkel gloves now - (true)) The cap really helps as an insulator to one of your main heat loss zones as do the gloves, plus the gloves give you added protection. You will discover very quickly that although the surface temperature may feel like a bath the deeper you go the colder it gets and if you intend to spend a lot of time even at only around 3-5 meters or so you will then have to complicate things by getting some proper thermal protection and maybe some weight.

 

[Minnewaska]

My experience from warm climes would suggest just a t-shirt to begin with and then if you really get into it a neutrally buoyant wetsuit system otherwise you will have to ponce around with weights all the time because the minimum of neoprene thickness will inhibit your ability to duck dive properly unless you are weighted. Your biggest asset in the first instance would be a swim cap and some gloves.(You can get webbed snorkel gloves now - (true)) The cap really helps as an insulator to one of your main heat loss zones as do the gloves, plus the gloves give you added protection. You will discover very quickly that although the surface temperature may feel like a bath the deeper you go the colder it gets and if you intend to spend a lot of time even at only around 3-5 meters or so you will then have to complicate things by getting some proper thermal protection and maybe some weight.

A tee shirt will not provide any insulation, whatsoever. You are right that neoprene will add buoyancy and weights could be required, albeit, not much at all. However, with a 2mm core and skin for sleeves/legs, I think most would not require any additional weight.

Webbed gloves sound a bit gimmicky. Your arms should used at most for one sweep at your initial dive. Ones legs should do all the work. People that snorkel like they are doing the breast stroke, look like amateurs.

 

[paulanthony]

The t-shirt inhibits water flushing(synthetic ones will insulate also) and also stops you getting burnt. The t-shirt is superior to naked skin and will already exist as an item of clothing in your cupboard. For warm climes it maybe all that is needed. I snorkelled and dived this way for years. We did not even use BC's and just squirted a blast of air into our t-shirt when we needed some help because the air gets trapped. The web gloves are not gimmicky. When you are in an upright position below the water they provide a lot of resistance for manoeuvring especially if you have no weight. I have not tried myself but spoke to some one that has and they were quite impressed and seals swear by them apparently but for sure gloves are not mandatory unless you start touching stuff. With a swim cap and a t-shirt you can keep quite warm and more over it removes the need to worry about positive buoyancy unless you buy one of these expensive negative buoyancy suits. Less is more!

 

[hellsop]

My experience from warm climes would suggest just a t-shirt to begin with and then if you really get into it a neutrally buoyant wetsuit system otherwise you will have to ponce around with weights all the time because the minimum of neoprene thickness will inhibit your ability to duck dive properly unless you are weighted. Your biggest asset in the first instance would be a swim cap and some gloves.(You can get webbed snorkel gloves now - (true)) The cap really helps as an insulator to one of your main heat loss zones as do the gloves, plus the gloves give you added protection. You will discover very quickly that although the surface temperature may feel like a bath the deeper you go the colder it gets and if you intend to spend a lot of time even at only around 3-5 meters or so you will then have to complicate things by getting some proper thermal protection and maybe some weight.

Note that in some dive locations wearing gloves while diving is illegal. Cayman Islands and the marine sanctuary off Belize City I know of, and I was told that the fines aren't small.

 

[Minnewaska]

It's also a myth that one loses more heat through their head. Look it up. It comes from the idea that one often dresses warmly elsewhere, therefore, loses more heat through their head than where they are insulated. However, surface area is surface area. Just insulating the head, doesn't make up for the rest.

T-shirts are an excellent idea to protect against sunburn. That's all.

 

[Subaqua]

I love to talk wetsuits and snorkeling..I've been snorkeling from near the equator to under the ice! but, I don't have any first hand experience in the Bahamas. , one day, I will though. Needing or not needing a wetsuit all boils down to four things: body type, time in the water, physical activity, and how you deal with cold. I see this all the time.
You can't just ask what thickness wetsuit do I need or should I get. There's nothing like experience to get that all figured out.
All I will say, is at least go with a full rash guard/skin. They are cheap, you don't need to lather up with sunscreen, and they'll offer some sting protection if there are little stingys in the water. After that, you have to figure it out.

 

[paulanthony]

Note that in some dive locations wearing gloves while diving is illegal. Cayman Islands and the marine sanctuary off Belize City I know of, and I was told that the fines aren't small.

That's quite interesting about gloves being illegal hellsop. I did not realise that. Makes sense though.

 

[PorFin]

It's also a myth that one loses more heat through their head. Look it up. It comes from the idea that one often dresses warmly elsewhere, therefore, loses more heat through their head than where they are insulated. However, surface area is surface area. Just insulating the head, doesn't make up for the rest.

T-shirts are an excellent idea to protect against sunburn. That's all.

Not exactly a "myth", but it probably is a little overstated. Transfer of heat from the head is a little more easily done because of the large network of capillaries and the comparative lack of fat tissue in the scalp to act as a natural insulator. There's a reason scalp lacerations bleed a lot -- it's all those capillaries.

If you don't believe that, take a look at thermal images of people exercising.