Speaking as an American, when I hear the water temperature is 29 degrees, I momentarily freak-out until I remember that this is in Celcius. But even then, I’m not exactly sure what that means (if I don’t have my trusty Smartphone to make the conversion for me). So here’s a guide, plus some exposure suit recommendations from scubadiving.com.
°CELCIUS | °FAHRENHEIT | WARM-BLOODED DIVERS | EASILY CHILLED DIVERS |
above 29° | above 84.2° | bathing suit or dive skin | 1-2mm shorty or full suit |
27° – 29° | 80.6° – 84.2° | dive skin or 1-2mm shorty/full suit | 1-2mm full suit |
23° – 26° | 73.4° – 78.8° | 2mm shorty or 2-3mm full suit | 3mm-5mm full suit |
19° – 25° | 66.2° -77° | 3mm – 5mm full suit | 5mm-7mm full suit |
15° – 18° | 59° – 64.4° | 5mm-7mm full suit | 7mm full suit + 2mm shorty |
below 15° | below 59° | You are not likely in Bali | Brrrrrrrr! |
Currently the water temp in Pemuteran is 28-29 degrees. Only once in Bali have I experienced the 15-18 degree range–September 2015 down in the south at Crystal Bay to see the mola-molas. Last year it was much warmer and apparently not many molas were found due to the higher temperatures.
You can always contact the Sea Rovers office before your trip to decide what exposure protection you need to bring. Here’s a tip for those easily-chilled: invest in a hood; it’s small and light-weight and can make a big difference in your comfort level.