What to wear under wetsuit for shark cage diving?

[UtterlyUnimaginativeUsername]

I'm not sure style and beauty is really the place for this, really, but it does involve wearing things.

I'm going shark cage diving on holidays. I'm bringing a pair of shorts and a rash vest for general swimming and kayaking activities because I'm a redhead and get sunburned at the drop of a hat.

Do I have to bring a normal swimsuit as well, just for under the wetsuit? I've never worn a wetsuit before and I don't know how much room there is in one, or what would be comfy.

Swimsuit, with a rash vest if you want.

Wetsuits are very hot - you won't want to be putting it on or zipping it up until the last minute and most dive boats won't have a changing room.

I agree with others, bikini or swimsuit with flat straps and no appliqué or anything, you want something smooth or it really digs in.

I've done a lot of shark diving (DH is a dive instructor) but always without cages as like others I'm not sold on the ethics of even so called ethical cage diving.

Quietly and unobtrusively viewing them is amazing, they are such beautiful creatures. I've been fortunate enough to be part of a lot of research dives. I have never been in the water with a Great White though.

Definitely a rash vest over your cossie if you're not wearing your own wetsuit. I hate wearing hire suits. Gives me the boak. It'll also give an additional warmth layer as well but now much. Not sure of the water temps there.

Diver here. I advise wearing a full suit, not a shortie, there are things in the water that could sting you like floating coral. If you think you will be cold because you can't move around much inside the cage you could wear one wetsuit on top of another, like for instance with cave or deep wreck diving.

If you get too cold you should really come out of the water for your safety. You can wear any swimwear under a wetsuit.

If you desperately need to pee it's ok to do it in the suit, btw!

Oh, and make sure your travel insurance it up to date

Do not watch Jaws before your dive!

I look like a boa constrictor that’s swallowed a sheep in a wetsuit.

Misses point 🦈

wetsuit is the one reason to wear the otherwise useless bikini knickers. you want a two piece in case toilet stop needed, and practical board shorts will be hard to fit under it. rash vest may make it more comfortable.

do not excrete in a wetsuit that isnt yours.

do not excrete in a wetsuit that isnt yours.

Top etiquette tip of the day right there Special

On what basis are bikini knickers useless? I swim in a Masters squad in a two piece - I’ve been too long and thin since 11 for an off the shelf one piece suit.

swim knickers are fine for swimming if they stay on. otherwise look awful (on any size arse), require shaving unless huge frump pants and take ages to dry. boardies are so much better for anyone on beach or pool holiday,and keep the sun off too.

Ugh. I grew up in beside the beach where we swam year around and boardies are hot, annoying and horrible unless you are on an actual surf board. Blergh.

I have no intention of excreting in a wetsuit! Or going commando, for that matter. Neither would ever have occurred to me. I do have a swimming bra to wear under the rash vest. I'd sooner dispense with the cage than the bra.

I've done an awful lot of reading and tried hard to pick one of the more ethical companies offering this trip, and it's in an area where sharks congregate anyway to feed on the local seal population so it's not as if they're luring them to somewhere they wouldn't otherwise be. I'm avoiding every other unethical animal encounter available on this trip, and there are plenty. But I live a very unadventurous life, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to encounter an amazing creature and I'm going to take it.

Don't ask Lady Gaga if you can borrow her meat frock.

As a previous poster said, any swimwear is fine under a wetsuit but I'd go for two piece. I'm fascinated by sharks, in fact all undersea life. The first time I saw a shark I was so excited, so much so I didn't get any footage of it. My most memorable encounter was seeing whale sharks in the open ocean, we did get a lot of footage of them, husband was in charge of the cam!

Nevermind Jaws. Its 47 meters down you want to avoid.

I wonder if the airline you travel there with will show The Meg on the plane?

It doesn't sound like you dive normally, as if you did, you wouldn't be asking the question? How does the air work if it's not a scuba dive, or are they teaching you to dive first?

The company you are going with should advise on exposure protection appropriate for the water temperature, ie wet or dry suit and thickness of the wetsuit or suitable undersuit for the drysuit.

When I dive in a wetsuit, I wear a bikini, then a rash suit, as it makes it easier to get the wetsuit on, and then a wetsuit. I do pee in it, but it's mine and it gets a good soak often.

As far as I'm aware they supply an airline from the boat to the diver. You don't need to be a diver to do a cage dive. If it's great white spotting, they generally feed close to the surface

Just a costume or bikini is suitable although I was very sea sick when shark diving which I never had experienced before because previous boat journeys hadn't stopped in the swell. I took some sea bands to wear the next time I did it and it was a much better experience.

God, I'd need a nappy.
I know not very helpful. A chastity belt for your whole body?

Personally, I think a nice suit of armour 😂

YY to the sea sickness - take bands, the swell was huge where I was (Haut or Hans Bay in SA, not sure which of the two it was, I get them mixed up)

From my experience

1. Rash vest as there little shade on boat
2. for glasses/sunglasses for when you chunder over the side of the boat (I spent half my honeymoon in prescription sunglasses as a result). The chum they use to attract the shark smells evil!

Don't wear anything that makes you look like a seal.

I did it in SA a few years ago. The company didn't chum the water, the sharks congregate in the area naturally due to prey availability but obviously if there weren't around that day, too bad. As it turns out they were and it was a great experience. You don't need any diving experience (I am a diver though) and I wore a bikini with a sports bra style top under the wetsuit. The water wasn't too cold but there was a lot of swell. I don't get seasick but a few people on the boat did so take precautions if that's you because a couple of them looked pretty miserable the whole time we were out.

Get a sports band for your sunglasses, a must when on a boat. I would take travel sickness pills as well as the bands. Personally I need the tablets. I've seen some really sick people in the past on dive boats because they thought they didn't need to take anti sickness pills. If there is a big swell it can be hellish. And a hat, another must take.