UKC

I know it is a 'how long is a piece of string' question, but do we need wet suits to snorkel when on Kalymnos at the beginning of April? 

I think it could be pretty chilly if you’re mostly floating around. I have swum in April, but I swim in north wales through the winter without a wetsuit!

Many thanks

I've always taken a winter thick (min 4-5mm neoprene) wetsuit (plus bootees cos my feet cramp otherwise) in April or November. And I have never been cold even tho the water is usually pretty nippy in early April after the cool winter.

Generally, I spend the best part on hour in the water and often in some of the deeper channels swimming between the islands or snorkeling between underwater caverns. If you spend less time out in the open water, then you might getaway with a lighter suit plus swimvest.

John C

If you Google "Kalymnos water temperature" you will find (in a split second) that the typical water temperature at the beginning of April is about 17 C, which is just about as cold as it gets there.

Managed with a 3mm "shorty" and 1mm long sleeved top at the eastern side of Cyprus in the second half of April but that was starting to feel a bit chilly after 45 minutes.  I grew up with "Jaws" so was trying to make my finning as smooth as possible which didn't aid in keeping warm

I took a quick dip frequently at the end of the day, in early April trips in '22 and '23. Very refreshing post-climb, but I'd want a wetsuit if in for longer.

We had a dip in the sea at Calpe last March (OK, wrong end of the Med and just wearing shorts).  It was absolutely baltic, it took five minutes to work our way in to the point of swimming!  I can't inagine Kalymnos being that much warmer.