Too Cold to Swim in December?

[future man]

So, we are heading to Playa this December. My first trip down there. Is it too cold to swim or snorkel in December? We were thinking of going to one of the parks (Xel-Ha, or ??), but wasn't sure if it would be too cold for that or the beach or the pool....
Any past experiences in december?

[bufante]

Originally Posted by future man

So, we are heading to Playa this December. My first trip down there. Is it too cold to swim or snorkel in December? We were thinking of going to one of the parks (Xel-Ha, or ??), but wasn't sure if it would be too cold for that or the beach or the pool....
Any past experiences in december?

Swim all year round!

[xqqzme]

December is my norm....warm and beautiful unless it's raining. Either way, the water is still plenty warm for swimming. No worries!!!!

[cuffedlinks]

Absolutely not too cold.
Frankly the water temps vary little...
(I had a link once to something - actually info from denisea on water temps)

We go in Dec and Jan and the water temps are just fine...
The temps of AI pools a bit chilly yes...ocean is just fine....
cenotes are just fine....rain is warm too.

[xqqzme]

I figure swimming when it's raining is the best of all worlds....you're already wet...just enjoy it!

[jobob]

Water temp right now at buoy 42056 east of Cozumel is 83 F. The ocean temp in Dec will be warmer than non-heated pools.
NDBC - Western Caribbean Recent Marine Data

[cuffedlinks]

Here's the info from Denisea I've posted before...
I think there's a place to input your dates, last link...

Originally Posted by cuffedlinks

Here's a reply from a previous similar question:
Water temperatures vary little from the mid 80's April through September...to the upper 70's in the winter months.

Click HERE to see temps for the Gulf of Mexico for Nov. 11th....To help, land masses are shaded grey. Looks to be either side of 80 for the PDC and Riviera Maya coast...

This information comes from a nice water temperature site originally linked to by our forum goddess, denisea ... Click HERE for that site and information provided by Rutgers University Marine and Coastal Sciences.

[PAUL250268]

December is perfect for swimming!

Paul

[TnJ]

Originally Posted by future man

So, we are heading to Playa this December. My first trip down there. Is it too cold to swim or snorkel in December?

no

Originally Posted by future man

We were thinking of going to one of the parks (Xel-Ha, or ??), but wasn't sure if it would be too cold for that or the beach or the pool....

pool may actually be cooler than the ocean.
Xel Ha should be plenty warm.

Originally Posted by future man

Any past experiences in december?

We experienced these places in January.

[james]

http://www.playa.info/playa-del-carm...-and-wear.html

[Juanito]

My trip report has out-of-focus pictures from the playa.info/Yucatreks Tulum tour last December.

Mrs Juanito is snorkeling in a cenote and the water in a cenote is colder than the ocean. There's also a picture of me on the Fat Cat's boom net.

If you're strange and you like photos that are in focus, try xqqzme's trip report from last December.

[Rissask]

The ocean temp in Dec will be warmer than non-heated pools.

I can vouch for that! Pools in the winter in Playa are pretty chilly. Unless they're heated of course, not many are though.

You want cold (ocean) water...try Los Cabos in the winter! Now that is cold.

[hurwitza]

we were there around xmas 2 years ago (and heading back this year) and the water was great--kids spent hours in the water and I snorkelled quite a bit without concern of the cold