Acclimating to heat?

[hpeer]

As we get closer to doing some cruising we are wondering how hard it is to acclimate to the heat in the Caribbean and, say, rio Dulce?

We now live in Philly. How does it compare?

[Hud3]

I can't comment on the Rio Dulce, but the eastern Caribbean is really quite nice most of the year. In August and September, the weather gets hot and muggy when the tropical waves pass through, a lot like Virginia in August. We didn't really need to "acclimate" at all, and we didn't have air conditioning.

[Canibul]

We've lived at 22 deg. north for nine years now. We lived in NJ and MA prior to this, and these days we are uncomfortable when the tempererature drops into the high 70's.

September is the worst month here. The sun is overhead again on it's way south, and we get the highest temps, most humidity, and of course, the most storms. Many people who live and work in the area full time will choose September as the best time to go somewhere else on vacation.

Compared to Philly, you have more uncomfortable weather there in late summer. It rarely gets much higher than the low 90's in the islands, and it doesn't feel anything like a US east coast city that's pushing 100 degrees with acres of concrete and buildings to block any breezes. Besides, you can always hop in the water to cool off.

[a64pilot]

From my experience, if your there before the hot weather hits and you stay and gradually acclimatize, your a whole lot better off than the people that live in airconditioned buildings and arrive in the heat when they get off the airplane, your feeling a little warm, and they are about to die of heat stroke.
Worst of it is trying to sleep, a cold shower will really cool you down better than anything in my experience

I've spent a couple of summers "camping" in Kuwait and Iraq

[denverd0n]

Agree with a64pilot. I moved from Denver to Tampa some years back. Moved down here in February, when the weather was beautiful. By August I was feeling the heat and humidity, but it was not intolerable.

I suspect that if you sail down from the northeast you will acclimate on the way and have no problem. Or if you fly down in the cooler months you will adjust as the temperature warms up.

That said, there are some people who just don't adjust. I had a good friend who lived in Colorado and moved to coastal Mississippi a few years ago. He stuck it out for two summers and then gave up. Said he just could not tolerate July and August. Went back to Colorado and will probably never again complain about the occasional March storm that dumps 3 feet of snow on Denver.

Of course, like Canibul pointed out, you can always just hop in the water to cool off. And actually being on the water is always noticeably cooler than even just a little ways inland.

Good luck!

[a64pilot]

Age and weight I believe play a lot into it too. Back when I was in the Military, I weighed about 50 lbs less and could tolerate heat better than most any of the other guy's.
Now that I'm old and fat, I can't take the heat like I used to.

[model 10]

Originally Posted by hpeer

As we get closer to doing some cruising we are wondering how hard it is to acclimate to the heat in the Caribbean and, say, rio Dulce?

We now live in Philly. How does it compare?

It's possible that if you acclimate to the summer wx in the Rio you will find a 60deg morning in Philly chilly.
We don't dive over the side much to cool off unless the water is nice. The water in the Rio is not nice.

[TeddyDiver]

Originally Posted by a64pilot

Age and weight I believe play a lot into it too. Back when I was in the Military, I weighed about 50 lbs less and could tolerate heat better than most any of the other guy's.
Now that I'm old and fat, I can't take the heat like I used to.

Well for me it's been just the opposite. In my mid thirtees I lived like an eskimo for two years, now I feel cosy in July in Assuan when it's +43C in the shade except there's no shade.
If you have AC turn it of, have a fan and sleep naked or with a thin sheet, anyway after two nights you need it couse you feeling cold. After two weeks you need long sleeves before 10 and right before sunset. Later in the evening have sweater with you in case feeling a bit chilly

[hpeer]

Thanks to everyone. For all the answers and advice.

In Philly we live without AC, which is almost unheard of, but we have a big ol brick row house that stays pretty cool, mostly. It does heat up eventually.

Being older, and with some additional personal food storage on us, we do tend to heat up and be uncomfortable. Your feedback has been helpful.

Thanks one and all.

[bobconnie]

When we were Young Buggers, we laughed at folks with AC! Rio D or anywhere! But now that we are above SS age, we love our nice cool sleeping at night,(and naps to LOL) Never be without our AC from now on !! Just our 2 cents

[HopCar]

I've lived in South Florida all my life. I'm acclimated to air conditioning.

[denverd0n]

"With some additional personal food storage on us..."

I like that. Consider it stolen.

[DubeJ]

Go to a gym and sit in sauna

[seandepagnier]

AC makes people soft, you must avoid it as a single day can take weeks to recover from during which you will sweat too much. It is 37.3C (99F) inside my boat right now and I am not sweating.. much.

As for being fat, this is bad for a lot more than heat. Fatness makes a person physically incapable of many tasks and they won't live as long. I never understood fat people; why don't they just stop eating too much?

It's very easy to solve, don't bring any food at all when you leave. At sea, there is no easy way to cheat as there are no supermarkets. Your body will purge all kinds of toxins and during the time, you will have more energy (after the first 30 hours) and a clear head arriving in a much better state and ready for the heat.

[belizesailor]

Originally Posted by hpeer

As we get closer to doing some cruising we are wondering how hard it is to acclimate to the heat in the Caribbean and, say, rio Dulce?

We now live in Philly. How does it compare?

It's hot in the Rio? I grew up in Southern Mississippi and then moved to Texas (only a little hotter than Hell), then Florida so I never realized it was hot and humid on the Rio until my GF from N California moved in. Just seemed normal to me.

I think where you are most acclimated to has a lot to do with how hard it is to acclimate to the tropics. Some people really struggle to acclimate.

Humidity is always high on the Rio, like 80-100%, heat maxes out at about 95 typically but usually closer to 85, biblical rain and lightening in the rainy season (which does help cool it off at night).

When its 95F with 95% humidity, it brings back pleasant childhood memories for me, but makes my GF wonder what the F shes doing there! Lowest over night low I have ever seen, in almost 10 years, was 58F.

Only been to Philly once so can't really compare, but I think I'm still digesting the sandwich I had there for lunch...30 years ago. ;-)