Living in South Florida, the cold may not seem like a concern but I plan to do some wilderness expeditions in the winter, so it could be. I know there have been some recommendations here for dry suits but, for practical reasons, I have chosen to go another way. A full dry suit would be too difficulty to get in and out of and, during parts of the day, it would be too hot and uncomfortable - not to mention the cost. so I ordered this:
http://www.rei.com/product/807728 I should be able to use this with a dry top (which I already have) for full immersion protection or use it with a light splash jacket in milder conditions. Even with a splash jacket, the combination should keep the base layer dry and still allow for opening up the neck area for some ventilation. I could even ditch the splash jacket and go with a shirt and probably stay pretty dry.
Next task will be sun protection. Any recommendations for comfortable cover in the heat? I have light weight synthetic pants and shirts plus a wide brimmed hat that I have been using in the sailboat. What ever I use in the AI, during hot weather, will need to be quick drying and provide good cover. I've already got a couple of scars from removal of skin cancer, and expect to eventually look like I went through a wind shield face first, but I ain't staying off the water.
Ted