You have no idea what sorts of hazards there are in a long, dark street, or in the choppy, murky sea. A lightweight and skintight wetsuit that most water sports professionals wear will not only protect you from cold, but also help you swim better.
The three most important things that a wetsuit does for you are the following - they keep you warm in the cold water, the give you extra protection against rocks, your equipment etc.. and they improve your buoyancy.
1) Hypothermia. You might not think this is a serious problem, especially to those who only surf in the summer. However, you will find that the risk of contracting hypothermia is still there even when you are swimming in warm waters at noon. It's due to the fact that water is 25 times more heat-conducting than air, making you lose your body heat. So, the longer you stay in the water, the more body heat you will lose. Here is a cool guide that will tell you how thick wetsuit do you need in different water temperature.
How does the wetsuit keep you warm? A thin layer of water comes between your body and the wetsuit. Body heats it and the wetsuit prevents the heat from escaping further, hence you have an insulation layer. Because neoprene contains many bubbles the air in them also acts as great insulation. This of course only works if fresh cold water doesn't constantly flush your wetsuit. So your wetsuits should be tight fitting, snug.
2) Wetsuits can also serve as protection against your own equipment, somebody else's equipment, rocks, corals etc... So even if the water is warm it is sometimes wise to wear a thin wetsuit for protection. There are for instance special swimming wetsuits that protect you from jellyfish if you are swimming in areas that have lots of them.
3) And finally there is buoyancy. I already mentioned that neoprene is full of air filled bubbles, so wearing a wetsuit will help you float better. Here I would like to warm you that before you take on any water sports you need to know how to swim - swim good! Wetsuit is not a life vest.
And this is why it is hard for me to imagine what the water sports world would be like without wetsuits.
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