Currents in Cozumel?

[cvchief]

After 14-15 years of diving Cozumel there is always a S to N current.

That being said, I remember one dive we have really screwy currents. The current reversed itself a couple of times. We just went with it. I was cool thought as we passed over a green eel three times.

 

[ggunn]

That being said, I remember one dive we have really screwy currents. The current reversed itself a couple of times. We just went with it. I was cool thought as we passed over a green eel three times.

You were with us on that night dive on Paradise Reef?

 

[Firefyter]

You were with us on that night dive on Paradise Reef?

I've done that same night dive on Paradise with Jorge. We spent an hour going over the same 4 or 5 coral heads, it was just a giant, slow eddy. After the third pass over the same corals, I looked at my compass and it was continually spinning.... We surfaced after an hour within 100 yards of where we splashed...

 

[Brules]

I forgot to mention last week on Cedral Wall, we went south to north for half the dive....current slacked off then went reverse (north to south). Was fun as the current was mild.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Palancar to Colombia was running north to south TODAY. Someone who says Cozumel currents are predictable and always run the same way has little experience here!! (or doesn't pay attention)
Name a reef, somebody has done it backward, in circles, or dead calm. (Think Punta Tunich. Dead calm. Was stranger than doing it backward!)

 

[lbussell]

I've been to Cozumel almost every month of the year. Strong and slow currents can occur every season. Some dive sites seem to typically have a stronger flow. Punta Sur comes right to mind. This dive site, one of the most southern on the island, is located at where the flow splits between the east and west sides. For me the strong current there is one of the things that makes that dive site exciting- that and the amazing reef architecture (the pinnacles). Another example: Paso de Cedral: This is a shallower (40-60') dive. The shallowness of that terrain actually creates a faster current (funnel effect). Enjoy the drifting!

 

[ggunn]

Palancar to Colombia was running north to south TODAY. Someone who says Cozumel currents are predictable and always run the same way has little experience here!! (or doesn't pay attention)

The current that flows past Cozumel southwest to northeast is part of the Gulf Stream and is fairly constant. When this current encounters an obstacle (Cozumel) turbulence results. Vortices (eddy currents) in this turbulence produces the local variation in currents that we experience at the dive sites.