Belize diving in late September / October - good or bad timing?

[Homunculus]

hi all,
I'm planning a trip to Belize for later September. Trying to figure out if it's a hurricane season. I checked a few guide books. Temperature is pretty much the same throughout the year. Seems that Jan-April is the best time to visit but we can't do it.
I'm wondering if any of you went for diving vacations in Sept/Oct and what was your impression.
thank you in advance!

 

[Thatch Caye Belize]

Very rainy in October with low dive visibility. Much greater chance of hurricanes than at any other time of the year for this area (western Caribbean). September is still quite prone to hurricanes as well but can be nicer than October although high water temps increase algae and planktonic particles in the water so visibility is still not that good (but is much better than October after all of the heavy rains). I dive straight through the year in Belize and I would definitely take September over October. Last year Belize had terrible flooding in October that lasted for over a week after several nonstop days of rainfall. Took over a month to get back to 40-50 foot visibility in many areas (which is very bad for Belize).

 

[peterbj7]

I agree with TCR. He's further south, but in the north on Ambergris Caye we often have lovely weather in September and then it can be perhaps the best time of the year to dive, but as you say it is in hurricane season and if we get a bad storm you may end up with no diving and an interesting rather than enjoyable holiday. In extreme cases you may be compulsorily evacuated to the mainland. I'd say do it but make sure you have effective travel insurance, and be psychologically prepared for something that may turn out to be rather different from what you envisaged!

 

[robint]

hi all,
I'm planning a trip to Belize for later September. Trying to figure out if it's a hurricane season. I checked a few guide books. Temperature is pretty much the same throughout the year. Seems that Jan-April is the best time to visit but we can't do it.
I'm wondering if any of you went for diving vacations in Sept/Oct and what was your impression.
thank you in advance!

Hurricane season for the Caribbean area is June-Oct. You can have sunny gorgeous weather or horrible rainy weather..no way to predict. I have had vacations to the area (Cozumel & Roatan) during June, July, August, and this past Nov with mixed results - some rain, some sunshine. Nov was the worst this past year with heavy rain storms every day and vis only 20-50' at times. We still went diving every day and had a great time but it wasn't the best time to be there.

If you go in Sept, you may have horrible rainy weather or even a hurricane. Or you may have sunny, humid, and very hot weather... prices are cheaper due to risk of hurricanes. If you go during this time, I would get trip insurance just in case.

 

[DeputyDan]

Having been on Roatan during Hurricane Wilma - it's not how you want to spend your vacation.

Was there with Herman on this board - We were diving the Prince Albert and could hear the rain come in - not pleasant!

 

[Homunculus]

thank you very much for helpful info.
you confirmed my fears. i guess we can't continue a family tradition of celebrating my wife's b-day in Caribbean sea (as far as diving goes).

 

[momliz]

we are going in August, went to Cozumel last year in August. Thr trick is to get trip insurance (which I always do anyway, too many $ at stake) but make sure you have a "Cancel for any Reason" rider. That way you can bail at the last minute, if it looks bad.

 

[Gaz Cooper]

Personally I have had some of the best diving in Belize in those months yes you run the risk of a hurricane but thats what trip insurance is for.

I have seen multiple hurricanes in Belize but the chances are slim one will hit Belize and if one is out there heading to cayman or jamaica the weather is fantastic in Belize.

On Ambergris Caye we get some rain but normally its showers that head on to the mainland of belize where they unload THERE IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE between the rainfall on the mainland and on Ambergris Caye.

I find the flat calm seas and light breeze a welcome change from stronger winds and Choppy seas in the winter visability can be affected but on Ambergris at least we would get to a divesite and if the viz was bad we would just head to another where viz would be much better. I have never seen it less than 60ft though.

Gaz

 

[Thatch Caye Belize]

Last October it poured down rain countywide in Belize, including San Pedro, and the rain was so bad that it actually sank close to thirty boats that did not have bilge pumps or that the pumps went out on, right there in San Pedro. The visibility was below sixty feet countrywide for a few weeks but it is true that up north cleared up sooner than in the south where I was. October can be a good month if it does not pour down torrentially but that is hit or miss. Last September was nice and we did several excellent dives throughout the month.

 

[mlevi98]

My wife and I were there during the rains this year and were able to get 4 diving days in. the weather and the visibility got better as our trip went along. We were there from October 14-25th. Our first day diving in Placencia was the worst, and the last two days doing local dives off Ambergirs were the clearest. The best part was that except for the Blue Hole dive day we never had more than 4-6 ppl in the dive group including ourselves.