Best time of year to dive in Caribbean?

[Keliza]

Hey there all, new kid here - starting a new topic. Honest, I searched back a few pages to see if this was covered - sorry if I missed it.

Basic question is, when is the best time of year to dive in Caribbean? I'm thinking of booking a week's holiday for me and husband which will include significant element of diving (preferably 2 a day).

A little about ourselves, I'm a baby diver - PADI Advance cert, but only 42 dives, all in warm water. Husband dives here in England (and Scotland, Wales and Ireland) - he's up to Ass't Instructor with BSAC and about 150+ dives, but not a 'been there/done that' thrill seeker.

I've been to St. Lucia, Belize and the FL Keys - looking primarily for good marine life and visibility. (Just spent a week in the Keys and got blown out 4 out of 8 days - I know, bad time of year, I was just tacking on some time since I was in FL for Xmas hols already.) I'm thinking island based (not liveaboard), and primarily boat diving (as opposed to shore).

Anyway, I don't want to spend another trip hearing 'you really shouldn't have come this time of year - it's much better during ____'. So, any advice?

Thanks,
K

 

[herman]

Welcome to the board.
For most of the Caribbean you will want to avoid Aug to Oct as this is prime hurricane season. Jan and Feb are somewhat cool and it can be rainy and rough. If you will go to the lower areas in the Caribbean like Curacao or Bonaire almost any time is great. Boat diving is fairly cheap, around $20 per dive or 6 for $100 UDS. With the shore diving on these 2 islands 4-6 dives a day are easy to get in. KLM flies from your general area so I would suspect flights should not be a problem. If I had to pick a time in the upper Caribbean it would be from April to July with Nov-Dec as my second choice. .

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

We have routinely hit the Caribbean from December to April and never had to complain about it being to cool or rainy. I would probably go in the summer more often if the weather here in New York wasn't the best it was going to get all year.

 

[Keliza]

Thanks for the welcome, and the advice.

I'm originally from the East Coast, so I knew to avoid those pesky little hurricanes (autumn months are a popular time for my British friends to book holidays to Disney, the Caribbean and the Outer Banks - I do try to gently remind them that there are the really big wind storms that can occaisionaly dampen the atmosphere).

I'm not too worried about the air (or water) temp - I was just hoping to pick a good time for underwater visibility. In the Keys, it's drier (on land) in the winter - but windier with rougher seas. And I seem to recall that when we were in Belize in April, they were recomending a different time of year as well. Our September honeymoon in Malaysia was just on the cusp of turning to the rainy season, so again, the water was a bit churned up. And a diving liveaboard in Turkey in August was warm and calm - good water conditions. Of course, we never got to raise the sails all week.

I just really don't have good timing.

Goodness knows that a winter break from dreary London rain would be nice - but I'm not going back to the Keys in winter again. Sounds like April to July is the time to shoot for.

Cheers,
K

 

[Drew Sailbum]

For Cayman, June & July give us pretty calm winds on average and the visibility starts to go from exceptional to just plain Wow!

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

I have heard the same thing from DM's in the Caymans and the Turks & Caicos. Vis hits its peak in early summer. 150 feet+ is not unheard of.

 

[sharon]

We usually do Curacao, Bonaire in January and Febuary and have good luck with great vis and fantastic diving.

 

[sharon]

Also, try Cozumel, the vis is usually good most days. We have been there in July and loved it. Went once in December and had a few days of rained out/rough seas, small boats were not allowed out. Good luck.

 

[DivemasterSteve]

i have been to the Bahamas Feb, Mar, Apr and May. all 4 of those months were great, weather and vis were perfect which needless to say makes diving the best.

steve