CCV - diving in Nov & Dec?

[robint]

so how much does the weather affect diving at Cocoview in Nov & Dec timeframe? I remember reading something about winter weather affecting diving on northside of island, does that affect CCV diving at all?
we are looking at mid-Nov or early Dec dates right now (they have some openings) but don't want to go if the diving isn't the best. It will be our first trip there.... Should we go for it or wait until spring?

robin

 

[Doc]

Best Diving or Best Conditions?

The warmest, driest, calmest surface intervals might well be April~August.

The most unusual critters? They take turns during all times of the year.

Nov-Dec is still the tail end of the Tropical Storm Season. This means that it is likely to rain on Roatan. Since such storms usually track to (and blow from) the North of the Bay Islands, quite often the diving from the North and West becomes quite rough. This effect continues on the North side all through the Winter months (late Dec~early March), most notably as occasional "Northers" descend- caused by Arctic pushes that go as far as Texas.

There's no magic answer, but if that were my time frame and I wanted the Bay Islands, I would stay South. All in all, during those months, I would well consider Bonaire instead. It is well below the effects of most late season storms.

When the water is churned up and there's a lot of cold water rain run-off, you have to be a pretty good "poker" to spot the oddballs that thrive in that environment. I have seen things on night dives :007: in the 4th Quarter of the year that it is said do not exist in the Bay Islands.

 

[robint]

hmmmm....... best diving or best conditions? both, I guess
We don't mind a little chop or rain, just wondering how it affects the diving. If you are saying the diving suffers dramatically during that timeframe, then I would say we can wait. I have looked at the Dockside Conditions reports for those months and it doesn't look all that bad (topside temp looks a bit lower but wave height and sun/rain look no different than March-April).
Ron's only other week he can take off before spring would be the first week of Jan, which I don't think is a good week to go anywhere (airline prices high, flight cancelations high).

Already done Bonaire (last summer) don't want to do it again so soon. Loved it but want to go somewhere NEW to us.

robin

 

[John_B]

I hope November isn't too bad b/c that's when I'll be there.

 

[docBarbara]

Hi,

I too hope Nov isn't too bad - since my husband and I will be there Thanksgiving week. I can't wait!!!

Barbara

 

[robint]

I guess it sounds like there will be rain each week, maybe every day a bit. So how much? Downpours for hours and hours? Or some rain during night? Just trying to gauge what they mean.

As a comparison - We went to Cozumel in late Aug one time and we were told it was the rainy season and to expect thunderstorms daily. Well, we had rain during the day one day, the rest of the week there were some showers here and there (usually in afternoon or night) that lasted for less than an hour. The one day it rained all day, vis was very bad the next day. So as far as we were concerned, it was a great week of diving with only 2 mediocre dives due to rain. Are we looking at something like that? Or are we talking about torrential monsoons or scatter showers?

I know it is hard to predict, but just trying to get something settled as far as when we go to Cocoview.