Classic Norte hits Galveston

[lionfish-eater]

The east side was flat and calm yesterday.
Very little sargasam.
Perfect beach day.

 

[ScubaD1veDiv@]

Thanks MMM for the update on the port opening.

I don’t arrive until this Wednesday. My question was general in nature.

Is the port typically closed when the wind is anywhere out of the north (N, NE, NW)? Or are there exceptions?

Dave alluded that the port can be open during a NW wind.

I can understand the need to close the port to all water activities including east side diving during a NE wind as the wind splits the island but curious as to other conditions.

Are both direction and wind speed a factor for determining port closure?

 

[ggunn]

Are both direction and wind speed a factor for determining port closure?

Ideally, yes, but there have been reports of the port being closed lately (since the changing of the guard in the HM office) when the wind was strongly from the east and conditions were rough on the SE shores of the Yucatan but not on the W and NW shores of Cozumel. If windguru is correct there will be similar conditions in about a week, so we shall see.

It would be great if the HM office would come into the 21st century and have a frequently updated web presence where one could find out for sure in real time whether the port is open or not.

 

[gopbroek]

 

[davel518]

View attachment 564962

So Sunday looks like almost for sure a no go. With the wind shift into Monday, would folks here expect things to calm quickly enough for morning boats to go out?

Thanks

 

[DandyDon]

Yeah, that norther came thru the Texas Panhandle Tuesday, chilled weather until Saturday. It'll lose some power by the time it arrives Coz, won't last as long.

So Sunday looks like almost for sure a no go. With the wind shift into Monday, would folks here expect things to calm quickly enough for morning boats to go out?

We're still learning the moods of the new Port Captain. Based on the wind forecast, I'd say that Saturday night dives and all day Sunday are not likely, looks good for Monday, subject to change as the weather does. There was one day recently when the wind was out of the east, but boat sinking swells still came out of the north. Good luck.

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Looks like the wind will switch north between 11 am and 3 PM. Last time she shut the port for all day, expecting that returning boats would be coming back in the thick of it. It actually hit at 2:45 PM then while its was calm all morning. I'm not sure she will do the same thing on Saturday, but remember that while Isla Mujeres was open that day (with lots of criticism in Cozumel) that very same day a boat sunk there with a bunch tourists on it.

Dave

 

[DandyDon]

I heard on FB that the port was closed at 1 pm today. It looks like 11-16 knot winds expected from the north by 3pm, so I guess she didn't want returning boats to be jumping those waves?

 

[Dave Dillehay]

It closed at 2 pm Cozumel time as best I know , that would have been 1 PM in the high Texas Plains. Maybe she figured out the same info we have.

Dave

 

[iluvcozumel]

It closed at 2 pm Cozumel time as best I know , that would have been 1 PM in the high Texas Plains. Maybe she figured out the same info we have.

Dave

At 1PM this afternoon it was a very choppy ride back to the hotel. Blowing like mad now.