Cozumel-post Wilma

[Divedoggie]

In fact, ironically enough, if the hurricane causes a substantial drop off in the number of divers on the reef for a while (especially new divers that might be more likely to bump into corals) there might be an environmental silver lining to this. I know the people who live and work on the island that depend on divers might not see it that way!

That is an interesting observation. It has been a rare dive that I didn't witness some one finning the reef, clinging to it in the current in order to get that one last shot, losing some control and banging off the ceiling of a swim through, etc. Especially destructive were the large group night dives. It would be nice if all the dive groups were six packs, but they aren't, and the DMs can't supervise everyone.
I am worried that the human impact added to the natural impact from Wilma and Emily, could be bad.
Thoughts?

 

[Divingnthedark]

If it's not your "back yard," you don't notice what's NOT there, you notice what IS there. The fact remains that there is still ALOT of reef there...it was not totally wiped out. It would take alot more than a WILMA to bring those majestic formations crashing down. Some swim throughs are closed up, while others are bigger and others that are now passable (by disciplined/controlled divers). There are sponges gone, sections that are now covered in sand, others that were uncovered by sand...and it will just be a "remodeled" back yard for awhile.

I like that ...and really want to see the "remodeled" look
I just wanted to add that Cozumel is full of critters,fish,turtles and rays etc. that thrive in the currents around the island. Even though I have dove in many other places and seen spectacular underwater scenery, nothing compares to the numbers of HEALTHY reef inhabitants I have seen in Cozumel. I am certain they are still there! That's what keeps me coming back

 

[pilot fish]

I was told that NO damage was done to the deeper sites at all, while most shallow sites had damage?

 

[Tobagoman]

People need to understand the ecology of reef systems. A hurricane can act just like a forest fire, cleansing a reef of algal overgrowths allowing benthic invertebrates a place to attach and grow. These cleansings can actually be a good thing for the reefs, as long as they don't happen to frequently.

Go down and dive the reefs of Cozumel, they will be beautiful.

 

[diveborg]

I was told that NO damage was done to the deeper sites at all, while most shallow sites had damage?

By who?

 

[pilot fish]

By who?

Seasoned divers that I know that have a lot of experience with Coz and deep sites in general. They said that the deeper the site the less damage, or NO damage, they will receive, while shallower the site the more likey damage would occur.

Do you have different info?

 

[Christi]

Seasoned divers that I know that have a lot of experience with Coz and deep sites in general. They said that the deeper the site the less damage, or NO damage, they will receive, while shallower the site the more likey damage would occur.

Do you have different info?

John,

Maybe you should pay attention to the reports from the people who actually live and work in Cozumel, and the marine park reports rather than "seasoned divers" who have not even been diving in Cozumel after the storm.

Surely by now you have figured out that there is ALOT of misinformation out there.

And, as I said in my other post...the diving is still fabulous in Cozumel, damage or no damage. It's not like the reefs are gone, they've just been cleaned up and new stuff will grow in places, etc.

There is no reason to panic over this. It's natural and the Cozumel reefs have been around for thousands and thousands of years...and have been through even worse than Wilma I'm sure.

 

[scubajim]

Way to go Christi, that's telling them.

 

[pilot fish]

Christi, I pay attention to everyone and evaluate what they say and their possible reasons for saying what they say. The "seasoned divers" I've heard from have been to Cos dozens of times and made a general statement: the deeper a dive site is the less likely it is to be damaged by storms. If this is incorrect please let me know?

John,

Maybe you should pay attention to the reports from the people who actually live and work in Cozumel, and the marine park reports rather than "seasoned divers" who have not even been diving in Cozumel after the storm.

Surely by now you have figured out that there is ALOT of misinformation out there.

And, as I said in my other post...the diving is still fabulous in Cozumel, damage or no damage. It's not like the reefs are gone, they've just been cleaned up and new stuff will grow in places, etc.

There is no reason to panic over this. It's natural and the Cozumel reefs have been around for thousands and thousands of years...and have been through even worse than Wilma I'm sure.

 

[scubawife]

I'm really looking forward to diving in Coz again in a few weeks. I'd bet that even sites that received damaged will still be far superior to several other places in the Caribbean. And, unless you've been on a site almost daily, there's always something that looks different or that you didn't notice before. I haven't been that many places and have only just over 100 dives in the past 3 yrs, but from what I've seen, I know that hurricane or no hurricane, for my time and money there are two places that will never fall short of my diving expectations - East End, Grand Cayman and Cozumel. They will stay on my annual trip list!