Is Wilma doing much damage?

[diverbob]

I'm not going down there until March next year, but I would hate to see my hotel and all the inhabitants blown away again!

I was there a few weeks ago, and the reefs was still covered in sand from Emily, so if this one hits pretty good, I dont know if it will be recovered by March. I hope so for your sake.

 

[Divedoggie]

I sure hope that everyone is taking the adequate precautions, and getting out of there!
Wilma will potentially make Emily look like her little baby sister. Storm surge will be huge, and winds extreme. Predictions are CAT 5 by the time it either makes landfall in the Yucatan, or nearly misses. Hard saying which would be worse.

 

[Damselfish]

fortunately the storm surge isn't supposed to be as bad as you'd expect because the water is deep right offshore there, no big continental shelf. (Not that it will be good - how much elevation does Coz have, anyway?) The wind will be the problem. And probably the rain.

 

[Dan Gibson]

Looks like my trip to Coz in early November is screwed.

As of this morning here's what the National Hurricane Center is saying about Wilma:

"COASTAL STORM SURGE FLOODING OF 7-10 FEET ABOVE NORMAL TIDE
LEVELS...ALONG WITH LARGE AND DANGEROUS BATTERING WAVES...CAN BE
EXPECTED NEAR AND TO THE NORTH OF WHERE THE CENTER MAKES LANDFALL ON
THE YUCATAN PENINSULA.

WILMA IS EXPECTED TO PRODUCE 10 TO 20 INCHES OF RAIN THROUGH
SATURDAY ACROSS PORTIONS OF WESTERN CUBA AND THE YUCATAN
PENINSULA...WITH ISOLATED AMOUNTS OF 40 INCHES POSSIBLE...
PARTICULARY OVER HIGHER TERRAIN IN WESTERN CUBA."

Attached is the latest trajectory map. Looks like the eye is predicted to pass right by Cancun and Cozumel.

 

[JeffG]

Looks like my trip to Coz in early November is screwed.

I wouldn't be too quick to judge. They bounced back quickly last time. I have 3 friends that are supposed to leave for their Cave 1 tomorrow. You should see how they feel.

 

[Dan Gibson]

Is that Cave 1 in Mexico or Florida? North Florida should come out ok unless the updated path shows it crossing Florida farther north than the last time I saw it.

I have trip insurance, so I can probably cancel. I have no idea how the trip insurance really works since I have never had to utilize it in past. Does one have to cancel outright, postpone or does the resort have some say when it's weather related? How long for refunds?

btw, our local shop went to coz about a week or two after Emily (I think that's was the one) and some of the places there were not really prepared to open. In fact, they had to find 3 different locations for the group two days prior to leaving. Information from the islanders was not exactly forethcoming in an accurate or timely manner.

I wouldn't be too quick to judge. They bounced back quickly last time. I have 3 friends that are supposed to leave for their Cave 1 tomorrow. You should see how they feel.

 

[JeffG]

Is that Cave 1 in Mexico or Florida?

With Chris and Danny in Mexico. They are trying to juggle the schedules to make the trip happen, but its tough to communicate with them right now (They have bigger fish to fry than to answer some emails)

I have no idea about the insurance side of life, maybe someone will chip in some good info.

 

[ECPaul]

Looks like Wilma is beating up on my beloved Coz pretty bad, and I'm guessing that most of the Coz locals may not have electricity and so are not able to read this or post a reply - any updates on how its going down there?

 

[nuts4diving]

What type of trip insurance? We get trip insurance through Expedia or United Vacations when we book through them, which has proven handy--we had to reschedule 2 of our last 3 vacations (both of them dive vacations) due to illness (cold & ear infection). One we rescheduled, and only had to pay the airfare difference between the two dates. The other we cancelled completely because we didn't know how long it was going to take for my husband's ear to heal. If you reschedule, you may have to buy the trip insurance again--with United, it was a one-use deal.

Mary Helen

 

[scubawife]

I've got a 9 day trip planned for early December. 4 days in Coz and 5 in Akumal. This will be our 2nd trip to both this year, and the 4th Dec that we've gone to Akumal. I have no intention of cancelling. The only thing that would change my plans is if there was absolutely no place to stay and/or no way to get there. Cozumel and the areas of the Riviera Maya are so much more then just a hotel, restaurant or plam tree. I've been going to the Yucatan since the late 80's. I love the people and places. If the hotel and condo we're booked at isn't able to have us by Dec., then I'll happily look for alternate accomodations, whether they are more expensive or cheaper. And even if there is a bit of reef damage, it will still be better diving then many places in the Caribbean.