Looking for Christmas week recommendations

[ReadyTo Dive]

Trying to plan a trip now for 2 for around the Dec. 22/23 - Jan 2/3 timeframe and would like to do something different if possible. We have dove much of the Caribbean and Mex/Coz and would like warmer waters and at least a chance of pelagics... We have never dove Kona/HI but prices seems high (even for HI). We would be leaving out of DFW and are flexible on most everything. Any SB insights for this always expensive week that would be worth the efforts and expense? TYIA!

 

[Doc]

Weather overall in the greater Caribbean area (Bahamas, and environs from Florida out and down…)

December > Janiuary?

will be quite “iffy” likely more just plain “suck”.

The traditional “Caribbean Hurricane Season” may have ended on November 30th, but the Storm Season lingers on. Such Caribbean storms emanate from Equatorial Africa and head West, slowly lifting from 0° Latitude. By these late dates, quite often they ’lift’ Northwesterly and slowly rotate clockwise and spray wind and rain all over the Windward Antilles sometimes barging into the Caribbean Basin, to Belize, Mexico, Texas, like that.

It just generally can be cooler, cloudier, if not just a rain on not an endearing tropical feel.

Understand that as each day passes, the general Southernmost storm track gets higher North of the Equator every day. The practical effect is that islands such as Tobago, Aruba, Bonaire, Curcao, The Bay Islands (Roatan etc)… each day passes makes them a safer bet as to less exposure to ‘spin off’ rain and wind from minor storms pushing their way towards Belize and points North.

If you are locked into that timeframe, by looking at historical storm tracks, the above referenced islands are your best options. Not from my past experiences, or ‘from what I’ve heard”, just plain facts from looking at many years of NOAA tracks shown by dates through the season.

The Caribbean is a really good bet March > August.

 

[ascott22]

Roatan is my FAVORITE! There are also some really great flights from DFW - just a short hop and skip away! Just returned from Anthony's Key Dive Resort and LOVED it

 

[Doc]

Roatan is my FAVORITE! There are also some really great flights from DFW - just a short hop and skip away! Just returned from Anthony's Key Dive Resort and LOVED it

Now this brings up yet another reason to get a handle on the weather. First, understand that AKR is on the North side of the island.

When any storm comes by, even on a track that runs 90 miles to the North, the North side (and West end) of Roatan is going to bear the brunt of wind and wave. These are storm tracks that you have seen targeting Coz and Belize.

They don’t hit Roatan, but the spin-off rain and wind smacks the West/North of Roatan pretty reliably. You can see this by a simple comparison of the reef structure and earth terrain between North vs. South.

AKR has the money to move their dive ops to the South side, bringing you to the other calmer side by bus. Other smaller West End dive ops offer to take you to calmer conditions by their 6 pac dive boats (no thanks). Most of the rest off West dive ops just shut down.

In the Caribbean Storm Season, September to the end of March, if you’re bent on Roatan, try Coco View over AKR, the weather being a huge factor. There are not a lot of other South side options because of land cost, but there’s also Barefoot Key and Reef House. There are a couple of other cruise ship day spa type buildings that attempt to claim they are dive resorts, but nobody really believes it.

Look in terms of micro-climates at any destination. Roatan is pretty simple as it is 5x20 miles angled SW-NE. It’s just one big barrier to various seasonal winds.

Other Caribbean islets can also offer cover in specific parts of their geography, each is a very specific discussion.

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Grand Cayman flights looking reasonable…