Norte coming Nov 2023

[Tunaman68]

My group suffered through the mess from 31 Oct 2023 to 6 Nov 2023. Only got two dives on 5 November. Every morning I looked at the water and ironically, the water was often better on days before they opened the port for a short while on the 5th. If they would let the boats go out early and return by about noon, they would have been better off. I would have taken my 23 ft center console out in water like I saw on most days. On the second dive getting back in the boat was dicey.
What is really sad is that when the port is closed, the whole island is closed to ALL water sports. Check out this picture on 2 November and tell me why I should not be in the water? There were a lot of unhappy folks and many threatening to never return.

Chipb

I left a few days before this. We had one week of bad conditions from Oct 14-21 where the port was closed two days and then open two days but prob should have been closed - the result being two small boats flipped while coming around the cruise ships dumping a bunch of snorkelers into the sea. We even had a hairy ride home on a smaller dive boat after a night dive that same week. The following week Oct 22-29 conditions were excellent but we heard that another big front was coming and I watched your holiday get destroyed day by day.

I really felt for you guys as I watched wind Guru every day. For the last several years in Nov, Feb, and March I've been loosing days every trip. It was one big reason I wanted to go for two weeks and try October which is almost after hurricane but before Norte season.

 

[ggunn]

There were a lot of unhappy folks and many threatening to never return.

Ya pays yer money and ya takes yer chances.

 

[NDL_Diver]

My group suffered through the mess from 31 Oct 2023 to 6 Nov 2023. Only got two dives on 5 November. Every morning I looked at the water and ironically, the water was often better on days before they opened the port for a short while on the 5th. If they would let the boats go out early and return by about noon, they would have been better off. I would have taken my 23 ft center console out in water like I saw on most days. On the second dive getting back in the boat was dicey.
What is really sad is that when the port is closed, the whole island is closed to ALL water sports. Check out this picture on 2 November and tell me why I should not be in the water? There were a lot of unhappy folks and many threatening to never return.

Chipb

As with this Norte, the wind direction was just North enough to close the port. The South part of the island curves giving it a more South West exposure. The winds in the South part often looks calm where in town it is rough. The picture shows sand. It was taken probably pretty far South of town.
People staying at the big resorts (Iberostar, Allegro....) have often chime in and say it perfectly calm here, why can't we dive?

 

[mikeycanuk]

Christmas Day 2022 was wild and WET. Wonder what '23 holds? Still better than freezing at home anyday.

 

[gopbroek]

My group suffered through the mess from 31 Oct 2023 to 6 Nov 2023. Only got two dives on 5 November. Every morning I looked at the water and ironically, the water was often better on days before they opened the port for a short while on the 5th. If they would let the boats go out early and return by about noon, they would have been better off. I would have taken my 23 ft center console out in water like I saw on most days. On the second dive getting back in the boat was dicey.
What is really sad is that when the port is closed, the whole island is closed to ALL water sports. Check out this picture on 2 November and tell me why I should not be in the water? There were a lot of unhappy folks and many threatening to never return.

Chipb

Makes perfect sense except the Pirate fleet, particularly the overloaded unpermitted snorkel boats, would push the limit and not return when the closure goes out by radio and then get in trouble.

 

[ReadyTo Dive]

Got in 1 (95 min) dive this morning but seas were rough, rains moved in and the port was quickly closed. Hopefully we will have a normal weather day tomorrow so we can hit some northern sites.

 

[gopbroek]

Port open at 8