November diving

[Brodydog]

I’m making notes to save my usual October trip for next year to November and checking prices at this time of year. And I see a week in Dec also. It’s like a 2 for 1 deal!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Good viz? How were the currents? I'm guessing the air temps on Coz were ok. I appreciate the feedback.

I'd say the vis was well over 80', probably closer to 100'. The currents at Cozumel were less than some other times that I'd been there but when we got to Isla Mujeres we had to enter the water at exactly the same time or we'd drift apart. They told me to remove my weight belt before boarding and I let go of the ladder just long enough to get it off and they had to toss me a line. The vis at Isla Mujeres was not as good as Cozumel but was easily 60-80'. I'd say bring along a jacket to wear during the surface intervals. A wetsuit thicker than 3mm might be a good idea too, plus a hood.

 

[Snoweman]

I'd say the vis was well over 80', probably closer to 100'. The currents at Cozumel were less than some other times that I'd been there but when we got to Isla Mujeres we had to enter the water at exactly the same time or we'd drift apart. They told me to remove my weight belt before boarding and I let go of the ladder just long enough to get it off and they had to toss me a line. The vis at Isla Mujeres was not as good as Cozumel but was easily 60-80'. I'd say bring along a jacket to wear during the surface intervals. A wetsuit thicker than 3mm might be a good idea too, plus a hood.

Wow. That's a lot of current.

I don't dive with a wetsuit. I dove in COZ in February one year. It was chilly, but I still did it in my rash guard. During a night, a couple could not understand how I was not frozen. They were huddled in their wetsuits, while I took off my rash guard and put on a dry shirt. I don't think they understood thermodynamics.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Wow. That's a lot of current.

I don't dive with a wetsuit. I dove in COZ in February one year. It was chilly, but I still did it in my rash guard. During a night, a couple could not understand how I was not frozen. They were huddled in their wetsuits, while I took off my rash guard and put on a dry shirt. I don't think they understood thermodynamics.

I guess I don't understand thermodynamics either--I figure the colder the water the thicker the wetsuit Actually, it wasn't the water so much as the cloudy, windy surface intervals. But I was shivering so much after my first dive at Isla Mujeres that I didn't do my second dive. The two people that did cut it short. The DM said he was moving back to Puerto Vallarta Aside from that the diving from IM was very interesting with MUSA, many interesting rock formations, lots of swim-throughs, and tons of fish. Apparently lionfish don't like yellow-striped grunts. Oh, lots of elkhorn coral too. I didn't like the island nearly as much as Cozumel--way too touristy and trash everywhere and ridiculous prices on souvenirs. We did find a really good place to eat lunch after our dives--it was mostly locals.

We've had perfect weather in Cozumel in December but one time we got there just after a big storm. Lucky, I guess. We also left Pahoa two days before it erupted last month and we were staying two miles away from the eruption so I guess that verifies our luck. Plus we went on the manta ray night dive and they had 17 mantas show up! We also got to see the Kapoho Tide Pools before they were completely covered with lava, which was about two or three weeks after we were there. It will be interesting to see what nature replaces them with.

As was mentioned, one week on Cozumel could be iffy if the port is closed. We have 18 days booked in October so if there's some bad weather we should still get in lots of dives! Hopefully our luck will hold.

 

[ggunn]

Wow. That's a lot of current.

I don't dive with a wetsuit. I dove in COZ in February one year. It was chilly, but I still did it in my rash guard. During a night, a couple could not understand how I was not frozen. They were huddled in their wetsuits, while I took off my rash guard and put on a dry shirt. I don't think they understood thermodynamics.

Having the boat drift away from you while you are waiting to get aboard is largely a factor of the wind, not the current. You and the boat are in the same current.

Keeping your wetsuit on after you get out of the water, especially the part above the waist, will usually make you colder as the water evaporates from it, and wind accelerates this effect. Delta heat of vaporization is what they called it in my first semester Thermodynamics class. Getting dryer is the first thing I try to do when I get on the boat, even in warmer months.

 

[Christi]

Cozumel conditions vs Isla Mujeres conditions are not comparable - it’s apples to oranges. Cozumel is a protected barrier reef - Isla Mujeres is in a dominant windward position and wide open ocean. Might as well compare Cozumel Diving to diving the Pacific coast.

James, I have dear close friends in Leilani estates and Kapoho - spent an entire month last year (September) in Kalapana/Seaview Estates. Went to the hot pond, Champagne pools or Vacationland tide pools almost every day while there. I’ve been keeping really close tabs on it and several friends have lost everything. Hard to believe when I look at the video and photo. All of the video shown in the national news and you tube news feeds was taken by my friend Mick Kalber Tropical Visions/Paradise helicopter) He’s been documenting the eruption(s) for the last 25 years - now the flow is less than 2 blocks from his Leilani estates home . Mind blowing!

 

[JamesBon92007]

Cozumel conditions vs Isla Mujeres conditions are not comparable - it’s apples to oranges. Cozumel is a protected barrier reef - Isla Mujeres is in a dominant windward position and wide open ocean. Might as well compare Cozumel Diving to diving the Pacific coast.

James, I have dear close friends in Leilani estates and Kapoho - spent an entire month last year (September) in Kalapana/Seaview Estates. Went to the hot pond, Champagne pools or Vacationland tide pools almost every day while there. I’ve been keeping really close tabs on it and several friends have lost everything. Hard to believe when I look at the video and photo. All of the video shown in the national news and you tube news feeds was taken by my friend Mick Kalber Tropical Visions/Paradise helicopter) He’s been documenting the eruption(s) for the last 25 years - now the flow is less than 2 blocks from his Leilani estates home . Mind blowing!

I often compare apples and oranges which may be why I have communication issues

We were staying in the SW end of Nanawale Estates and just a few days after we left some of the roads were were driving on regularly were no longer there. Although we don't have friends there, the woman who's house we rented was a dear, sweet lady and we feel for her. Her home may still be intact but I doubt if it's inhabitable. The Kapoho Tide Pools were not one of those "must do" things on our trip list but if we hadn't decided to go it we would have missed ever seeing them which I think may be an important lesson. They were a favorite destination on the Hilo side of some friends of ours on the Kona side. We had taken pictures of some of the houses in Vacationland that were rentals with the idea that we would look them up and possibly stay there on a future trip. They are all gone now. For me it makes the hazards of living on a live volcano very real. We went with the intention of buying a little vacation home (probably around Ocean View or Captain Cook) and things just did not feel right so now we are glad we didn't commit ourselves. Of course, our thinking was sure, there could be an eruption some day but we are already old so who cares if it happens in 50-75 years. Since then we have become aware of how many volcanoes there are in California. I've lived here my entire life and never knew...

 

[Snoweman]

Still $404 round trip on Delta out of Atlanta. Many dates available. I checked for my buddies and they have decent airfares going through ATL, too.

 

[northernone]

I've enjoyed the last four November's diving Cozumel (117/120 days underwater). Three years ago had a few odd currents (two bad down wellings), vis down to 50ft on 7 dives, last winter a few dives I was cold and moved to a 7mm wetsuit (I'm a wimp). Warmer than this January though! However, I don't do wet surface intervals.

I'd have loved ones book in November with a fair certainty they'd be happy with the diving.

 

[Snoweman]

My wife (non-diver) is going to be joining me on this trip. While I was wanting to stay at Casa Mexicana, I don't think she would enjoy being there for a week. I don't think she would mind a few days, though. Where would be a good second stay? I don't want to stay north of Casa Mexicana.