Playa del Carmen Dive Report

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

March 28, 2009: PORT CLOSED AGAIN!!!!!

The wind is blowing from the SSE at 19.5mph/17knots. The waves are 10ft/3m high. The temperature is getting hotter every day now and today it is 82F/28C. Looks like tomorrow will be better with 3.5mph/3knot winds from the SSW. But then on Monday the wind will pick back up to about 14mph/12knots.

Sent divers to Chiken-Ha Cenote and another group to Chak-Mool. Thank god for Cenotes, everyone would be out of business!

Happy Diving everyone.

 

[j_spot]

is this weather just bad luck or is this normal for this time of year?

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

December-April is known as the windy season so during this time there is always some sort of wind. The port being closed with 15 knot winds compared to the port not being closed with the same wind speed depends on the wind directing. When the wind is coming from the East at that kind of speed it is almost a guarantee that the port will be closed. So it is bad luck, but kind of expected. It usually isn't going to be that bad for that many days in a row, we were just unlucky. If you want to check the weather for Playa you can go to windguru.com and check North America, Mexico, Playa del Carmen and it will show you the entire weeks weather forecast and it is very reliable.

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

March 30, 2009: Tortugas and Sabalos

Today the weather was great. The wind was minuscule at 3.5mph/3knots blowing from the ENE. The water was flat and ready to be dived. The temperature at the time of our dive was 80F/27C. It's getting hotter!!

Tortugas: Tortugas was nice today. Visibility was not great at about 60ft/18m, but that was expected after 4 days of strong wind and waves. We saw a lot of Turtles, about 6 and tons of fish. A few big Cubera Snapper and a couple Barracuda. The water temp was 75F/24C.

Sabalos: Great dive, lost of life and a few Turtles. Saw 3 Green Moray's, some Barracuda and the always breathtaking schools of Grunts and Snapper. Visibility was okay at about 50ft/15m, but again that was expected.

On Deck for March 31, 2009: Pared Verde and Moche Shallow

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

March 31, 2009

Would have been nice if we could have done some diving on the last day of the month, but the water was really ugly this morning with the wind blowing from the SE at 19.5mph/17knots. So we left it up to the customers on whether they wanted to dive and they chose to stay on land. It looks like the weather will be like this for the remainder of the week for the most part. I am just glad we have a back up in the Cenotes. We will be going to to Chiken-Ha Cenote tomorrow.

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

April 6, 2009: Tortuga and Sabalos

Finally the wind was at ease a little bit with it blowing from the SE at 9mph/8knots. The temperatture at the time of our dive was 80F/27C.

Tortuga was really nice today with the visibility at about 70ft/21m. Current was pretty strong, but manageable and made for a very nice and relaxing dive. Saw 5 turtles and a number of Cubera Snapper. They are BACK!! We saw a huge school of Tarpon at the end of the dive, the biggest of them being probably 6ft/1.8m. Great dive!

Sabalos was nice as well with the visibility at about 55ft/16m. Lots of fish out today in large schools. Saw 3 more turtles and a few Moray's. Really nice dives today and hopefully the weather holds up for tomorrow.

Tomorrow's forecast is looking like we will have 16mph/14knot winds coming from the
North and a high of 77F/25C.

On deck for tomorrow is Tortugas and Sabalos in the AM, and Punta Venado in the afternoon.

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

The Port is closed again. It has been beautiful weather, nice and hot, but just lots and lots of wind and waves. Today the wind is blowing from the SE at 16mph/14knots and the waves are 6ft/1.8m. The high temp for today is 82F/28C.

This weather looks like it will hold until about late Wednesday or early Thursday and still it will be blowing about 10mph/9knots. Great beach weather, not so great for diving at the moment. Hopefully we will get some luck and the winds will shift soon. Cross your fingers!!

Took a group to Dos Ojos for some diving and snorkeling, this looks like it will be the daily schedule for days to come.

Take care everyone and Happy Diving!

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

April 15, 2009: Mama Vina and Barracuda

Today was a blessing, port was open and the water was calm.......more or less. Today the wind is blowing from the SE at 9mph/8knots. The high for today is 82F/28C. Great day for diving and finally we will be in some Salt water.

Mama Vina: Visibility was limited as far as Mama Vina goes at about 70ft/21m. What a great dive, a school of about 200 Permits just engulfed our group on the wreck. Tons of fish all over the wreck. Current was pretty strong at the surface, but moderate and very manageable on the wreck. Great dive and a very nice to get back in the water at Mama Vina.

Barracuda: Visibility was poor at about 40ft/12m. Very strong current throughout the dive. Saw two turtles and lots and lots of Grunts and Snapper. We saw one Barracuda hovering over the reef and a nice Southern Stingray.

Great day of diving and hopefully the weather holds up for tomorrow. The weather is looking like winds from the SE at 13mph/11knots at the time of our morning dives.

On deck for April 16, 2009: Mama Vina and Barracuda in the AM and Sabalos and Barracuda in the afternoon.

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

April 16, 2009: Mama Vina and Sabalos

Yesterday the wind was not too strong at about 8mph/7knots from the ESE. At the time of our dive the temperature was 80F/27C. Waves were at 4ft/1.2m, but we went diving so that is all that matters.

Mama Vina was great once again. The big school of Permits wasn't there again, but the huge school Barracuda was. A very nice Loggerhead towards the Stern of the boat. Visibility was about 80ft/24m and the current was a little strong on the service, but very pleasant and manageable at the bottom. Great dive as always at the Vina.

Sabalos, the visibility has been better, but was average at about 55ft/16.6m. We saw 3 turtles and a few nice Green and Spotted Moray Eels. As always the breathtaking schools of Grunts, Snapper, and Chubs. The current was super strong and has been lately at Sabalos and Barracuda. But all in all a great day of diving and so happy that the weather has held up.

 

[Geofish Dive in Playa]

April 17, 2009: Pared Verde and Moche Shallow

Today was a little windy with it blowing from the E at 14mph/12knots. The temperature at the time of our dive was 80F/27C. Little rough, but since we were going deep today we figured the dives would be fine and not affected too greatly. And we were right!!

Pared Verde was magnificent today as always though. Probably in my top 3 dives to do here in Playa. Great visibility at about 85ft/26m and the life was out in numbers today. Saw a great school of Cubera Snapper pass by us on top of the wall. 3 really big Amber Jack off in the sand. 2 nice sized Southern Sting Rays together buried in the sand. Just a really nice dive and the current was perfect. Just find your buoyancy, float along and let it go by like a movie projector.

Moche was very nice today as well. Visibility was about 60ft/18m. The bait ball isn't there yet, but the highlight of the dive was about a 2 or 3 inch orange Sea Horse just kind of swimming/hopping around the reef. Super amazing to see them, and we stayed with it for about 10 minutes just watching it slowly making it's way across the reef. Really nice dive.