Saipan Conditions - March '07 ???

[RikRaeder]

Can any Saipan divers clue me in as to the conditions this year? I'll be headed down in a couple of weeks and heard that some sites are less than optimal. Thanks

 

[Purr]

Hi Rik
Seems like the weather in Saipan is not stable right now
Rainy and the current quite strong
I am going to Saipan on March 8, hope the weather will be better when i am there!!

 

[dasaint]

Hi Guys I am in Saipan right now but sorry weather is bad until the March 9 due to weather disturbance near guam. Lao- Lao and obayan would be wee bit dangerous as rip tides are bad . Grotto should be sheltered but I need to check that . I will be diving on sunday

 

[RikRaeder]

Thanks for the info, folks. I'll be diving on 3/21-3/24. I've heard that the N side is pretty bad (grotto?). Please let us know how it goes after your dives, Dasaint. Thanks again.

 

[riverserf]

I know this is an old posting but in case anyone is trying to do research for a future Saipan dive in March...I was there in mid-March and the conditions were great. No storms, great visibility though I don't know how many meters...maybe 40 or so? I'm not great at estimating that but it was as good as I had in Boracay or Koh Chang, Thailand. There is another thread with a more detailed review....I'll have to look up the link.

 

[RikRaeder]

Since this has been revived, I"ll second Riverserf. Conditions in mid-March were great...however. Reports from DMs and Captains were that there have been prevailing Northerly currents and winds for most of this year which is apparently unseasonal. Grotto has been iffy as well as most sites on the N side of the island. As I said, during my visit in mid-March conditions were great. I dove Grotto every day, but the last day things got a bit rough and I actually turned back early. Don't know what happened after that day, if it was just a patch of good weather or things righted themselves. Hopefully the latter. Any Saipan locals feel free to correct me on any errors.