Surface Conditions when diving off AC

[melissabeads]

I have read a few places that the waters can be pretty choppy when getting on and off the boats... How bad is it?

I am used to the calm Cozumel waters... :blinking: My family and I got stuck in a pretty bad swell last Nov. and that has caused me to get a little worried about my teenage boys getting back on the boat. We all have our advanced certs and have about 50 + dives.. We aren't beginners.. but still are relatively new divers IMO..

Thanks in advance for any input!

 

[oddible]

My wife and I just got back - I was the one posting all the whining about thunderstorms a couple weeks ago - which turned out to be pointless as the t-storms only reached the island at night and the days were great. It depends a lot on where you dive. The local dives from San Pedro are literally a 5 min boat ride and most of it is on the break side of the reef so no waves. Once we got on the other side of the reef we found the conditions to be pretty mellow swells 5-8ft with long periods. A couple days late in our week it got a little choppier but nothing to worry about doing a side of the boat entry. Getting out of the water was a little bit wacky but we handed our gear up to the boat captain first to make our way up the ladder less problematic.

We talked to some folks that had boated out to Turneffe and they said it was a bit rougher out there.

Our last few days in Belize people started talking about the rainy season being nearly over so perhaps the weather will play nice for the summer.

 

[Gaz]

Hey Melissa

Ambergris Caye is on the windward side therefore is not flat calm diving with exception of some days in the summer when the wind drops.

The island nearly always has a breeze coming in off the sea and this makes the sea conditions choppy. The dive sites off the island are literally 5 minutes away with the main boat journey being done on the inside of the reef which is generally very calm however too shallow to dive.

You exit the reef into the open ocean via cuts in the reef once through the reef the sea conditions depending on time of year can be 2-8ft.

You are on the dive site within a few minutes and once under the water its no different to the cozumel diving you are used to but with no current.

With 50 dives you really should not be worried at all you can handle it easily I think, especially after the first dive once you get used to the movement of the sea.

As for your teenage sons I have taken hundreds of teenager diving off Ambergris Caye and I assure you they handle things great.

Its not that rough but for people that have only dove cozumel or Bonaire the first dive can be daunting simply because there is more ocean movement however this makes you a better diver and your boys will be just fine getting back on the boat.

When you get back on the boat you remove your gear and climb up the ladder real easy.

The windiest month is normally Febuary March after those months the winds drop and the diving is considerably calmer.

Dont worry about it you and your familly will be fine and when you come back you will all be better divers

regards

Gaz

 

[melissabeads]

Thank you both!! We will be there the end of March - first week of April so hopefully the winds will have calmed down.. and if not~ your right we will come home better divers!

Funny you mention Bonaire and Cozumel.. other than Hawaii and Curacao those are the only places we have dove.

I am assuming those nice winds are also what keeps the island a little cooler and the mosquitoes down.. so they aren't all bad, right?

THANKS AGAIN!

 

[Gaz]

Thats right Melissa

Those easterly breezes keep the island cool along the coast and keeps the bugs down

Have a great trip

Gaz

 

[diverrex]

My wife and were certifed in AC. I don't remember the water being much more choppy than it can also be at Cozumel. It was fine for us beginners, lots of beginners divie off AC, so I'm sure you and the teenagers will be just fine. The diving is lots of fun off AC, lots of bigger stuff compared to some of the places you mention - nurse sharks, turtles, groupers, eagle rays, sting rays, etc.

 

[diverrex]

Remembered I had a photo taken by our dive instructor, Elbert Greer, just as we finished our final cert dive. You can see it isn't too choppy on the surface. If you look carefully enough you can see San Pedro in the background.

 

[georoc01]

We were there the first week of May last year and it was pretty windy. You pretty much had to do everything you could to minimize your time at the surface.. I'd say 5-8' swells were common. It also made for a rough ride out to the Blue Hole.

I have heard that isn't a regular occurance, but its made me think twice of going back this year to AC.

 

[peterbj7]

It's very changeable. Two days ago, for example, we had cold and pretty strong winds all day. yesterday was slightly windy. Today is dead calm. It's called variety!

 

[melissabeads]

It's very changeable. Two days ago, for example, we had cold and pretty strong winds all day. yesterday was slightly windy. Today is dead calm. It's called variety!

The spice of life! I can deal with that...

Thanks!!