Conditions in Coz Early January

[tomcat114]

Hey guys is going to Cozumel in Jan a bad idea?? I keep reading that conditions are not that great during the winter. I have been reading alot of the MB and there has been sporadic talk about crappy conditions during winter time. Higher winds no diving stronger current alot less visablity. etc...

Coming from Minnesota it can be pretty cold from 20 above to 20 below going to 75 to 80 sounded pretty nice. I would be sick if the winds didnt let us go diving considering this will be my wifes and mine's first Big vacation.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

Hey guys is going to Cozumel in Jan a bad idea?? I keep reading that conditions are not that great during the winter. I have been reading alot of the MB and there has been sporadic talk about crappy conditions during winter time. Higher winds no diving stronger current alot less visablity. etc...

Coming from Minnesota it can be pretty cold from 20 above to 20 below going to 75 to 80 sounded pretty nice. I would be sick if the winds didnt let us go diving considering this will be my wifes and mine's first Big vacation.

During the winter months there may a norte, a cold front, that blows through. If it's strong enough the harbormaster may close the harbor for a day or two. Sometimes it will be closed in the morning and open in the afternoon.

As far as vis goes it could drop from 100 down to 75 and maybe on a bad day 50.
I always dive in a full 3 mm suit with a hood from October through April but I don't carry a lot of insulation.

Bring a warmup to wear during the surface intervals just in case the wind is blowing and there is some cloud cover.

There is current all year and depending on conditions there may be certain reefs that have stronger currents on a particular day. Let your divemaster make the call as to the reefs you need to dive. They want you to have a great time and be safe.

My wife, myself and another couple dove for seven days last January without a problem.

 

[loudives]

I always go 3rd Monday (Martin Luther King holiday weekend) and I've seen it as cold as 60 and as warm as 90. There have been times when the harbor is closed due to wind and surf conditions. Never seen it closed for more than 2 days. Those days are a good time to try the cenotes on the mainland!!!

Water temp will be mid to high 70's with vis. of 75-150'. Coming from Minnesota in Jan even 60 is nice.

Don't forget anyplace you go can have bad weather so DON"T WORRY enjoy what you get and if you can't dive 1 day SHOP, EAT, GET DRUNK, HAVE SEX, SLEEP LATE, what ever your into.

I'LL be there Jan 18-23 staying in town at the El Marques diving with Raul of WWW.Bottomtimedivers.net

It gets cold in the Chicago burbs that time also. So I leave the wife at home and head south.

LOU

 

[dartref]

My wife and I have been with a group the last two years in both January and August each year. We have never had a problem or missed a dive during any of our 4 trips. Maybe we've been lucky, but I'll take it! We usually dive in full 3mil suits, but then we usually do that on all dives just as protection more than anything else. We are currently planning this next year's trips. Given the comments of others, you might miss a day or two of diving, but odds are you'll dive every day. And even if you don't get to dive one day, there are PLENTY of other things to do. In fact, we cancelled a couple of our afternoon dives this last trip so we could go do some of those other things we haven't had time to do before on other trips. Go, don't worry, you'll have fun!

 

[polysemous1]

I was there for 2 weeks+ in Jan 07. Never wore more than a diveskin. We did get rain a few times, but no harbor closings. I had a pair of jeans with me but didn't wear them at all. Lotsa cruise boats though, lotsa cruise boats. sigh.

 

[Jackie]

I wore a 3mm in April and was still cold (partly due to the fit of the suit). Wearing a hood took care of the floodlng done the neck.
A few other women were cold as well, even with wetsuits. The men seem fine.
Even this August everyone on our boat wore some sort of thermal protection. If you are doing a lot of diving on consecutive days, it is possible to get cold. Thats why the DM's always wear something.
In the cold months the main thing to remember is something warm to put on between dives when it is easy to chill.

 

[Debbie O]

January is high season. That means lots of people are visiting the island enjoying the weather, the diving, the atmosphere. Nobody is going to guarantee perfect weather for a week, but thousands of visitors can't be wrong. Be sure to make your reservations early. Then relax, enjoy, it's Cozumel!

 

[jjwdiver]

Tomcat... c'mon man get real. We just need to get out of here and anywhere is nice in the winter!

Seriously, my wife and I go every year (5 in a row now) to Coz for a week or longer around the 10th of January (our anniversary) and have always had good weather, great viz (much better than Wazee Lake in Wisconsin...duh). We get a little liquid sunshine every now and then, but nothing dampens the vacation.

I figure as long as I dont need a shovel and Sorels...

 

[sbissell3]

I've been diving Cozumel for 20+ years. Anytime is good IMHO. You may encounter some winds and rain, but chances are it will be nice and warm during the day and cool in the evening. One advantage to January is that the water is slightly cooler and thus you have a better chance of seeing bigger fish such as Spotted Eagle Rays and even something besides a nurse shark. I recommend Aldora Divers and if you are an experienced diver ask if they'll do a dive on Barricuda. It is considered 'Advanced,' but only because if you miss your pickup boat the next stop is Havana. A fast dive over pristine reef with a good chance of seeing big schools of rays and sometimes bull sharks. Whatever time of year, Cozumel is the best. :14:

 

[Madrone]

I was in Cozumel for a month over christmas and through January. It was mostly great. Some days were cloudy which made the reefs darker. It rained once in a while. Seas were mostly calm and would pic up in the afternoons, but nothing compared to Palau seas..6ft waves crashing on me. Sometimes it would be chilly on the way home from the last dive. Back in town its almost always humid and warm. Im going on Dec 1st for 17 days..