Cozumel Reef Quality Since Hurricane Wilma

[ggunn]

It's definitely a good news/bad news situation.

The bad news is the the intricate gardenlike shallow reefs will not return to what they were before Wilma's devastation in any of our lifetimes. It's simply the flip side of the rarity of that sort of assault on what are normally very protected waters.

The good news is that there is visible and remarkable recovery going on on every reef, and even the blasted area between La Ceiba and Blue Angel has more to see every time I return, which is at least once a year. The far south end of the island and the northern reefs were not as affected; there are still large patches of finger coral on Barracuda. The deep reefs were spared a lot of Wilma's rampage as well.

It's still an incredible place to dive; I'll be going back again in 7 weeks or so.

 

[cicopo]

For me the diving is still very good, and well worth the repeat trips I make, but the snorkeling is what really lacks compared to pre Wilma. I had spent a lot of hours exploring most of the shore line from the Allegro all the way to the Palace over the years before Wilma, and my favorite area was between the Fiesta Americana, and the Presidenté which back then was incredibly rich in coral right to the very edge of the shore. Now there's a bit of new life, but I doubt it's 1% of those days. It's still entertaining, but not what it was, but the diving is still great, and the further south you get the less damage you see. Colombia Shallows is still very much what I remember the shallows being pre Wilma.

 

[5615mike]

We also have been pre and post Wilma. We dove there 3 months after Wilma. It has been great watching the gradual recovery. Some sites, like Barracuda and Maricaibo, look much like there was no Wilma. Others show it. But even they are doing well recovering. It is well worth returning and diving. Do not judge it based on "it used to be", as it doesnt. It is different, and forever changed. But very worthy of diving and we will continue to return and dive Coz again and again. Still some of the best diving there is!

Nice. I have the same rig without the strobe. I would love to have one. Maybe someday soon.

 

[agd]

Thanks for all the responses. It seems as if it is more or less what i expected....not what it was but stilla great dive location by any standard. The fabulous visibility,great drifts, spectacular topography will still be there, even if the corals and sponges are still recovering. And the topside cuisine, cervezas and margies are always great.

So, next week I will be coming back with both my long time dive buddy and our new to Cozumel pal.

Cheers

Andy

 

[CZMDM]

What disturbs me more than the original damage from the hurricanes is the massive proliferation of whatever it is that is growing all over the deeper reefs, the huge numbers of stinging hydroids and the bleaching of corals that is occuring at a rate like never before.

 

[ibj40]

What disturbs me more than the original damage from the hurricanes is the massive proliferation of whatever it is that is growing all over the deeper reefs, the huge numbers of stinging hydroids and the bleaching of corals that is occuring at a rate like never before.

What we noticed last time we were there is the apparent algal growth on the Northern end of Columbia Shallows. Seemed as the closer we got to the shallower end, the more we noticed it. I know there have been observations of nutrient loading from the Southern hotels, and this seemed to confirm it for me.