Port closings?

[brsnow]

Hi,
Have been to Cozumel extensively over the last 15 or so years but never in Dec and January. I don’t recall the ports ever being closed. Is this a new weather issue? Or just specific to those months? Think of a Nov trip but might do earlier if better. Thank you

 

[ChuckP]

Nortes are much more common in December, January, February and March - they bring a drop in temps and winds from a northernly direction - usually a one day event but sometimes last two days.

 

[brsnow]

Nortes are much more common in December, January, February and March - they bring a drop in temps and winds from a northernly direction - usually a one day event but sometimes last two days.

Thanks, I have been fortunate to avoid it apparently. Thank you

 

[cozcharlie]

Thanks, I have been fortunate to avoid it apparently. Thank you

As further background , closings have been a somewhat common occurrence for decades (especially during the months @ChuckP mentioned). I specifically remember it being closed at Thanksgiving for multiple days as far back as 2001. Dive shop owner was really pissed because he was missing out on $5,000/day of lost revenue.

They used to frequently close the port in stages based on boat size so the larger cattle boats were affected less often. If you dive on larger boats you might have even gone out without knowing the port was closed to smaller boats. Seems like boat-sized based closures happen less often now. The larger boats don’t help that much to reduce overall diver risk that much. Obviously reduces risk of capsizing, but doesn’t do much for risk of captain losing track of part of group in wave action , risk of being hit by passing boat while floating , ladder injuries etc. Captain has better view from higher up on large boat , but in larger wave action that only helps a little.

We had one port captain that probably closed the port more often than necessary a year or two ago. There were a lot of angry postings on scubaboard (though sometimes when people were complaining the captain was actually correct, which did not help the broader argument ). Seems like things are better now with current port captain but opinions may vary.

 

[ggunn]

As further background , closings have been a somewhat common occurrence for decades (especially during the months @ChuckP mentioned). I specifically remember it being closed at Thanksgiving for multiple days as far back as 2001. Dive shop owner was really pissed because he was missing out on $5,000/day of lost revenue.

They used to frequently close the port in stages based on boat size so the larger cattle boats were affected less often. If you dive on larger boats you might have even gone out without knowing the port was closed to smaller boats. Seems like boat-sized based closures happen less often now. The larger boats don’t help that much to reduce overall diver risk that much. Obviously reduces risk of capsizing, but doesn’t do much for risk of captain losing track of part of group in wave action , risk of being hit by passing boat while floating , ladder injuries etc. Captain has better view from higher up on large boat , but in larger wave action that only helps a little.

We had one port captain that probably closed the port more often than necessary a year or two ago. There were a lot of angry postings on scubaboard (though sometimes when people were complaining the captain was actually correct, which did not help the broader argument ). Seems like things are better now with current port captain but opinions may vary

I will just add that the direction of the wind is also important. The day after we arrived on the island (4/21) a cold front blew though that would have closed the port had the wind been from just a few points west of what it was.