Anybody having any luck diving this week? With small craft advisory we have been unable to dive all week. My dive buddy does not want to dive the cenotes so we are pretty much stuck waiting for the wind to die down.:( :shakehead
Playa del Carman port has been closed as well. 20 knot winds from the north are preventing our boat from diving. Any bigger boats going out?
Our only option is a shore dive from EAST side :11: of island. Anyone know of any good shore dives over there. Shore dives from West side of island are impossible due to heavy currents and winds.
Christi
November 22nd, 2006, 12:52 PM
Ports are closed, none of us can control the weather. It's the truth. Trust me, we (dive ops) want to get you out diving as much as you do....we can't pay the bills if we can't send our divers out! Lucky for you, you've only missed 2 days. This is day 7 for us!
scubawife
November 22nd, 2006, 12:58 PM
Ports are closed, none of us can control the weather. It's the truth. Trust me, we (dive ops) want to get you out diving as much as you do....we can't pay the bills if we can't send our divers out! Lucky for you, you've only missed 2 days. This is day 7 for us!
OMG! SEVEN DAYS?!? That has got to be a new record for a Norte.
heiligenwho
November 22nd, 2006, 01:00 PM
I understand the dive ops have been shutdown as well. I feel bad as this should be a good revenue weekend and is much needed by all. Appreciate any ideas for shore dives on east side.
Moodiejeff
November 22nd, 2006, 02:57 PM
Just got back last night... it was so windy and cold on Tues. morning I had to wear pants! It's a private joke that my wife will get... but i think you get the gist :confused:
We missed diving on Friday & Monday, Friday we chose not to go out as we had no desire to dive with Dive Paradise (ha ha, just stoking the flames :mooner:).
Monday the port was completely closed (as well as Tuesday, and from what I gather, today).
Saturday & Sunday Christi had to rent big boats to get us out in the water (which we do appreciate!)
heiligenwho - we spent part of Friday snorkeling at Chen Rio, we went out a ways to about 15-20 ft. and the vis was pretty bad despite it being calm. That being said there were some boats of fishermen there, perhaps they could recommend something (not that I think it's a very good idea... really, I don't).
kentmorrdave
November 22nd, 2006, 06:06 PM
aldora dives on the east side. Call Memo
Moodiejeff
November 22nd, 2006, 07:13 PM
aldora dives on the east side. Call Memo
Pffttt! Good luck! If the port is closed that boat is full of Aldora's customers (if it's even allowed to go out).
alcina
November 22nd, 2006, 07:20 PM
I feel your pain, Christi! Hope the weather clears up soon - being landlocked really sucks!
Christi
November 22nd, 2006, 09:17 PM
I actually did get my divers lined out today. Five did cenotes and boat dives on the mainland and the other 8 we took to the other side we jsut got back but we got two tanks in and it was a solution for today anyway! The dives were nice but nothing to write home about. I have some ideas and solutions about how to handle future marathon nortes :)
We'll see what tomorrow holds, but it doesn't look like tomorrow's weather is going to be any better. Pray for us...haha!
jlyle
November 22nd, 2006, 09:35 PM
Maybe it's time to sacrifice a few virgins to Kukulkan, the Mayan God of the Wind.
OMG! SEVEN DAYS?!? That has got to be a new record for a Norte.
It is and it's not over! And of course it comes at "opening week" of high season after an extremely low, low year following Hurricane Wilma. We're all doing weather chants, dances, prayers, rituals...whatever it takes...haha!
It's been a tough stressful week, I won't lie!
loudives
November 22nd, 2006, 10:51 PM
Ports are closed, none of us can control the weather. It's the truth. Trust me, we (dive ops) want to get you out diving as much as you do....we can't pay the bills if we can't send our divers out! Lucky for you, you've only missed 2 days. This is day 7 for us!
Don't worry Christi!!!! I will be there Dec 1 about 5 pm. I will stand on the ferryboat pier facing south. Bending over and grabbing my ankles, I guaranty that I can make the wind change and blow north. It's a good thing your shop is south of the pier.
PS Don't strike a match between 5 and 5:30 pm.
Lou
heiligenwho
November 23rd, 2006, 08:28 AM
We took the ferry to the mainland on wednesday and got 2 tanks in. Luckily with the wind shift their port was finally open. We enjoyed our dives and saw tons of very large turtles, nurse sharks, and a giant eel. Good times.
looks like we may be renting a big boat today.:shakehead
Christi
November 23rd, 2006, 08:47 AM
We took the ferry to the mainland on wednesday and got 2 tanks in. Luckily with the wind shift their port was finally open. We enjoyed our dives and saw tons of very large turtles, nurse sharks, and a giant eel. Good times.
looks like we may be renting a big boat today.:shakehead
Don't get your hopes up too high. It doesn't look good. The report will be in about 20 minutes with a decision from the harbor master.
Nevis Diver
November 23rd, 2006, 01:03 PM
I'll be down there tomorrow through Friday, Dec. 1. Hope it calms down by then. Christi, based on the conditions shown at bouyweather would it be likely that the harbor would close for smaller boats?
Christi
November 23rd, 2006, 01:09 PM
The port just opened for all boats!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mawg
November 23rd, 2006, 01:32 PM
Pffttt! Good luck! If the port is closed that boat is full of Aldora's customers (if it's even allowed to go out).
Moodie,
Did you stay at the Presidente and if so, how was it?
Moodiejeff
November 23rd, 2006, 04:26 PM
Moodie,
Did you stay at the Presidente and if so, how was it?
No, this was a real budget trip for us... we stayed at Caribe Blu (and loved it). I considered staying there [Presidente] 2 days at the end of the trip but am thankful we did not considering how the weather turned sour. It would have been interesting to see what rate they would have given me walking in off the street.
It was our intention to go to The Presidente and check it out but we both decided with the rate hikes it's unlikely we'll be staying there anytime soon. OK, never say never but we don't spend a lot of time at the resort anymore, we're either diving, eating or sleeping. If it would have been open this summer we would have stayed there and gotten married on the beach, that much I can assure you. It has a special place in our hearts.
From passing on the boats it looks really nice, definitely different. A lot more grass where there used to be sand, new paint scheme etc. Layout looks pretty much the same... Scuba Du is still in the same place. I didn't notice if they rebuilt the other pier (the one that fell apart 4 years ago ) so i'm assuming they did not. They were still working on the rooms closest to the calleta. I didn't see anybody walking around or laying on the beach but it was pretty windy towards the end of our trip :D. If anybody's going there anytime soon, you'll probably have the place to yourselves.
My real question is how the house reef fared (probably not too well considering what happened to the hotel), that was one nice shore dive. If that miraculously survived somehow, staying there in the summer (with more available sunlight) would look a lot more appealing.
And no, I did not do the shore dive at Caribe Blu either... it was our intention to do so on Friday but Pina Colada's at Chen Rio & Coconuts put the kabosh on that idea... plus the wind kicked up and the surf was pretty bad. Hmmm, now that I think of it, I never did get my $12 back :shakehead
I uploaded most of my photos from this trip Here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffmoyer/sets/72157594388834875/) if anyone's interested.
Moodiejeff
November 23rd, 2006, 04:58 PM
I actually did get my divers out today.
So you were probably the only one's diving on the island yesterday? Good for you girl!
See that people? Now you know why we all love Christi so much. She goes way out of her way to make sure her customers are satisfied.
I'm sure you're happy the port is open though ;)
Christi
November 23rd, 2006, 05:21 PM
So you were probably the only one's diving on the island yesterday? Good for you girl!
See that people? Now you know why we all love Christi so much. She goes way out of her way to make sure her customers are satisfied.
I'm sure you're happy the port is open though ;)
Yes, I am SOOO happy that the port is open! I just pray that it stays that way.
We weren't the ONLY ones, but almost the only ones. Aldora had their boat on the east side, and a couple of other shops had instructors and students doing shore dives/certification dives on the other side. I know ALison took her divers to Playa del Carmen and did two boat dives over there with Tank Ha in the afternoon. Five of my divers were set up over on the mainland doing cenotes dives or boat dives as well, thanks to the help of Dennis (Diablo Divers).
It wasn't a perfect solution, but my divers really wanted to dive and were ok with the resources we had available to us yesterday :) I'm already working on a solid solution for future nortes, but it will take some time to get everything ready.
Happy Thankgiving!!!
I am thankful today that the port is open now and we are working and our divers are diving....that IS what they came to Cozumel to do!
Nevis Diver
November 23rd, 2006, 06:31 PM
Jeff,
Nice pictures. Was the seahorse at San Francisco? Is the grey cat Misha?
Mawg
November 23rd, 2006, 08:35 PM
No, this was a real budget trip for us... we stayed at Caribe Blu (and loved it). I considered staying there [Presidente] 2 days at the end of the trip but am thankful we did not considering how the weather turned sour. It would have been interesting to see what rate they would have given me walking in off the street.
It was our intention to go to The Presidente and check it out but we both decided with the rate hikes it's unlikely we'll be staying there anytime soon. OK, never say never but we don't spend a lot of time at the resort anymore, we're either diving, eating or sleeping. If it would have been open this summer we would have stayed there and gotten married on the beach, that much I can assure you. It has a special place in our hearts.
From passing on the boats it looks really nice, definitely different. A lot more grass where there used to be sand, new paint scheme etc. Layout looks pretty much the same... Scuba Du is still in the same place. I didn't notice if they rebuilt the other pier (the one that fell apart 4 years ago ) so i'm assuming they did not. They were still working on the rooms closest to the calleta. I didn't see anybody walking around or laying on the beach but it was pretty windy towards the end of our trip :D. If anybody's going there anytime soon, you'll probably have the place to yourselves.
My real question is how the house reef fared (probably not too well considering what happened to the hotel), that was one nice shore dive. If that miraculously survived somehow, staying there in the summer (with more available sunlight) would look a lot more appealing.
And no, I did not do the shore dive at Caribe Blu either... it was our intention to do so on Friday but Pina Colata's at Chen Rio & Coconuts put the kabosh on that idea... plus the wind kicked up and the surf was pretty bad. Hmmm, now that I think of it, I never did get my $12 back :shakehead
I uploaded most of my photos from this trip Here (http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffmoyer/sets/72157594388834875/) if anyone's interested.
Moodie,
Thanks so very much for the report, knew I could count on you. I'll be at the Presidente next May 2nd. I'll give a complete report when I get back.
Moodiejeff
November 23rd, 2006, 08:45 PM
Jeff,
Nice pictures. Was the seahorse at San Francisco? Is the grey cat Misha?
Thanks! The cat is the resident cat at Caribe Blu (named Blu?). Damn things know that I'm allergic to them 'cause they always seem to want to be on my lap.
We did get to play with Misha one day, she's a cutie! The pics are still on my camera.... I'll put one up later.
Lil' Jefe (the seahorse) was on Paradise... I'm very proud to say that I found it myself. He was really tiny and I couldn't get a good pic (that was in focus). The plan was to go back to get a better pic but the Norte took care of that idea. :light:
To Pedro's credit he was going to take me on a shore dive and swim out to the reef on Monday (since the port was closed) but the waves were just too rough... Once again, Christi and her crew will go to great lengths to make sure you get the most out of your vacation experience.
DiveandPuttGuy
November 24th, 2006, 03:54 PM
Good Luck finding the Virgins! Maybe we can sacrifice some politicians instead!
Bad weather always passes eventually. I hope you're all on the reef soon.
akbpilot
November 24th, 2006, 09:49 PM
Nice pics Jeff!!! What are you using for a camera?
Moodiejeff
November 24th, 2006, 10:59 PM
Nice pics Jeff!!! What are you using for a camera?
Thanks! Underwater shots are with an Olympus 5060 & Inon Z-240 strobe. Top side are with an Olympus SP-350 which is my backup underwater camera if need be.
None of them have been photoshopped (yet) except for cropping, I'd like to clean some of them up a bit.
