Diving after Irene

RamJack Seawall · Sep 1, 2011

Hey all, as you can see I don't post much usually just browse but I did have a question for whoever wants to chime in. I live in NC and as you know we got hit pretty good by the storm. Majority of the dive shops are starting back charters this weekend but I have been told that our usual spots where we get anywhere from 50-100' vis are at 1-5' as of Monday. Is 5 days usually enough time for the vis to come back at least some after a hurricane? Ive also been told that alot of the aquatic life (sand tiger sharks) usually move to deeper water. Just hope this storm didn't ruin it for us for this season.

Togalive · Sep 1, 2011

I dont think the sharks are gone

Scuba_Noob · Sep 1, 2011

Related to your original question, how has the hurricane affected the flora and fauna we see while diving?

How do hurricanes and storm affect marine life in general? I assume shallower waters (e.g., under 20 feet) are significantly affected and many mobile animals move to deeper waters.

I'm visiting the Dominican in May, and I'm just wondering if there will be less stuff to see while scuba diving.

g1138 · Sep 2, 2011

There was a similar post asking this question regarding visibility and hurricanes.
Here's what I posted:

Hurricanes draw up nutrient rich water from the bottom of the ocean (nutrients can cause bad viz). This influx of nutrients can allow for blooms of micro organisms that may either take the form of algae, plankton, or Harmful Algae Blooms (which may or may not be algae AND may or may not be biologically harmful to humans: FUN FACT)
Blooms will definitely cause bad viz.

A bloom will quickly eat up the nutrients in the water . However the bloom itself may take a while to die out even after the nutrients are depleted. In which case visibility will be prolonged for a bit longer until the bloom dies off and the small decaying bodies drift back down to the benthic. And unfortunately micro organisms don't exactly sink all that fast.

So concerning visibility, I think 5 days is pushing it when you're shore diving. Near shore you probably won't get a bloom unless the currents push them inland. But you will get debris and small particulates to add to the bad vis.

Diving out far from land visibility would depend on the currents, the microorganisms+nutrients, and where you're diving.
Common sense says most macro pelagic species will move to deeper waters once the shallows start becoming too rough.
But honestly, I can only speculate on creature distribution before, during, and after a hurricane.

RonFrank · Sep 2, 2011

If you are iching to dive take a chance. If you can wait a week or two do so unless your getting good reports. That is key, local conditions. Your local boat captains are the ones who have the best knowledge of your area.

Mike Campbell · Sep 2, 2011

The visibility is low right now, but usually will clear in several days with good weather. The scuttlebutt is that the Spar has moved some 200' and now has a list. May go look myself middle of next week......
Mike..barring Katia of course.....

yardpro · Sep 5, 2011

just a follow up on this question. I am in morehead city and here is the current situation. Olympus sent out a boat last Monday and vis was 0. they checked at the end of last week and it was still quite poor. Robert decided to cancel all dices for this weekend. Discovery diving was running boats all weekend. their tweet was 40' visibility Sat at the spar. I was in their shop sunday and heard the captains talking on the radio.. most sides were 0 vis near bottom, but decent just above the wrecks. Several captains advised that their customers wanted to spearfish above the wrecks out of the MUD layer.

Danielle's_Dives · Sep 5, 2011

I am in central Florida and our local shore diving spots off Vero Beach are still all murked up from Irene. I have been hearing better reports 90 minutes south for beach diving and less than an hour south for boat diving. Thinking about trying down by lauderdale where they said they had 15 foot viz on beach dives this weekend.
Good luck, I know it sucks when you are jonesing for a dive.

RamJack Seawall · Sep 5, 2011

yardpro:
just a follow up on this question. I am in morehead city and here is the current situation. Olympus sent out a boat last Monday and vis was 0. they checked at the end of last week and it was still quite poor. Robert decided to cancel all dices for this weekend. Discovery diving was running boats all weekend. their tweet was 40' visibility Sat at the spar. I was in their shop sunday and heard the captains talking on the radio.. most sides were 0 vis near bottom, but decent just above the wrecks. Several captains advised that their customers wanted to spearfish above the wrecks out of the MUD layer.

Yea I was also in morehead and told the same thing. They arent running anymore charters till Wednesday but I doubt that will happen also. Looks like local diving is done for a few weeks.

Diving after Irene

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