Is there an April thread yet?

[cobra269]

On Tuesday last Paradise Reef both day and night dives - the current changed direction half way through the dive as other divers told me. For my first dive Wed (both shallow) the current was ripping fast. Wasn't much fun. The other divers said it was the fastest they experienced so far. Thursday Columbia Deep wasn't to bad but Santa Rosa Shallow was strong as usual. Will see today - Sat. The current strengths can change daily and DM's can only really guess how strong they will be that day, especially when your group is one of the first ones in the water that day.

 

[DoubleAA]

Current has been from tolerable to ripping every day. If you settle in and relax the current becomes less of a big deal. Learn to get close to the reef and duck behind formations to slow down. Current has been running north pretty much all week.

We just finished 4 days of diving with Aldora and dove everything from Palancar caves to way south at Maracaibo to La Francesa. Palancar caves was ripping in any of the open areas. Maracaibo was moving so fast we were off the reef and over sand in 40 minutes or so.

Last dive yesterday was Delila, La Francesa, and another site. Current was ripping but we got an 85 minute dive in. Can't complain about that. Aldora just created another hard core fan this week.

 

[mrx3000]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like anything newer divers should get into (nor like much fun, but that might just be me)

 

[ggunn]

Thanks for the info. Doesn't sound like anything newer divers should get into (nor like much fun, but that might just be me)

FWIW, my wife and first dove Cozumel as our first post cert dives and we had a great time. New divers usually do fine there; just be sure your op knows how new you are. Some sites are more prone to have current than others.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Did Villa Blanca and out in front of Coral Princess yesterday. Both were running south at a pretty decent clip.

 

[diverken374]

Did Villa Blanca and out in front of Coral Princess yesterday. Both were running south at a pretty decent clip.

Plus 5 lion fish rumour has it.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Who me??
Two went to a sculptor friend today. He was very excited about the 41cm one. Maybe I can add pics tomorrow.

 

[caseybird]

Did Santa Rosa shallows on Sunday, ripping current. Second dive on Yucab, very nice, moderate current. Afternoon dives.
Go figure.

 

[Pelagicsal]

Did Santa Rosa shallows on Sunday, ripping current. Second dive on Yucab, very nice, moderate current.

Casey, were they flowing north or south?
Neither VB nor Coral Princess dives were ripping. Current wasn't comfortable to swim against, but it was entirely possible.
You still in town?

@diverken374 Did two tanks at Maracaibo yesterday. Took a 38cm off the wall along with several of his friends there and the Shallows on the first dive (you know my keeping count...) and a 39cm off the Shallows on the second.
On the first dive, we were feeling casual and lazy, so when our bottom time was gone, we ascended to 50 and just drifted above for another 20+ minutes. I saw a fair-sized stand of stag horn coral (!) and so many huge healthy coral heads. I don't think I'd ever drifted above and toured Maracaibo for so long. It was amazing. I'd love to do that every time I'm out of bottom time there!
And my lionfish is waiting for me at Kelley's, to be ceviche and fried.

 

[ggunn]

Did Santa Rosa shallows on Sunday, ripping current. Second dive on Yucab, very nice, moderate current. Afternoon dives.
Go figure.

What's to figure? We know that currents along the western shore of Cozumel are very variable from site to site, day to day, and time to time.