Port closure

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BTW y'all have the same info I get: www.windguru.com and weather.com. Combine that with info from South Texas and you will have as much as me.

On the other hand BRT, if you have the options to stay in PDC and come to Cozumel—Whats the problem?
Well, never actually stayed in Playa. PM, Tulum, Cancun, Mahajual, Xcalak, Bacalar. But never PDC. No problem. Seen ports closed many times. First time in Cancun in November, 1996. Finally chartered a Cessna to Cozumel to get in a couple dives because the ferry wasn't running. But in all the cases I've seen, when the port was closed, it probably needed to be closed.
 
May I ask why not? I tagged along with a friend doing a discover SCUBA dive there last year. Seems easy-peazy. Unfortunately we couldn't get out to the little reef as she had problems clearing. There's a map floating around here somewhere and it looks to be an easy dive, 25-35' max.

I'd just like someplace that I can practice my underwater photography, and the typical Coz dive boat just doesn't cut it. From what I've read there's very little current at Tikila, and I've seen some great photos from that little reef. The biggest problem would seem to be where to park the scooter.

Ray isn't diving that little reef - he's going way beyond it and as he's said, you really need lots of navigational experience to do that. No one in their right mind would recommend going out to the wall from a shore dive - it's not to say it doesn't happen.

The reef you are talking about is just south of Tikila, it's a great shore dive as long as the current isn't too bad. You can park right there in front of Tikila. I park in front of the dive boutique (moto) and enter at Cozumel Marine World cause we know people there - it's all the same. I'm not sure if you can rent tanks from CMW or not. They do a lot of shore diving and DSD classes in that area.

Just something about shore diving - one night dive there - we get in the water and all is fine, 15 minutes later, the current starts ripping so bad that you could not make headway directly against the current and it virtually was a claw your way back to shore along the bottom - the conditions changed in a snap.
 
You can't open the port and say, hey there's weather coming in later today, let's wrap it up by noon, by one o'clock???

For that matter, we all knew this weather was coming, why can't the Port Captain the DAY BEFORE put out a notice that tomorrow doesn't look good, let's get it wrapped up by noon or something??

How many divers were left sitting on the beach today, most probably for the second time in this trip while they stare out at a calm ocean??

Sure, we appreciate the safety concerns and today's weather did change dramatically, just like the forecast called for but someone really better understand why some folks come here.
Why not? The port is regularily closed after the boats are all out.
 
Why not? The port is regularily closed after the boats are all out.

One of us misunderstands LOL - I think it should have been opened with a set time to close it based on the forecast or yes, call out over the radio that it's closed - they all should have dove today!!!!!
 
One of us misunderstands LOL - I think it should have been opened with a set time to close it based on the forecast or yes, call out over the radio that it's closed - they all should have dove today!!!!!
Gotcha! I thought you were saying they couldn't do that. My mistake.
 
May I ask why not? I tagged along with a friend doing a discover SCUBA dive there last year. Seems easy-peazy. Unfortunately we couldn't get out to the little reef as she had problems clearing. There's a map floating around here somewhere and it looks to be an easy dive, 25-35' max.

I'd just like someplace that I can practice my underwater photography, and the typical Coz dive boat just doesn't cut it. From what I've read there's very little current at Tikila, and I've seen some great photos from that little reef. The biggest problem would seem to be where to park the scooter.

Doesn't sound like we are talking about the same dive. If you want to put in a Tikila and putter around between shore and the little 10' relief line at about 30' depth, or drift in 25' north, that's easy-peazy. We were talking about swimming out 1000 yards to the 40' and deeper reef that the boats dive on, drifting north a mile, then swimming back to shore. It's risky because you are a long long way from shore and you have no boat support.

The near-shore dive is nice and I've done that a dozen or so times. To put it in perspective, when you get to the mini-wall there, you're about a quarter of the way. We've rented tanks from Tikila, CMW, and Roberta's. The mini-wall actually turns and comes very close to shore because of the channel cut for the sub. The coral nursery platform is also near there, a bit south of the sub pier.
 
Doesn't sound like we are talking about the same dive. If you want to put in a Tikila and putter around between shore and the little 10' relief line at about 30' depth, or drift in 25' north, that's easy-peazy. We were talking about swimming out 1000 yards to the 40' and deeper reef that the boats dive on, drifting north a mile, then swimming back to shore. It's risky because you are a long long way from shore and you have no boat support.
I've done that a few times, but I don't think the wall is 1000 yards offshore. We went in at La Ceiba and surface swam out through the sailboat moorings, then we dropped to the bottom and swam out to the wall; it wasn't that far.

One time we did that dive we gave a boat captain and his mate a nice tip to let us hitch a ride with them to the Caleta but to drop us on the wall out in front of La Ceiba. They dropped us off; we drifted down the Villablanca Wall to the pier at Papa Hog's. It was very cool.

I hasten to add that I have been diving Cozumel for 25+ years. What I have been describing may or may not not be appropriate for Cozumel Newbies, no offense intended.
 
I meant 1000 feet. Yards would be over half a mile.
 
There is a video taken from the golf course of one of the passion island ferries. It on FB Cozumel 4 You
Even 40’+ boats had issues in the afternoon.
 
Don't travel in winter if you want to avoid wintertime problems. Okay, the risky period is longer than that. Cozumel is great six months of the year. Other weather can happen, sure, but nortes at times from October thru April. See Historical Port Closures by month/year for Cozumel

Summertime trips are great. Hurricanes are rare, they give plenty of warning, and all providers are eager to cooperate is you need to reschedule. They don't want you traveling or visiting in a hurricane either.


Sadly, that looks unlikely for now - subject to change...

View attachment 559530

Could Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning be possible? I guess it's unlikely if the port captain isn't back to work until Tuesday...

Edit: just saw a 40ft dive boat heading south??
 
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