Timing of morning twilight dive?

[Coral Diver]

I've heard that diving super early as the night and day shifts change and the reef awakens can be a worthwhile experience. What I can't figure out is the exact timing of such a dive vis-a-vis sunrise--i.e. do I enter the water an hour before sunrise, half an hour before, or at sunrise? I'll be in Roatan (cocoview) so I'm thinking of early morning shore dives.

 

[jadairiii]

I've always entered the water just as the horizon is turning gray, so it is still pretty dark, but you can see the false dawn.

 

[tursiops]

Good question. There are three stages of twilight: astronomical, nautical, and civil, defined by how dark it is as the sun approaches the horizon from below. For example, tomorrow in Roatan the sunrise is at 0546. Correspondingly:

I would enter the water (for a 1 hour dive) about 0500, and mostly do a night dive before the reef "turns over." The latest I would enter for a dawn dive would be 0520, and hope to catch the turnover. Have fun! In my experience, the reef turnover is more dramatic at dawn than at dusk.

 

[JackOfDiamonds]

I usually go in roughly 45 minutes prior to sunrise (given a 90 minute dive).

Gives you enough time to enjoy both the dark and the sunrise

 

[ThatDogDontHunt]

You may also want to consider the site topology with respect to morning shadows caused by the wall.

For example: morning dives off West Caicos are always in shadow because the sun has not yet risen above the wall.

I am a bit fuzzy on the wall orientation off Cocoview but you may find that morning starts sooner to the left? Or I could be backwards?