Petra:
I'm heading to Cozumel on Monday for a very short trip. Hopefully. My last three trips to Cozumel had to be cancelled last minute. 2 due to hurricanes/tropical storms going through and the 3rd due to illness. Almost had to cancel this one but the doc said I should be ok to dive. I'm going to do a quick dive in a local lake today just to make sure I can equalize my ears.
Anyway, what are the water conditions like right now? I'm assuming water temp some where in the 80's. How are the currents? Had some friends who went several months ago that got in some pretty hefty currents and a down swell (?) in one spot. That was pretty hairy from what they tell me. They also got tangled up with some "sea lice." Has this problem passed or should I just plan for it?
Thanks to all,
Mark
all year. Unless you are planning to dive Barracuda or the really advanced sites, I wouldn't get overly stressed out about the currents here. Unless you are a very advanced/experienced diver, your divemaster will not put you in these conditions...even then it's not likely.
I think many people tend to exaggerate the currents here. In my 1000+ dives here, I have experienced ONE serious downcurrent, and it was at Barracuda, on the wall. I found myself almost 40 feet deeper than planned within a matter of seconds. Santa Rosa wall is also known for fairly strong downcurrents during certain times of the year (spring), but this year has been very mild in comparison to previous years.
If you find yourself in a downcurrent, the best thing to do is to swim towards the wall and you will usually get out of it. Other tips...don't go below the divemaster, watch your guages and pay attention to you depth at all times when doing wall dives and you should be ok.
You will definitely experience currents here, but the key is to establish neutral buoyancy and let the current carry you. Don't fight it, just enjoy the ride
Water temps are 82ish, visibility is 80 - 100+ (may be murky in places for a few days after all of this rain) and like I said, currents are pretty mild, with a few exceptions (the divemasters know which sites have strong currents).
Sea lice...best advice here is to wear full exposure protection, even if it's only a skin. Thimble jellies have also been very light this year in comparison.
Have fun, be safe and let us know how your trip was when you get back!
PS: Make sure you let the dove op and the divemaster know about your potential ear problem and let them know that you will need to decend slowly.
