Why Come to Coz in January?

[uncfnp]

What is “the harbor” in Cozumel. Obviously its more than just the marina. I assume that it is the entire west side? But not the East side?

 

[Christi]

@Christi, just to clarify, so if it is "closed for all aquatic activities", people can't even go to Chankanaab park and scuba dive or snorkel there too?

Correct - if it is closed for aquatic activities, means no snorkeling, no shore diving, etc.

 

[scubadada]

...When the boats in SE Florida cancel does that mean all the beaches are closed and nobody can shore dive, snorkel, swim, or wade into the water from the beach?

No, the decision for a boat not to go out is individual, there is no overriding authority. If an operator decides to go out in a small craft advisory, that's their business. Inlets vary in difficulty. Of the three I use, Boynton is the most difficult, Jupiter is intermediate, and West Palm is the most forgiving. Frequently, if I can't get out in Boynton, I may be able to get out of one of the other inlets. Of course, sometimes nobody goes out, and neither do I. Sometimes I still go out at Blue Heron Bridge.

The guarded beaches have a flag warning system that ranges from low hazard to closed to the public. The guard(s) enforce the warnings. At unguarded beaches, you are on your own. The beach I ride my bike to most frequently when I am not diving, is unguarded.

 

[uncfnp]

I have visited Cozumel twice during January. Each time we lost at least one day of diving due to nortes. Even if the port is not closed, I am a wimp with a low tolerance to getting cold and never seemed to be able to warm up during surface intervals. Now, my favorite time to visit the island is in Oct. We have also lost days when the ENE winds come through, but the fronts seem shorter lived. Overall, the conditions are more tolerable with the warm water and comfortable surface intervals. I have to also mention that I was not keen on Dave's post stating that even during norte's he is out diving the east side while everyone else is stuck on the beach. I feel it is basically summarized as "If you absolutely have to dive in Jan. use my dive op to assure maximum dive days. " While it is probably true, too much self promotion, self congratulatory for my palate.

Which leads one to wonder if Dave is putting his business where his self promotion is and diving the east side during the past weeks. I know he did once. I think it was toward the end of December but anything since?

 

[ReefHound]

It sounds like a logistical nightmare currently. I don't know about the feasibility but I'd love to see someone - maybe a consortium - build a pier and boat launch over there so that dive ops could operate there on a regular basis.

 

[scubadada]

It sounds like a logistical nightmare currently. I don't know about the feasibility but I'd love to see someone - maybe a consortium - build a pier and boat launch over there so that dive ops could operate there on a regular basis.

Original post deleted, I misunderstood, did not catch on that you were referring to the East side

 

[Dave Dillehay]

Dear UNCFNP,

There is nothing I can say to you other than that we have always tried to serve our divers above and beyond the norm, even while losing money to do so in most cases. There is no reason your OP can't do the same.

No more

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Sloeber]

Bit of an understatement there . In the winter, I used to dive a 7mil 2-piece farmer john, and every diver i knew was wrapped in as much neoprene as they could get their hands on. I can't even recall how many trips I've been on where everybody on the boat was shivering and miserable, with the boat slamming them every couple seconds, all the way to the 2nd dive, and then again back to the caletta, and afterwards saying, "well, damn, that sure sucked!!" A bit chilly, wasn't a problem, these other days were.
That was dave's (and my) point. No one is saying "at all costs, don't come down in the winter, you're gonna be miserable and maybe get killed", he was just giving folks a heads-up on the seasonal realites in that part of the world. It's no different than telling folks that the worst time to go vist New Orleans or Pheonix Arizona, is during the blazing heat of summer.

Get a grip. First, you sound terribly jaded about Cozumel. I don't know you, but wow. Maybe step away from the keyboard or something. Secondly, I dive year round in Cozumel with no wetsuit. I did 4 dives two days ago in my rashy with cloudy skies and rainy skies and 76 degree water.My head DM today did 4 dives no wetsuit. Let's not act like Cozumel suddenly became the arctic circle.

 

[Mark IV]

Get a grip. First, you sound terribly jaded about Cozumel. I don't know you, but wow. Maybe step away from the keyboard or something. Secondly, I dive year round in Cozumel with no wetsuit. I did 4 dives two days ago in my rashy with cloudy skies and rainy skies and 76 degree water.My head DM today did 4 dives no wetsuit. Let's not act like Cozumel suddenly became the arctic circle.

Well, thanks a pant-load for dredging up this old post/thread and dragging me back into this little pissing contest !
Anyway, no, I'm not at all jaded about Cozumel, I love the place, always have. But we're talking about winter weather here, which the majority of the human race agree, largely sucks, ( and especially so if you're wet and getting hammered by wind and waves). That isn't a 'jaded' assault on Cozumel, it's a simple physiological fact.
As for you and your trusty sidekick doing 4 tank days all winter long in no wetsuit, well, assuming this is even true, you're a tougher man than me ( and tougher than EVERY divemaster and instructor I ever knew down there, who ALL wore lots of thermal protection in the winter, and the vast majority of them, all year round.)

 

[northernone]

Get a grip. First, you sound terribly jaded about Cozumel. I don't know you, but wow. Maybe step away from the keyboard or something. Secondly, I dive year round in Cozumel with no wetsuit. I did 4 dives two days ago in my rashy with cloudy skies and rainy skies and 76 degree water.My head DM today did 4 dives no wetsuit. Let's not act like Cozumel suddenly became the arctic circle.

I agree personal comfort, body type (body fat for insulation), metabolism, exertion and dive profile (duration particularly) all factor into what exposure protection is required on a dive.

Diving last week I was glad for my 7mm and one day layered on another 2/3mm over it. Still ended the dive chilled.

Beyond reporting water temperature, air temperature, and weather it's very much a personal comfort factor what determines what's necessary exposure protection or what is a "cold" dive day.

If my dive logistics don't involve a chainsaw, it isn't cold out.

Cheers,
Cameron

P.s. Took the liberty of looking up your photo off your online advertising, confirmed I'm seeing a rashguard. You sure are an anomaly among dives here.