Post-hurricane diving

I'll be in Cozumel in two weeks and Hurricane Claudette should hit the
island sometime Friday morning. Has anyone been to a resort after a major
storm like this shortly afterwards? I'm more concerned about reef/diving
impact than Carlos 'n Charlies' Any reassurances, truthful or otherwise
would be appreciated. Would hate to be there for 10 days without being able
to get any quality diving in. Thanks.

"Michael La Rocque" <mjarl@rcnchicago.com> wrote in message
news:bejv7l$nm5$1@bob.news.rcn.net...
> I'll be in Cozumel in two weeks and Hurricane Claudette should hit the
> island sometime Friday morning. Has anyone been to a resort after a major
> storm like this shortly afterwards? I'm more concerned about reef/diving
> impact than Carlos 'n Charlies' Any reassurances, truthful or otherwise
> would be appreciated. Would hate to be there for 10 days without being
able
> to get any quality diving in. Thanks.

Depending on the impact and severity of Claudette, the water will be cloudy
and the reef will be damaged. Weather should be nice, though.

Michael La Rocque wrote:
>
> I'll be in Cozumel in two weeks and Hurricane Claudette should hit the
> island sometime Friday morning. Has anyone been to a resort after a major
> storm like this shortly afterwards? I'm more concerned about reef/diving
> impact than Carlos 'n Charlies' Any reassurances, truthful or otherwise
> would be appreciated. Would hate to be there for 10 days without being able
> to get any quality diving in. Thanks.

You should be fine. Claudette is not a major hurricane and is not
likely to become one before (if) it hits Cozumel. There may be some viz
effects, but because of the current that constantly flushes the channel,
they will most likely be short lived. In two weeks time, I'll bet that
when you're in the water, you won't be able to tell that a storm came
through.

Don't worry, be happy. Be glad you're not among those who are set to go tomorrow.

Gordon in Austin

"Da Parrot-chick" <just@sk.me> wrote in message
news:q_iPa.40306$C83.3176307@newsread1.prod.itd.ea rthlink.net...
>
> "Michael La Rocque" <mjarl@rcnchicago.com> wrote in message
> news:bejv7l$nm5$1@bob.news.rcn.net...
> > I'll be in Cozumel in two weeks and Hurricane Claudette should hit the
> > island sometime Friday morning. Has anyone been to a resort after a
major
> > storm like this shortly afterwards? I'm more concerned about reef/diving
> > impact than Carlos 'n Charlies' Any reassurances, truthful or otherwise
> > would be appreciated. Would hate to be there for 10 days without being
> able
> > to get any quality diving in. Thanks.
>
> Depending on the impact and severity of Claudette, the water will be
cloudy

Unlikely since much of Coz is flushed by an oceanic sub-current. As always,
the vis in Coz will be predicated on that.

> and the reef will be damaged.

I don't imagine the reefs will see much of any damage from claudette either.

> Weather should be nice, though.

Michael La Rocque wrote:
>
> I'll be in Cozumel in two weeks and Hurricane Claudette should hit the
> island sometime Friday morning. Has anyone been to a resort after a major
> storm like this shortly afterwards? I'm more concerned about reef/diving
> impact than Carlos 'n Charlies' Any reassurances, truthful or otherwise
> would be appreciated. Would hate to be there for 10 days without being able
> to get any quality diving in. Thanks.

We dove Guam 4 days after "Super Typhoon Pakka" just about leveled the
entire north end of the island. Even the palm trees were snapped in
half! But I have never dived in clearer water anywhere anytime. Outside
the harbor the viz was virtually unlimited and there was absolutely no
reef damage. It was my finest observation of marine life anywhere except
perhaps Palau

However, inside the protected waters of harbor, where the three wrecks
lie as well as several nice reefs, viz was about 2 meters and the coral
heads broken off everywhere. I guess it depends of how quickly the ocean
currents sweep the sites you'll be diving.

Steve Kramer
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Four years, ten months, two weeks, six days, 2 hours, 1 minute and 33
seconds. 53552 cigarettes not smoked, saving $13,388.13. Time used for a
better purpose: 26 weeks, 3 days, 22 hours, 40 minutes.

--
"The voyage of discovery lies not in seeking new horizons,
but in seeing with new eyes." - Marcel Proust

We'll be there next week and I sure the vis will be great. That's what Coz's
famous currents do - clear the reefs all the time.
Claudette last I checked (an hour ago) is NOT yet a hurricane. About 8 years
ago we were in Coz 1 week after Hurricane Roxanne (Cat 3?) - all was great
in the water - just lots of roofs and building parts around - and lakes for
some streets (not main ones).
Enjoy your diving & be SAFE!
Mike

The viz should be back to normal. Along the Atlantic and the Keys, I've
seen one day of 2 foot viz followed by normal (20 feet) the next day.
Sand settles fast once the winds and tide settle down. In Cozumel the
diving is on the west (99.9% of the time) which is protected by the island.

Most of the reefs that are dived in Cozumel are 60 feet or more down, so
short of a very major hurricane, damage is likely to be light.
Snorkeling sites might be damaged, but not scuba.

Eric