The rays are back...

visibility: up to a very nice 60 feet!
water temperature: dropped a bit to 79º on depth
currents: slowly pushing you trough the reef
surface conditions: every now and then some wind, thus waves, especially in the evenings...

But the diving is great, the reef full of life. Already the cow nose rays are back and crossing El Bajo in groups of say 25 up to over 150!!! Also the sand is covered with the diamond sting rays and even eagle rays are spotted. Add this to the turtles that we see now and of course all the grouper, pork fish, burrito grunt, balloon fish etc. etc. and you've got a dive of a life time.
Rays coming in already this year... This is early, and it might mean that the winter comes early too. Under water, that is; a winter with the colder water and the lower visibility, because of the algae. Lower visibility because of 'ray-food'. Come over now, while the vis is still great and see what we do: wow, we love our job!

October starts off like September...

visibility: depending the wind and waves
water temperature: varying between 84 and 79º
currents: practically non
surface conditions: also depending the wind

When the summer is hot, with temperatures over 110ºF, wind and storms keep coming. Some of the storms are getting really close, frightening close, while others turn away from us into the Pacific. Close or far away, the sea does react on them by producing waves, lots of them and high. Some storms provoke days of disturbing work conditions, others just a day or two and not too much either. We're used to them in September, but this year the longer train of storms keeps on riding through October.
It makes our divers life difficult; a lot more work in the boat, in the surface and under water. A lot more things happening in the office; cancellations, late arrivals because of flooded roads, delays in the airport etc. But hey, we're flexible, we have to be and normally you understand the effect of natures moods...
The differences in the weather make the diving also differ from day to day. But mainly it's difficult to let you know if tomorrow we can go out or not, if next week is going to be a good week or not. I'd say take the chance because life under water is spectacular; also for fish storms are a crisis, a reason to come out and get the food while they can, to be able to shelter when the surge hits the reefs...
When we're not diving we're working in the new center, slowly it's taking shape and every day it's looking better. Today we're maybe struggling a bit, but the future looks beautiful.
While we are 'under construction' we'll be taking photos to share with you, you'll get them on a disk, for free. So, see you soon in Pulmo...

Don't like September, but love it...

visibility: of and on around 40 to 100 feet
water temperature: way too hot 86º
currents: slow and mellow
surface conditions: varying by the day

Ir's always the same with September, the hurricane month. A train of tropical storms and depressions, sometimes developing into a hurricane pass by. Sometimes very close, sometimes on a distance, but rarely without effecting the sea and the diving conditions.
One day we go out and are fighting wind and waves to dive in kinda low visibility and the next day the sea is flat calm, no wind nor currents but with an even lower vis. All predictions go wrong when you expect to get rough seas, because of a strong wind and it has not more than just a slight chop, with a visibility that allows you to see all sides of the reef and all life in all directions on top of it.
It's a gamble, this September month and sometimes you lose, and sometimes you win. Sometimes though, you hit the jackpot and it is beauty everywhere; a dream dive that only happens to you a few times in a lifetime... Don't like September, but have to love it...