It doesn’t seem possible for this to be the last dive forecast for 2013. After all, we remember the millennium like it was just yesterday, perhaps because it was the ‘millennium’ or perhaps because Abaco was still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Floyd in September 1999. Regardless, 2013 has been a good year, we had no hurricanes, and DIVE ABACO! celebrated its 35th anniversary at the Conch Inn Resort & Marina in Marsh Harbour. We’ve seen many repeat guests and friends and met many new ones. We thank them all and look forward to seeing everyone again in 2014.
December weather in Abaco is forecasted to be clear, dry and sunny with air temperature ranging from a cool 67 degrees at night to a warm 79 degrees during the day. Delightful! Diving is typically outstanding. With no algae growth this summer, visibility remains amazingly clear, but it is time to add an extra layer of thermal protection. A 3 mm wetsuit is recommended as water temperature cools to the mid-70s. Because of cold fronts blowing down from the northeast, winter diving weather can be unpredictable. If a front blows through, it is usually gone in a day or two and diving on the reef resumes as normal. Should windy weather prevent us from boat diving, we also have drift and blue hole diving accessible by land transportation. If you are a novice or experienced diver, you will enjoy the diversity of dive sites and marine life that Abaco has to offer. This time of year provides for frequent encounters with eagle rays, sharks and turtles and, of course, an abundance of tropical fish that reside in and around our unique coral formations. Not a certified diver yet, but love the water? There are opportunities for all levels of experience. You can snorkel, participate in a short resort lesson in the pool to introduce you to SCUBA diving, followed by an open water dive, or take a SCUBA certification course. If you want to get wet and dive in, there’s no reason not to. Sending warm Bahamian smiles, and wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.