[dropcap]H[/dropcap]appy New Year one and all from Ocean Fox! Time to implement that resolution to do more diving in 2013! January in South Eleuthera is outstanding. Water temperature is in the low to mid 70’s, so don’t forget your hood to complement your long sleeve shorty or full wet suit, 3 or 4 mm is fine. January is typically a dry month, which helps the visibility stay well above 100 feet. There are no algae blooms, just great coral formations and marine life. Winter brings in the pelagic fish and the spotted eagle rays along the wall. The cooler deeper water tends to bring the large grouper up onto the reefs and with Nassau grouper season being closed for conservation reasons from December 1 through February 28th the grouper are friendlier than ever providing great photo opportunities.
There is a new dive site called Alison’s Coral Library, which has almost all of the coral formations found in Exuma Sound on one relatively small reef. The formations are not large, but a good size for photography. The reef itself tops at about 12 to 14 feet and bottoms in about 30 feet of water, thus the light is excellent for photography as well. Allison’s Coral Library makes for a nice dive after a deeper wall dive while looking for spotted eagle rays.
If you have not been diving in a while, take some time to pull out the old Open Water Dive Book and brush up, or ask for a refresher course from the dive shop as there is no hyperbaric chamber on Eleuthera and always remember “safety first”.
FORECAST BY: Al J Curry
Ocean Fox Cotton Bay Scuba Diving and Deep Sea Fishing
Davis Harbour Marina
PADI Instructor # 287249
Email: al@oceanfoxcottonbay.com
www.oceanfoxcottonbay.com
Phone: 242-334-6300