South Eleuthera SCUBA Conditions and Forcast: Oct. 2013

Agne and Florian from Oslo, Norway, first time to the Bahamas, first time to Eleuthera, they came all that way to dive South Eleuthera. Really enjoyed the diving, the pristine beaches with no one on them, the friendly people and great food. Photo credit: Ocean Fox Cotton Bay
Agne and Florian from Oslo, Norway, first time to the Bahamas, first time to Eleuthera, they came all that way to dive South Eleuthera. Really enjoyed the diving, the pristine beaches with no one on them, the friendly people and great food. Photo credit: Ocean Fox Cotton Bay
A Gray Angel on Blackbeard’s Treasure Hole dive site. Note five different species of coral in this one small area. We hope this site someday will become a marine protected area. Photo credit: Ocean Fox Cotton Bay.
A Gray Angel on Blackbeard’s Treasure Hole dive site. Note five different species of coral in this one small area. We hope this site someday will become a marine protected area. Photo credit: Ocean Fox Cotton Bay.

October is still part of the off-season with the level of tourist on the island at a minimum. There are less folks diving, giving the impression of a private dive charter on every trip. The water temperature in October continues to be 82 to 85 degrees, wet suits optional. October is the transition month between the summer and winter weather pattern with the winds being more north-northeast and typically light. As the winds become more north-northeast the water temperature starts to drop and the visibility begins to increase and is rarely below 100 feet. Humidity is down compared to late July through September; the sun is lower in the sky and the sunsets incredible. October is the time to start looking for the large pelagic species down on the walls, such as the large spotted eagle rays. If you like to do exploration diving, October is a good month, with predictable weather and calm days allowing for “wall swim-drift dives”, where you do a free decent in 60’ water and follow the wall with a very modest current, or swim along the wall if no current scouting for a dive site you get to name, until time for the three-minute safety stop and then surface where the boat is standing by to retrieve the divers.

  • Safety tip for October: Dehydration reduces the quantity of blood available for gas exchange, slowing gas removal from the body increasing the chances of decompression sickness (“DCS”). The metabolism of alcohol uses a great deal of water. A diver with a hangover is likely to be partially dehydrated. So, limiting alcohol consumption the night before diving reduces the chances of DCS.
  • Fun tip for October: Review the “Coral” tab under the library tab on our website and see if you find any of those on your dive.
  • Diver tip for October:  “South Eleuthera diving, the best kept secret in the Caribbean”.

FORECAST BY: Al J Curry, PADI Instructor #287249
Ocean Fox Cotton Bay Scuba Diving and Deep Sea Fishing
Davis Harbour Marina
Phone: (242) 334-6300
Email: al@oceanfoxcottonbay.com
www.oceanfoxcottonbay.com