Cold Water?

[FCOWHER]

Why is it that almost every review I have read lately has mentioned how cold the water in the Caribbean is right now? I have read people were too cold to swim at HMC and in the pools. Is there some type of weather phenomenon going on in the Caribbean right now? Why is the water so cold? Should I go out and buy a wetsuit to swim on the Zuiderdam?:rolleyes: Joe V.

Serenade of the Seas 12/31/05
Zuiderdam 4/23/05
RCI - 2 times
Princess - 3 times
QE2 - 1 time
Royal Majesty - 1 time
Carnival - 1 time

[peaches from georgia]

Because it is winter. The average water temp in the Bahamas in the winter is 76F and the average air temp is only 70F. Most people are going to feel chilly at these temps and, of course, they are 'averages', meaning much of the time the temps are lower than these averages.

Actually, as any map will show, the Bahamas are in the North Atlantic, not the Caribbean, so it can get chilly in the winter, like Florida waters.

[sail7seas]

I don't know about any weather phenomenon going on in the Caribbean but I do know that we have been able to swim in the Caribbean all months of the year.


I DO NOT ever get in cold water so if went in, it was warm. There have times in December when HMC was wonderfully warm and we swam all day. Other times, in December, it was too cool for our taste.

This has been true for all fall and winter months. I think often is a current that happens to be running cooler than usual. Storms at sea etc

[Pete Jackson]

Important would be to get a sunny day, since then the sun will warm up the shallow waters, and help you feel warm after getting out of the water.
If its cloudy and windy, hang around the BBQ!

[Oceanwench]

My pool, heated only by God, is about 65 degrees right now.
I won't go into it until it is about 83 -- which would be late June.

The water here along South Florida's coast is 73 degrees today. Air temp about 79.
I would not go into the ocean today.
But my brother, who is here from Boston on vacation, thinks the ocean water is warm!

[elmorejj]

I returned a few days ago from vacationing in Dominican Republic, which has coasts on both the Atlantic and the Caribbean. We were on the Carib. side of the Island and the ocean was almost too warm for swimming........jean :cool:

[cal2632]

According to my dive computer the water in both Aruba and Grand Cayman 2nd week of March was 79 degrees. Lovely.

[FCOWHER]

Thanks all, I was just wondering why there seemed to be so much emphasis in the cold water this year. But Peaches in GA, I am sorry to tell you that it is not actually winter any longer, as yesterday was the first day of spring. Joe V.


Serenade of the Seas 12/31/05
Zuiderdam 4/23/05
RCI - 2 times
Princess - 3 times
QE2 - 1 time
Royal Majesty - 1 time
Carnival - 1 time

[peaches from georgia]

[QUOTE=FCOWHER]... But Peaches in GA, I am sorry to tell you that it is not actually winter any longer, as yesterday was the first day of spring. Joe V.
However, since reports of cold water have not been posted in the last day since it turned spring, any reports you read were written concerning winter temps, not spring.

Plus, most of the reports have concernedHMC, which is in the Atlantic, not the Caribbean, so you would expect some temps making swimming often a little chilly at this time of year.

[FCOWHER]

Peaches, I was just trying to point out in my own silly way that I was very much aware of the season. Joe V.

Serenade of the Seas 12/31/05
Zuiderdam 4/23/05
RCI - 2 times
Princess - 3 times
QE2 - 1 time
Royal Majesty - 1 time
Carnival - 1 time

[lidorose]

Just swam in the water at HMC two days ago (!!) and the water was a bit chilly to get used to, but just fine once you were in and soaked. I don't know what the water temp was, but I'd say somewhere in the 70s. I went in twice and definitely wouldn't have done it a second time had the water been too cold!

[Oceanwench]

My brother and nephew, down from Boston, both jumped into my pool yesterday -- temps still in the mid-60s. Yikes!!!:eek:

They also went swimming in the ocean, temps in the low 70s. They loved it!

[Krazy Kruizers]

The water at Orient Beach on St Maaten on Mar 4th were warm. The water on HMC on Mar 9th - cool. On Curacao on Mar 14th the water was chilly. We didn't go ashore to HMC on Mar 19 so I can't answer for that date.

The temperatures in the Caribbean have been a lot cooler this year (Jan, Feb, Mar) than in other years when we have cruised at this time.

[Vic The Parrot]

Blame it on el Nino` ??

[lindleyjulie]

Water in the pools on The Volendam oct 2004 very cold HMC oct 2004 even colder BRRRRRRRRR.:eek: I thought it would be warm in both those places as the weather was beautiful:)