I am curious what are the biggest the waves get inside the reef? Whats the average and whats the highest you have seen not counting a hurricane?

Also, how deep does the sea go inside the reef? What are the typical size swells outside the reef?

Thanks

Waves inside the reef are very small. During normal weather (not including a hurricane) the swells inside the reef near Ambergris are well under 1 foot. We do not get any swells at all until the winds reach a minimum of 12 MPH.

The average depth of the water between the reef and the mainland is 15 feet.

The average waves breaking on the reef are 5 - 8 feet.

Waves? WHAT waves?

:-)

There basically are NO waves on the inside of the reef. We were there when Hurricane Michelle danced for 3 days at 2 mph...the waves on the OUTSIDE of the reef were HUGE!!!! Caused tide to be high. In March/April the "Easter winds" come in. We were on the outside of the reef during this time....VERY choppy, capsized a boat...had to "cruise" across the reef...over in front of Basil Jones...that cut in the reef is tricky!! Now Hurricane Keith was another story!! C&R And i wasn't even there for him!!

[This message has been edited by rickcheri (edited 12-21-2001).]

Thanks for the info all! Everything for my plan is falling right into place!

You must have been lucky if you thought the waves during Michelle were nonexistant Rick/Cheri. During that time I happened to be on a water taxi that broke loose from its mooring at the dock on Caye Caulker (without a captain on board, I might add) the back swells were very dangerous, pulled the board right off and a 200lb. man standing on it too. I promised myself NOT to do that ever again, that is, get on a water taxi during a storm surge. During Chantal and Iris, we got storm surge and pounding surf to within 10 feet of the front porch, an awesome site, surf pounding thru the wooden picket fence.
--Silk

During Keith my friend Buddy Smith and his wife were swept outside the reef in a 47' catamaran with a world phone.
If I recall his last phone call correctly he said the waves were 60' with winds gusting at 175 mph. They both died shortly there after.
I miss them--a lot
Jim

Neither of us said that "Michelle 's waves were "non- existant"...they were VERY existant to us!!! Had to a have a Plan A and Plan B as well as C!!! The waves crashing on the reef were HUGE....and sporadic/I'm sure ALL and ANY news of huricanes brings one to "alert", with the exception of "Hurricane Party's" which are many on AC!!! If the "sea walls" on the OUTSIDE of ANY part of the reef are more than 10-15 ft. I persnally would not go!!! But be Especially careful of the break in the reef in front of Basil Jones!!! C