scuba diving cozumel
Cozumel Scuba Diving Tours
Ten kilometres/six miles off the coast of Mexicos Yucat Peninsula lies Riviera Maya, the Island of the Swallows. Barely 50 by 16 kilometres/30 by 10 miles, this diminutive Cozumel island has become a popular scuba diving destination. Riviera Maya has all the ingredients for a great dive getaway friendly locals, good food, lively nightspots, towering coral formations, warm water, great underwater visibility and white sandy beaches. Most dive sites are found within the boundaries of Riviera Maya Reefs National Marine Park, which protects much of the second largest barrier reef system in the world, the Meso-American reef system. Created in 1996, the park is home to some 26 types of corals with more than 100 subspecies. More than 500 fish species live in the park, including the endemic splendid toadfish. Due to marine life protection programs, divers can also often see loggerhead, hawksbill and green turtles.
Punta Sur Reef
This is a fascinating, ethereal dive consisting of a deep wall with caverns and fissures. The appropriately qualified may enter one of the larger cavern systems and follow it down a sand chute to 27 metres/90 feet where theres a complex of coral tunnels and caverns that are absolutely bursting with life.
The Devils Throat
This site is best enjoyed with an experienced local divemaster. The deeper walls have whip corals spiraling out into the depths and large black corals. There are also small, brightly colored gorgonian sea fans and sea whips, including the devils sea whip.
Palancar Garden
Divers of all levels will enjoy the slight-to-moderate current that carries them along while exploring the many finger coral formations here. This strip reef is about 20 metres/66 feet wide and dissected by many fissures and caverns. Within the many sheltered areas, divers can spot huge stovepipe sponges stretching out from the reef and black coral in the deeper areas. Fish such as juvenile yellow head wrasse hide in the deep yellow tubes at night for protection and sightings of butterflyfish, angelfish, parrotfish and damselfish are frequent.
Santa Rosa Wall
This is a high voltage drift dive along a sheer wall. The wall begins at about 15 metres/50 feet and the current carries divers past ledges, overhangs, massive sponges and fire coral. Divers regularly encounter large pelagic fish, turtles and spotted eagle rays.
Columbia Wall
This is a relatively remote site which divers frequently share with eagle rays, turtles and large barracuda. A healthy coral reef crowns a steep drop off and massive coral pinnacles rise 15 metres/50 feet from the bottom. Nurse sharks prowl the reefs and walls, which seem to drop straight down to the infinite depths
Dive Summary
Visibility The clear water has visibility that ranges from 24-30 metres/80-100 feet.
Water Temperature The water temperature averages 25°C/77°F in the winter and 29°C/85°F in summer.
Weather Riviera Maya has a subtropical climate. The average temperature is about 21-29° C/70-85° F. Humidity is usually high, around 90 percent, but it’s often breezy too. Rainfall is rare apart from the rainy season (September November) when showers can be frequent.
Featured Creatures Splendid toadfish, eagle rays, grunts, snapper, angelfish, parrotfish, moray eels, grouper, hawksbill turtles, trumpet fish, wrasse, hogfish, spotted drum fish, amberjacks, lobster, octopus and even long snout seahorses.
COVID-19 Protocols
Safety has always been our number one priority. Our efforts start with new government regulations and DAN International recommendations, but go even further. New policies also include touch less electronic waivers, food safety practices, and more. We want our guests to be able to relax and enjoy diving, knowing that every effort is being made to keep both guests and staff protected.
We encourage our tour and excursion partners to the following new protocols:
boat trips are running at reduced capacity to maximize social distancing.
public store locations and desks are cleaned and disinfected twice a day.
boats are cleaned and disinfected in the morning at the harbor before all dive trips, and again after the trips. During trips, our crew has disinfectant products to keep cleaning as needed, especially high-touch surfaces such as w.c. handles, bars, ladder, etc.
Hand sanitizer is readily available for guest use and convenience at all the locations.
staff wearing masks all the time.
We request that all guests observe social distancing, avoid physical contact, and use face masks as much as possible. We have reusable 3-layer cotton masks for sale in our shops at $5 each.
We ask all Divers to submit their Waiver and Diver Registration Form online, rather than in person. These forms are best filled out prior to arrival, or if on-island, they can still be accessed via personal smartphones or tablets.
We ask all Divers to please follow DAN International recommendations to protect oneself and others:
Wash hands frequently
Maintain social distancing
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth
Practice respiratory hygiene for cough/sneeze etiquette
Seek medical care early for a fever, cough, or difficulty breathing
Stay informed and follow advice given by one’s healthcare provider
Any diver who experiences COVID-19 symptoms during their trip is required to inform immediately and will not be allowed to join dive trips.
Equipment:
Divers with their own gear are free to use our fresh water tank, which contains quaternary ammonium with sufficient concentration to safely sanitize dive equipment.
For rental equipment, please note: regulators are rented without mouth pieces. These are also available for purchase from our shop and other scuba boutiques in town. If Divers bring their own, we can help install them.
Divers are required to clean and rinse rental equipment each day during their diving schedule.
On-board food is now organized into sealed sack lunches for each individual Diver.
We request that all guests bring their own drinking water bottle.
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