Diving Cozumel for 30 years (yikes!) means that I have been on just about every reef. Why is my favorite dive site all of them? (I still have two dive sites I have not gotten to, but hey, give me time). Cozumel is famous for its drift diving. Cozumel’s dive sites are mostly on the southern side of the west, or leeward, side of the island, between the island and mainland Mexico. Waters are much calmer in this channel, but currents can be quite strong. Most divers love to drift dive. You jump off the boat, and when you are done drifting, the boat picks you up. Much better than boats that anchor and you have to swim back to (in my humble opinion).
Currents are a blessing and sometimes a curse. In strong currents you can be swept along so quickly there is no way to take a photograph, and less experienced divers can have a tough time learning to deal with it. With the incredible stony coral in Cozumel using a hook to stop and look around is not an option. I have never been in a current here that was too strong for my skill set. I love current dives, I love the dives where you don’t feel a lot of current, and that is basically why my favorite dive site in Cozumel is all of them! Each site has its unique features, and I absolutely love the dives where there are a lot of turtles. Seeing sea turtles is always a thrill! They are endangered, and Cozumel is very fortunate to be a nesting site for Green Turtles and Loggerheads. We mostly see Hawksbill Turtles on the west side of the island, even though they don’t nest here. They nest on the mainland, and apparently they like to hang out on our island reefs. They are very welcome! Of course, I love most all marine creatures, but it must be said that turtles are very special. We all need to do our part to make sure we protect these critically endangered animals, and our oceans, so that our children and grandchildren can also feel the wonder of seeing them in the wild.
