4 Outstanding Dive Operators who will show you the best of Cozumel Diving! I have been diving with all 4, and I can recommend each one very highly, and for different reasons.
If you are a diver, Cozumel is a must-dive destination. The great Jacques Cousteau declared it the most spectacular diving in the world back in 1961. Cozumel is located on the MesoAmerican Barrier Reef, also known as the Great Mayan Reef. This barrier reef is the second largest in the world, Australia’s Great Barrier Reef being the first. The barrier reef is a marine region that stretches over 1,000 kilometres (620 mi) from Isla Contoy at the tip of the Yucatán Peninsula down to Belize, Guatemala and the Bay Islands of Honduras. The reef system includes various protected areas and parks including the Belize Barrier Reef, Arrecifes de Cozumel National Park, Hol Chan Marine Reserve (Belize), Sian Ka’an biosphere reserve, and the Cayos Cochinos Marine Park . (Wikipedia). This beautiful marine treasure is considered critically endangered, as is the Great Barrier Reef. I think we can consider our entire ocean endangered.
Cozumel is famous for its drift diving, gorgeous coral reef systems, and an array of marine life. What is drift diving? Cozumel has a current, and Cozumel diving usually involves drifting along the reef system, and when you surface, the boat will be there. There is no anchoring in Cozumel. A calm steady drift dive is bliss! Sometimes the current can be strong, and you just never know until you get out on a dive site what you will find. Cozumel diving is fantastic!
Cozumel is a great place for beginners as many of the reefs are rated easy to intermediate. Many people do their certification book work and pool work in the USA then come to Cozumel to do their 4 certification dives. Once you dive here, it is easy to get addicted to Cozumel diving!
There are so many dive operators in Cozumel I could not begin to count them. They vary from the ubiquitous “cattle boat” where 20-30 divers are onboard, to fast small boats with 8 divers, to big comfortable slow boats that give you breakfast and lunch, to incredible shore diving. Here is my list of Outstanding Dive Operators in Cozumel:
- We-b-Divin’-Cozumel. Owned by Judy Kay of Texas, this is the luxury boat of diving. The Yucab III has been on the water here for over 20 years. Judy bought the business several years ago and has made improvements to the boat itself. The service is excellent! When you come on board there are fruit and pastries, a cooler full of water and sodas, and a welcoming crew. The divemaster is Yasser Rosado, and he has been on the boat since the early 2000s when my family first began diving with Yucab III. He is an active divemaster, searching for animals to show the divers. The attention is personal, your gear completely set up for you, and after the first dive you will enjoy the best lunch on the island! It is the most relaxing way to dive. The trip to the southern reefs is an hour or so from the marina, giving divers time to enjoy a spot of breakfast, water, and to relax before the dive. If you want a full service dive operator, We-b-Divin-Cozumel is it! A 2 Tank Boat Dive costs $85 and includes morning snacks, drinks, lunch sandwiches, guacamole, towel service, gear set-up and changes, and on-board gear storage if diving the next day. Rental gear is extra. You can find them on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/DivinCozumel/ . - Sea Robin Cozumel. Sea Robin is a fast boat with cover from the sun. The Ballena will get you to the reefs fast! The owner, Eduardo Canché , is one of the divemasters, and he is attentive to his divers and will help with gear and anything else you need or want to know. Between dives there are fruits and water available you can also bring your own drink or food onto the boat if you wish. I had fantastic dives with Sea Robin, including sightings of Eagle Rays, Nurse Sharks, and big Moray eels. Eduardo is always on the lookout for marine life to show his divers. I also met some great people on board, which is always a plus! Your contact is Michaela Velasco, a 20 year resident of Cozumel with years of diving experience and planning vacations for divers. A 2 tank dive is $95.00, and rental gear is available but extra. Check them out on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/searobinczm/ - Salty Endeavors. I became intrigued by this dive operator by seeing their photos on Instagram and Facebook. They have dives available that are off the beaten path. The vast majority of dive operators take divers to the southern reefs, but Salty Endeavors can take you to places you didn’t even know existed. I’ve been Cozumel diving for 30 years, and I didn’t know there was more than one wreck to explore! Salty Endeavors will take you to the northern reefs, and their photography is stellar. I went diving with Ray, a Master Diver, and he really knows how to find the small critters, even on larger coral formations. You can see their photos on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/saltyendeavors/. A 2 tank dive is $80.00, water on board and fruit between dives. Rental gear is extra.
- Scuba with Mario. Mario is located at a shore dive site called Tikila, after the restaurant Tikila located at the site. He can also take people on a fast boat to the southern reefs, but I love diving with him at Tikila. He is onsite every day, and he can find most anything! He has shown me zoanthids, sea horses, frogfish, sponge crabs and many other tiny creatures I had never seen here before! If you love seeing the tiny creatures while diving, he is the guy to contact. The dive there is quite shallow, with an easy entry from the beach. The night dive is a revelation in color and creatures. Mario charges $65 for one tank at Tikila if you have your own gear, $15 for rental gear. A 2 tank boat dive is $90 if you have your own gear, $15 extra for rentals. Scuba Mario is on Facebook at
https://www.facebook.com/ScubaWithMario/ . You can reach him easily by messaging him on Facebook.
So there you have it, four different Cozumel dive operators who can show you the wonders of Cozumel diving! Tell them Tam sent you!
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Hello Tam! Your blog is informative. Thank you for sharing these 4 Outstanding Dive Operators. These operators are very helpful especially for those who dive for the first time. Keep sharing!
Hayato Davis recently posted…Know How Scuba Diving Is Beneficial For Your Mental Health
Thank you! I love trying out new dive operators, destinations, and equipment! Love it, and yes, it is absolutely necessary for my mental health!