Sea Horses in Cozumel?

[Ron Quido]

I was going through a list of critters that I have encountered in the sea. I am a richer person for having shared a swim with so many fine creatures. And some fellow divers as well. But one critter that has escaped by view so far are Sea Horses. Is there a corral of coral where these fellows hang out? Or are sea horses a Pacific Ocean creature?

 

[redacted]

They can be a bit hard to find but are reasonably plentiful in COZ. They will be in the grasses and other vegetation rather than the coral, and protected from stronger currents. Tell your guide what you want to see and I expect better than a 90% chance he can find then in a week of diving.

 

[lionfish-eater]

Mostly at Palancar Horseshoe, that is how it got it's name. Just kidding, but there are plenty of seahorses, yellow, orange and brown. (not their technical names, just the colors to look for.) Look at the base of the soft corals or turtle grass, they hang on by their tail. Once you get good at spotting them you can try finding the pygmy pipehorses.

 

[cvchief]

Easy Peasy, Lemon Squeezy:

Go to Paradise, right after the break in the reef, go right and go to the grass and work your way along the edge of the grass. We have been able to find this little guy for at least a year now.



On the other hand, I hear in February that just of the dock across from Villa Blanca there is a whole stable of the little guys. Can't confirm though....

 

[cicopo]

From the area cvchief describes.































And from either one of the Palancar areas or Colombia Deep.

 

[Karibelle]

there's one on the shore dive at Blue Angel at the moment.

 

[DjDiverDan]

I don't know about "plentiful", because I've never been particularly good at spotting them, but I have seen them both diving and snorkeling. The advice to look very closely in the grassy bottom areas is good, I think. I usually will take a day off from diving after 3 or 4 days in a row, and on one of those off days I went snorkeling at The Money Bar. Some coral, with a lot of sandy, grassy bottom. I saw about 4 little seahorses that day. I've also seen then at Paradise Reef, in the grassy bottom areas, and on other dives that I can't remember off the top of my head.

 

[jlyle]

Years ago, we thought there were no seahorses in Cozumel waters. Then, the dive guides started spotting them. You have to know where to look and what to look for. Even then, if you look away for a second or two to signal your buddy, you may find it hard to see the blasted beasties even when they haven't moved.

 

[sharky60]

I FINALLY found my very first seahorse (on my own...in 30+ years of diving thank you) this past Spring on Villablanca Wall...I've had DM's point them out to me on a rare occaision, usually down South, but this was the first one I found on my own...

 

[cvchief]

I FINALLY found my very first seahorse (on my own...in 30+ years of diving thank you) this past Spring on Villablanca Wall...I've had DM's point them out to me on a rare occaision, usually down South, but this was the first one I found on my own...

Man, I know that feeling. Of course I only found 1 on my own at paradise. And only after going to the same exact spot a number of times and having it pointed out to me...... Still counts though, right?