Advanced Diving in Cozumel

[Kodiac]

I am interested in in reading accounts of recent experiences in any of the following Cozumel dive sites including dive operations used:

Maracaibo Reef
Barracuda Reef

Kodiac

 

[DocVikingo]

I dive these regularly, most recently last Thanksgiving.

Both are considered advanced sites because of remoteness and the potential for ripping currents, rough surface condition (trips weather-dependent) & great depth. Usually there are no other dive boats on these sites & if you go astray you can end up in Cuba.

Generally, however, the sites offer up nothing that the properly equipped, confident, advanced diver cannot easily handle.

Maracaibo Reef is on the west side at the far south of the island and has two sections, shallow & deep. The reef wall on the deep section starts at about 90-100', and drops hundreds of feet from there. IMHO, it's not worth diving at shallower than 120', and doesn't really show its stuff until 140-150'. Good location for spotted eagle rays, turtles, nurse & reef sharks and the occasional wahoo or hammerhead, but of course no guarantees.

Barracuda Reef is on the west side at the far north of the island. A fun ride is almost guaranteed as the current here keeps a steady push to the north. Site starts at about 80-85' and drops hundreds of feet from there, although IMHO there's no reason to go below 120'. Good location for squadrons of spotted eagle rays, especially around the mid-winter months; also for large nurse sharks. I did see a sailfish here once. San Juan Reef is just to the south, little dived, pristine sponge & coral, and offers free swimming eel & nice schools of grunts & other tropicals. I'd dive it over Barracuda any day.

Before diving these sites, I'd recommend that you read the following article that I wrote for Undercurrrent http://www.undercurrent.org/ :

Upwellings and Downwellings--how to get out of trouble

http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/Upwellings200102.shtml

Ditto the article in my "Dive Workshop" column in the Jul '00 issue of "Rodale's Scuba Diving" on surface signaling devices.

Don't just show up on Coz expecting to dive these sites. Obviously there are a number of prerequisites to diving them, including an assessment of your skills by the dive op, an adequate number of interested & qualifed divers, and agreeable conditions. There may also be a surcharge of around US$10 because of the distance (read time & fuel) involved.

Be aware that occasionally vis is reduced at these sites and at the depths involved this makes things dark and greatly diminishes the enjoyment.

Helpful?

DocVikingo

 

[Kodiac]

I dive these regularly, most recently last Thanksgiving.

Both are considered advanced sites because of remoteness and the potential for ripping currents, rough surface condition (trips weather-dependent) & great depth. Usually there are no other dive boats on these sites & if you go astray you can end up in Cuba.

Generally, however, the sites offer up nothing that the properly equipped, confident, advanced diver cannot easily handle.

Maracaibo Reef is on the west side at the far south of the island and has two sections, shallow & deep. The reef wall on the deep section starts at about 90-100', and drops hundreds of feet from there. IMHO, it's not worth diving at shallower than 120', and doesn't really show its stuff until 140-150'. Good location for spotted eagle rays, turtles, nurse & reef sharks and the occasional wahoo or hammerhead, but of course no guarantees.

Barracuda Reef is on the west side at the far north of the island. A fun ride is almost guaranteed as the current here keeps a steady push to the north. Site starts at about 80-85' and drops hundreds of feet from there, although IMHO there's no reason to go below 120'. Good location for squadrons of spotted eagle rays, especially around the mid-winter months; also for large nurse sharks. I did see a sailfish here once. San Juan Reef is just to the south, little dived, pristine sponge & coral, and offers free swimming eel & nice schools of grunts & other tropicals. I'd dive it over Barracuda any day.

Before diving these sites, I'd recommend that you read the following article that I wrote for Undercurrrent http://www.undercurrent.org/ :

Upwellings and Downwellings--how to get out of trouble

http://www.undercurrent.org/UCnow/articles/Upwellings200102.shtml

Ditto the article in my "Dive Workshop" column in the Jul '00 issue of "Rodale's Scuba Diving" on surface signaling devices.

Don't just show up on Coz expecting to dive these sites. Obviously there are a number of prerequisites to diving them, including an assessment of your skills by the dive op, an adequate number of interested & qualifed divers, and agreeable conditions. There may also be a surcharge of around US$10 because of the distance (read time & fuel) involved.

Be aware that occasionally vis is reduced at these sites and at the depths involved this makes things dark and greatly diminishes the enjoyment.

Helpful?

DocVikingo

Doc Vikingo: thanks for the info. Yes it was helpful. What dive operator do you recommend for these sites?

 

[Ron Brandt]

I dive these regularly, most recently last Thanksgiving.


.

San Juan Reef is just to the south, little dived, pristine sponge & coral, and offers free swimming eel & nice schools of grunts & other tropicals. I'd dive it over Barracuda any day.




DocVikingo

Dove San Juan a week ago.
17 Spotted Eagle Rays.

Great Dive!!
You Bet

Maracaibo and Barracudda are the only two sites I have not visited I believe.

Ron

 

[DocVikingo]

Again, any reputable Coz op will want an observation of your skills before taking you to the most challenging sites as well as needing a minimum number of interested/qualified divers for the trip. Your best bets are the shops that cater to more advanced divers.

Contact Liquid Blue Divers http://www.liquidbluedivers.com/indexx.html (tell Michaela that I sent you) or Aldora http://www.aldora.com/. Both of these ops use oversize tanks, but you can have a standard AL80 if you want one. Dive Paradise http://www.diveparadise.com/ runs an Experienced Diver's Program that also does these sites under appropriate circumstances.

After you finish with Maracaibo & Barracuda, come back and we'll talk east side sites.

Have fun.

DocVikingo