Must Dive Spots in Cozumel

[Dave Dillehay]

As have I. There seems to be lots of boo-birds out there when it comes Paradise Reef but it is absolutely loaded with life, far more than can be seen on many of the more popular deeper dives. With usualy minimal current on Paradise and being shallow one has lots and lots of time to explore all the nooks and also venture out onto the flat grasses where all kinds of things live that those who aren't interested in exploring what seems to be nothing from afar will never see.

The absolutely most overrated dive in Coz that is popular and I've no idea why is Cedral. For me - it has been and always seems to be a total fly-over with few things of interest. Sure, there are generally more turtles and sharks and for divers who think more and bigger is more better so be it but I find it boring. Santa Rosa is the 2nd on my list I could care less about. I'd take little Paradise Reef any dive over those two. Devils Throat - absolutely no interest. Waste of a dive in my opinion. I dove it via you-tube and saw all I needed to see (which wasn't much of anything) for free. For those who want to be diver # 1,000,000 to fin through the same banged up, barren hole to each his own.

Perhaps your guide should continue the dive out to the Cedral Wall.

Dave Dillehay
Aldora Divers

 

[Prop Joe]

I agree with Dave. I always like to go the edge of the wall. My ears like it better as well instead of undulating up and down the water column to follow the terrain on the normal route. That way we can steer the critters up to the masses slightly above. Great dive no matter how you slice it

 

[ggunn]

The absolutely most overrated dive in Coz that is popular and I've no idea why is Cedral. For me - it has been and always seems to be a total fly-over with few things of interest. Sure, there are generally more turtles and sharks and for divers who think more and bigger is more better so be it but I find it boring. Santa Rosa is the 2nd on my list I could care less about. I'd take little Paradise Reef any dive over those two. Devils Throat - absolutely no interest. Waste of a dive in my opinion. I dove it via you-tube and saw all I needed to see (which wasn't much of anything) for free. For those who want to be diver # 1,000,000 to fin through the same banged up, barren hole to each his own.

As you say, to each his own. Personally, I have always enjoyed diving Cedral, though I pretty much agree with you about the Throat - been there, done that, not that interested in doing it again. The dive I can't get enough of is Colombia Shallows. It's one dive that if it's brought up as a suggestion on the boat I'd never say, "no, I've been there already". One trip to Cozumel we dove it five times.

 

[NDL_Diver]

I also have no interest in doing devils throat again. Nothing worse than being behind someone who kicks down stiring up all the sand in front of you. I Seem to be always behind those people. The DM sould instruct how to do a frog kick and only after all have passed that skill should they be allowed swimthroughs.

Another waste of Nitrox is Cathedral. After that swimthrough you have a looong swim over sand (feels like 10 min).

Did these dives more than a handfill of times and will try and veto the sites in the future.

Al

 

[Vic K]

As you say, to each his own. Personally, I have always enjoyed diving Cedral, though I pretty much agree with you about the Throat - been there, done that, not that interested in doing it again. The dive I can't get enough of is Colombia Shallows. It's one dive that if it's brought up as a suggestion on the boat I'd never say, "no, I've been there already". One trip to Cozumel we dove it five times.

Columbia Shallows huh..... Got it. not sure if we dove it or not but added to my wish list for next trip. Thanks @ggunn

 

[deepsea21]

As you say, to each his own. Personally, I have always enjoyed diving Cedral, though I pretty much agree with you about the Throat - been there, done that, not that interested in doing it again. The dive I can't get enough of is Colombia Shallows. It's one dive that if it's brought up as a suggestion on the boat I'd never say, "no, I've been there already". One trip to Cozumel we dove it five times.

Yes, I'll certainly agree with you on Columbia Shallows. No need for a long SI when Columbia Shallows is the 2nd dive... it may as well be one long safety stop of a dive so all can grab max bottom time. I think I racked up 90 minutes the last few times I dove it and I only dive AL80's. I only surfaced as a 90 minute limit was set so the boat could get back and turned over for the afternon trip. As far as those who claim there's nothing big to see in the "Shallows"... LOL! Eagle rays cruising just off the reef, Green Morays hanging out (spent about 10 minutes chasing/tracking one around and through multiple coral heads), nurse sharks resting under ledges, turtles napping... all is there. Large schools of fish hanging out to swim through is nice and the minimal drift to fully explore every nook and cranny for the little critters is quite enjoyable. All is brightly lit and colorful under a sun that's higher in the sky by the 2nd dive for those who enjoy UW photography. I think it was last year we were on a dive with 3P's and owner Steve B. noticed 8 of the 10 on board had UW cameras/video rigs (some that I'd need to mortgage my home to afford) and he basically said let's put those rigs to work on the Shallows. Everyone was absolutely thrilled and couldn't believe what they ended up getting fantastic photos and video of. As I've said over and over, deeper doesn't necessarily mean better - just darker and shorter.

 

[ggunn]

Another waste of Nitrox is Cathedral. After that swimthrough you have a looong swim over sand (feels like 10 min).

I guess it matters how one does the Cathedral. The way I have always done it, the major swimthrough is the last of three and then it's time to come up, and after the swimthrough it isn't over sand. The Cathedral used to be one of my faves, but the way I have always been taken there I go into deco at the end, and the older I get the less I want to do that. There is a swimthrough at Brix that is every bit as good and it's not nearly as deep.

 

[Dan G]

There's so many great sites that it's rare that I try to steer the DM away from a site someone else calls out as a request. I dove San Francisco three times last trip and saw Giant Spotted Eagles Ray(s) on all three of those dives and I never would have originally thought to dive SF Wall 3 times in a week. Sometimes it just comes down to luck which dive sites are 'the best.'

I'd add Tunich to the list since I don't think I've seen it mentioned yet.

But none of this matters unless you're using split fins, have a spare air with you, and using Tresbluexlivingwithaldo as your dive operator.

 

[Couv]

There is a swimthrough at Brix that is every bit as good and it's not nearly as deep.

Brix? D'oh.....I started typing and it hit me like a ton of bricks.

 

[Vic K]

Yes, I'll certainly agree with you on Columbia Shallows. No need for a long SI when Columbia Shallows is the 2nd dive... it may as well be one long safety stop of a dive so all can grab max bottom time. I think I racked up 90 minutes the last few times I dove it and I only dive AL80's. I only surfaced as a 90 minute limit was set so the boat could get back and turned over for the afternon trip. As far as those who claim there's nothing big to see in the "Shallows"... LOL! Eagle rays cruising just off the reef, Green Morays hanging out (spent about 10 minutes chasing/tracking one around and through multiple coral heads), nurse sharks resting under ledges, turtles napping... all is there. Large schools of fish hanging out to swim through is nice and the minimal drift to fully explore every nook and cranny for the little critters is quite enjoyable. All is brightly lit and colorful under a sun that's higher in the sky by the 2nd dive for those who enjoy UW photography. I think it was last year we were on a dive with 3P's and owner Steve B. noticed 8 of the 10 on board had UW cameras/video rigs (some that I'd need to mortgage my home to afford) and he basically said let's put those rigs to work on the Shallows. Everyone was absolutely thrilled and couldn't believe what they ended up getting fantastic photos and video of. As I've said over and over, deeper doesn't necessarily mean better - just darker and shorter.

90 minutes on al80 ?.........either it's 10 ft deep or I have got long ways to go. I guess one day it will be awesome to have gills