Departed DFW on American to Cancun. Took a taxi to Playa del Carmen and took the ferry to Cozumel. Stayed a quaint little place called Hacienda San Miguel a few blocks away from the square in town. 1st time to stay in town and loved it. I recommend looking into Hacienda San Miguel for those wanting to be in town. Walking distance to everything. We've grown tired of the bigger resorts with a taxi ride to town. We dove with Cozumel Equalizers. Darwin Zapata, the owner came to our hotel, the greet us the day we arrived. We met the next morning at Jeannie's Waffle House to depart from the pier just outside the restaurant ($2 taxi from hotel). Left on small boat at 8:30 with 5 divers. The water was a little choppy. 1st dive was to Palancar Horseshoe. Dove with computers and went to 80 ft for 48 minutes. Divemaster was Sara and excellent DM from France. Saw a large school of jacks, large crab and many lobsters. Stayed on the boat for the interval and did the 2nd dive at Yucab. Saw various fish, spotted moray eel and splendid toad fish. Went to 58 ft for 54 min. Water temperature on all dives on this trip was 77 degrees F. Got back to pier around 12:30p. 2nd day of diving went to Dalila. 77 ft for 50 min. 100ft visibility. The owner's son Henry was the divemaster. Dalila is one my favorite reefs. Saw 2 large turtles, one was just sitting behing a coral ledge with some gray angels. It didn't swim away and we just hung out a couple of feet away as he was curiously watching us. Also saw a 3 inch seahorse in the sea grass, several barracudas, tilefish, large tiger grouper, crabs, and lobsters. Lots of color and coral and sponges. Worth doing again. Went to Mr. Sanchos beach club for refreshments during the surface interval. 2nd dive of day was to Tormentos. 58 ft for 54 min. Excellent fish life, saw turtle, eagle ray, nurse shark, pipe fish, southern stingray. 100 ft vis. 3rd day small boats were not allowed leave port due to rough seas. Met up with a diver from hotel who hooked us up with Eco-Divers who had chartered a big boat with 15 divers (combined with another small boat operator) that was able to go out. Went to Santa Rosa Wall. Vis was only about 60 ft. Dive master was Felipe. Not as much drift, saw lobsters and several octopi. Went 85 ft for 50 min on computer. Stayed on boat during interval with fruit and drinks. 2nd dive of day was to Yucab. Lots of colorful coral. Saw several spotted eels, a brown eel, 3 splendid toadfish, 2 octopi, baby shrimp 2 cleaning stations with grunts, french gray and queen angels, dog snappers, lobsters, flownder. Very little drift. 56 ft for 62 min. 4th day of diving again with Equalizers. Went to Palancar Bricks. We were going to to Palancar caves, but the drift was running the opposite direction from usual. Did some swim throughs, saw nurse shark, large crab, southern stingray. 85 ft for 46 min. Went to a beach club for refreshments during interval. 2nd dive of day was Cedral Pass. Slow current. Saw 2 nurse sharks, brown eel, 2 splendid toadfish, lobsters, 2 very large barracudas, 2 variations of large, colorful trumpet fish (couldn't identify). Healthy plant, coral and sponges. 56 ft for 61 min. Water temp on all dives was 77 degrees, outside temp was in mid-eighties. Used a 3 mil wetsuit. Mostly cloudy with some sun. Got chilly on the boat rides back. Equalizers is a great operation and owner Darwin is a very nice man providing very personalized service. He even tracked down a wallet I had lost in a taxi and delivered it to me (stupid me). We checked out and went to Puerto Morales for more diving. I will do a separate post on those dives.
