Best back-to-back dives in Coz? (vote!)

[1gromit]

Given the traditional Coz routine: two tank morning's, often with a deeper dive followed by a more shallow dive... What are some of your favorite back to back reefs to dive, and why?

Mine: Maracaibo Shallows followed by Colombia Shallows.

Reason: Maracaibo Shallows has a some of the best underwater flora (incredible range of gorgonians), as well as a high likelihood of seeing larger critters and pelagics (my last dive at M-Shallows, earlier this month, we saw 3 turtles, two nurse sharks, many large ocean triggers, several nice sized bass, eel, and the largest porcupine fish I've ever seen!).

Colombia Shallows contrasts nicely with this: nice architecture of small/mid-sized coral heads, extremely shallow but with a I think some of the most abundant marine life (gobs of all the local reef fish, even sea horse off in the sand from time to time). Also, while maracaibo shallows isn't deep, it's consistenly at about 70 feet, so I get a deco push at about 55 minutes (by deco push I mean my computer starts beeping at me to ascend, else I'll go into a deco dive). Contrasting that, Colombia Shallows (approx 25-30') is so shallow you can more or less dive it forever w/o having deco problems!

- Al

 

[scubamarcp]

Mine would definately be palancar bricks then columbia shallows.

Marc

 

[5615mike]

Maracaibo Deep followed by Colombia Shallows for me.

 

[Cozdreamer]

On the north end there's Barracuda and San Juan that are good two tank combo. I have to also agree with the previous posts sugestions too. I also love any of the Palancar deep dives followed by Palancar Shallows or Santa Rosa Shallows. You go from feeling tiny and humble amongst vast pinnacle-like coral formations swiming in, around, and through them on your first dive to observing and drifting by christmas tree worms, feather dusters, flamingo tongues, pencil sea urchins, file clams, shrimp, and swaying anomnee with sun light filtering in from above you on the 2nd dive! There I go dreaming again.....

 

[jjwdiver]

Any of the above scenarios would fit right in with my favorites. Been there-done that...going to do that again real soon!

 

[divingjd]

I couldn't argue with the suggestion for Palancar Bricks/Columbia Shallows, but another contender would be Palancar Caves/Columbia Shallows. There are plenty of good deeper sites for the first dive, but Columbia Shallows would always be my favorite second dive. Just dawdling along for an hour or so looking at all the critters is great.

 

[Torcatdog]

Que Bones is located between the Caves and Bricks on Palancar Reef. Great 1st dive.
Very nice coral structures, lots of colors on the reef, still a lot of fish variety even at depth. Saw 3 turtles, lobster, goliath grouper, fuge file fish, barracuda, ocean trigger, hogfish and a really big crab!
#2 would be Paso de Cedral - dove it 3 times in 06 and saw new things every day! Large schools of fish, Moray eel out swimming in the day, Splendid toad fish spotted and photo on last dive of the trip!

 

[1gromit]

Ah, good reminder: Paso de Cedral / Cedral Wall - excellent diving!

- Al

 

[AXL72]

Punta Sur....followed up by the shipwreck combined with following its mooring line into Balones de Chankanaab

soo....

1st dive = Punta Sur
2nd dive = shipwreck combined with Balones de Chankanaab....on good vis day, the combined dive is awesome IMO,,,others call me crazy or narced

 

[Ron Brandt]

Punta Sur and either Paso El Cedral (actually did that last week,Christmas day) or as second dive anything on Palancar.

I'v also done Maracaibo deep followed by Chankanaab.

As for north...Barracuda and San Juan .

Ron