Shore diving in Cozumel

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

Coz isn't known for it's shore diving, not because it is really bad but because the boat diving is really great. Along the rocky western edge you will find about 25' depths, clear water, and mostly juveniles.
 
What's shore diving like in Cozumel? We'll be staying at the Safari Inn next week and may want to get in a few shore dives when the boats aren't going out.

The shore diving there has never been that great compared to the diving from boats, and Hurricane Wilma did a number on what there was. That said, there are a few places worth an afternoon dunk, like between Caribe Blu and Villablanca. But if what you mean by "when the boats aren't going out" is if the port is closed due to a norte, you won't be shore diving then, either.
 
Sorry to say but the shore diving isn't very good as mentioned already, and since you are staying right downtown you would need to travel by car to even do any. About the most popular area pre Wilma was Airplane Flats, which is near the International pier. I snorkeled the area, and all the way back to Hotel Cozumel in Sept and compared to what it was pre Wilma I can now say it was VERY disappointing, with silt just about the only thing to see.
If this is your first trip to Coz you need to be aware of the current, which is one reason you can't just enter somewhere & head out & away from the shore, because if you get out a ways you will be taken north at a pretty decent clip (or worse sometimes) so may end up having to try to get back to shore in an unfriendly section of shoreline far from your entry point.
 
The shore diving in Coz compared to our area (CO) is awesome! :rofl3:

The shore diving compared to Coz boat diving, or other more famous shore diving spots (Bonaire for example) is nothing to write home about.

Off of Caribe Blu, there is rubble, and some coral heads. The vis is great, and it's worth doing if you are looking to get wet during an off afternoon, or twilight. We only did one shore dive when there, and we did it as a twilight dive that turned into a night dive. There was a lot of interesting life, and even if not awesome from a coral perspective, from an marine life perspective, it was quite enjoyable.

If you do shore dive, go out to about 15', and head down the coast (south ish) into the current. The vis is good so as you see stuff deeper, head out maybe to 25'. Swim into the current for about 75% of your dive plan, and then turn around and drift back. The amount of time there and back is determined by the current when you dive, so YMMV.

IMO do one shore dive if possible just for the experience. We did ours the day we arrived as it was too late to book anything but a night dive, but arriving on Sunday, most OPS are not doing PM dives.
 
I agree with Ron. I really look forward to the night dives in front of Caribe Blu! Should get about 8 of them in this next trip.
 
I really enjoyed shore diving just south of the Caribe Blu. It provides a great opportunity to dive really SLOOOOW. If you get down on your knees and just sit beside a coral head, you'll be amazed at the number of species that starts to move around after a couple of minutes. Last January, I also found the homes of 2 resident octopi and also saw scorpion fish, morays, rays (one the size of a small dinner table), squid and lots of colorful tropicals.

We are going back this January. I'm really looking forward to diving this little recovering reef again, and to see what has changed in the last year.
 

Back
Top Bottom