Cozumel deco diving

[spacemanspiff1974]

I'm going to Cozumel in June and will be doing a couple of decompression dives. I've worked the computer and can do around 170 20 minutes with EAN 50 decompression gas. I may tweak this a bit before I dive, but 170 is my ideal max.

Last time I did this, I dove Columbia Deep, Santa Rosa wall, San Juan where it drops off in the north and an out of the park reef near San Juan.

I'd like suggestions for a couple of other deeper diving sites in Cozumel. I was thinking Maracaibo and possible Palencar Caves. I don't mind current (San Juan was pretty bad but the dive was pretty).

I'm worried that Maracaibo would be great at depth but boring on the way back up. The last thing I want is to start heading up and find that everything around 100 to 60 feet sucks. That is why I like Santa Rosa so much. Is Maracaibo worth it for a dive or is it just the macho deep dive thing to do?

How is Palencar caves? Does anyone have other suggestions for deco diving in Cozumel that I have not suggested?

 

[TSandM]

I don't have any recommendations, but I do have a question. Does the life change in the deeper ranges there? Are there species you see deep that you don't see shallower?

In Puget Sound, life drops off pretty sharply in a lot of places, below about 100 fsw, but in Canada, you pick up some new species that you don't see in shallow water. That's why I'm asking, since you've been there.

 

[FishDiver]

I'm going to Cozumel in June and will be doing a couple of decompression dives. I've worked the computer and can do around 170 20 minutes with EAN 50 decompression gas. I may tweak this a bit before I dive, but 170 is my ideal max.

Last time I did this, I dove Columbia Deep, Santa Rosa wall, San Juan where it drops off in the north and an out of the park reef near San Juan.

I'd like suggestions for a couple of other deeper diving sites in Cozumel. I was thinking Maracaibo and possible Palencar Caves. I don't mind current (San Juan was pretty bad but the dive was pretty).

I'm worried that Maracaibo would be great at depth but boring on the way back up. The last thing I want is to start heading up and find that everything around 100 to 60 feet sucks. That is why I like Santa Rosa so much. Is Maracaibo worth it for a dive or is it just the macho deep dive thing to do?

How is Palencar caves? Does anyone have other suggestions for deco diving in Cozumel that I have not suggested?

What charter operation will take you on deco dives in Coz?

 

[spacemanspiff1974]

To answer the first response, I notice a few more pelagics, black coral and sponges. Mostly I like these dives because I'm not in a big dive group and can focus on what interests me. I've also found some beautiful rock formations in the 150' range on Santa Rosa wall that I missed in the 80' range.

To answer the second response, I will dive with Deep Exposures.

Anybody have good suggestions on where I should go?

 

[dannobee]

Palancar Caves was nice, Devils throat (although technically not that deep), but going through all of the swim-thrus make it a deco dive. Did Santa Rosa wall quite a few times, too.

@ Lynne. I did see more pelagics/bigger fish down deep; it seemed they were more willing to come out and play at deeper depths than at shallower depths. Otherwise, similar to shallow.

Helium is ~$1.00/cu ft. We dove with a 112 on the back (Y valve) that lasted two deco dives and a slung 36% deco tank, which we swapped out each dive (two deco dives each day).

Dove with Dive Cozumel and would highly recommend them.

 

[Firefyter]

I'm worried that Maracaibo would be great at depth but boring on the way back up. The last thing I want is to start heading up and find that everything around 100 to 60 feet sucks.

I've done Maracaibo to 138', and it was great. The sad thing was that the top of the reef sits at ~90-100 ft., so while you're doing your deco you're either flying way over the top of the reef or out in the blue, depending on where the current takes you. It was a beautiful dive, but one I don't care to repeat.