Must Dive Spots in Cozumel

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I got the chance to dive Barracuda for the first time this month. I was aware of how unpredictable the currents could be. We had currents at the start of the dive trying to push us off the reef into the blue. I was pretty winded just getting to the wall, once there it wasn't too bad, after I caught my breath. It was not what I would call a relaxing dive though. Would much rather have been riding the current north. Here is a short video where you can see the bubbles going out.

The last time I dove Barracuda the current was pretty strong and running at about a 10 degree angle with the ridge, and we were on the outside of the ridge. Every time I got close to the top of the ridge, the current sent me back down the outside of the reef. It was not my most enjoyable dive.
 
@Trailboss123 thank you for kind words....... our first trip to Cozumel was great and we are already planning our second trip there. Some of the sites we were able to go to were Cedral, Yucab, Tormentos, C-53, Chankanaab, Palancar caves and gardens and Paradise reef for night dive. It really was fun and I really believe I became a better diver with better buoyancy control and better air consumption (Thanks to my Perdix AI for guidance with SAC rate). Not to mention help from DM's and other Divers. Really looking forward to our trip back hopefully in December.
 
To each his own. I have been on some excellent dives at Paradise Reef.

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.
 
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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.
Totally concur regarding Paradise. Lots to see and explore. Hands down one the best night dives ever.
 
I guess it's all in the eye of the beholder. I can find something to interest me on every dive I do in Cozumel.. Every dive.
Yo tambien. I have been diving Cozumel since 1995 - at least one trip every year - and in all that time I can remember two dives that were an overall disappointment. One was because the visibility was only about 20 feet and the other was because the top of the reef was so deep that I only had about 5 minutes to see it. All the rest have ranged from very good to spectacular.

Paradise at night is beautiful; my only complaint is that there sometimes are so many divers there that it can be hard to stay with your group. The last time I was there my wife and I got separated from the group and had to finish the dive on our own. Not a big deal.
 
Barracuda can be a challenge with the currents. I have dove it a number of times and it has been one of my favorites and also it was one of my worst dives. I love diving San Juan on the second dive if you go north. The current makes it a a fly over, but the second half of the dive loaded with finger coral is awesome.
For an awesome shallow dive that isn't mentioned frequently, I love Columbia Shallows. It is loaded with life and at 30 feet you can spend 90 minutes exploring all the little things you can possibly want to see.
 
@ggunn as mentioned before It was our first trip to Cozumel and I am already planning our second trip. My friends (Non-Divers) asked me why are you going back go somewhere else? earlier I was questioning myself but seeing that you have been coming for so many years reaffirms my faith to come back to Cozumel. I do want to go to other places, but I loved Cozumel so much. And not to mention there is so much more to see and explore for a newb like myself.
 
@ggunn as mentioned before It was our first trip to Cozumel and I am already planning our second trip. My friends (Non-Divers) asked me why are you going back go somewhere else? earlier I was questioning myself but seeing that you have been coming for so many years reaffirms my faith to come back to Cozumel. I do want to go to other places, but I loved Cozumel so much. And not to mention there is so much more to see and explore for a newb like myself.

We are going on 15 or 16 years of diving Coz almost annually now (can't remember). The reasons for me are simple... For the $ there is just no better diving close by to be had for the price and what I like to see and do both topside and UW. New places are cool but virtually everyone I've met in Coz has drawn the same conclusion I have and keeps Coz on their annual or regular repeat dive destination list. Furthermore, Coz resides on most divers "bucket lists" from countries around the globe. One can travel to more expensive destinations at far greater cost but it is tough to match what Coz has to offer for the price and proximity to the USA.
 
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