Awesome dive trip. Dove there after 4 days of diving in Cozumel. Dove with DivePuertoMorelos. Website is divepuertomorelos.com. Excellent operation with the coolest and best divemaster I've dove with. His name is Jan, who is a partner in the operation. He took me on an afternoon dive and I was the only diver. We did the C-56 wreck. He had a new boat and gave an excellent dive briefing. Descended and ascended on a buoy line. There was moderate drift. Saw 5-6 eagle rays, southern stingray, brown spotted eel and many other fish around the wreck. Went to 87 feet for 38 minutes. Water temp was 75 degrees. Was OK with 3 mill wetsuit. I went to the dive shop afterward and saw his equipment for clients. Very new equip in excellent condition. I had my own equipment though. The next afternoon we did my first cenote dive. The cenote is close to Puerto Morelos, about 10 miles away called Tres Bocas. ("3 mouths" in english). Jan took myself, and another diver in a nice suburban through the jungle. His boat captain wheel barrelled our equip to the cenote and we had a very nice walk to the cenote with Jan pointing out various orchids, trees harvesting chicle, and other plant life. Again, very thorough dive briefing, he provided lights and kept his eye on us throughout the dive. With Jan's knowledge of the cenotes, reefs, and local animal and plant life, it was probably one of the best dive experiences I've ever had. Jan is also very interesting, informative and educational. For personal service this is a 1st class operation. Profile on cenote dive was 81 ft for 43 minutes. Saw the largest stalagite column in the area, many other stalagtite/stalagmite and ribbon formations. It was really a spirtual experience. I felt very safe and comfortable for my first cenote dive. I used 5 lbs of weight in the fresh water about 1/2 of weight for salt water in a 3 mill. Water temp was 74 degrees. I got a little chilly at the end of the dive, but not bad for my 6th day of diving. I also dove a reef dive at Octopus Garden. This reef looked like a wildflower garden. Saw no octopus, but saw many corals and fish varities. Healthy young reef with many sea fans, searods, seawhips, elkhorn coral and starcoral. Fish life was fairy basslets, barred hamlets, tobaccofish, squirrelfish, glasseye snapper, young parrotfish, trunkfish, grey and queen angels, spanish hogfish, damselfish, wrasses, snapper, multiple schools of pork fish, french & white & bluestriped grunts, trumpetfish, butterfly fish, rock beauty, southern stingray, spotted morays and sea stars (one that was maybe 2 feet across), and many lobsters. Dive profile was 47 ft for 54 minutes.
We stayed at the Paradisus Riviera 5 minutes away from Puerto Morelos. It's a 5+ star very nice large all inclusive with excellent food. However, next time I want to stay at a smaller place or condo in Puerto Morelos. Its a small fishing village, only starting to develop. It really seems you get the local culture there and the locals are very friendly. Divepuertomorelos owners Jan and Cat said they can help find good lodging accomodations locally. Totally laid back compared to touristy Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. I've always loved Cozumel, but now I like this place better. It has reef, wreck and cenote diving. It halfway between Cancun and Playa.
We stayed at the Paradisus Riviera 5 minutes away from Puerto Morelos. It's a 5+ star very nice large all inclusive with excellent food. However, next time I want to stay at a smaller place or condo in Puerto Morelos. Its a small fishing village, only starting to develop. It really seems you get the local culture there and the locals are very friendly. Divepuertomorelos owners Jan and Cat said they can help find good lodging accomodations locally. Totally laid back compared to touristy Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel. I've always loved Cozumel, but now I like this place better. It has reef, wreck and cenote diving. It halfway between Cancun and Playa.
