Cozumel and the Mexican Caribbean Scuba Diving

Cozumel and Yucatan peninsula diving took a big hit by Hurricane Wilma in September 2005 and diving is still seriously affected, as Chapbook reporters testify. Many operators cater to experienced, savvy divers -- but some load boats with all comers. Much of Cozumel's diving is deep or drift dives. Carry surface-signaling devices (strobe, safety sausage, etc.). The best diving is in spring and summer. It can be rainy during the winter. Accommodations range from small, inexpensive downtown hotels to diver hangouts to high dollar hotels. There’s a lot of partying, thanks to an overload of cruise ship passengers. Many divers take day trips to the mainland to dive the freshwater cenotes. Along the coast, there are dive operations from Cancun south, but the diving is mainly patch reef diving. Isla Mujeres, off Cancun, has some decent reef diving and a drift or two. Whale sharks spend several summer weeks northwest of Cancun, near the island of Holbox, where one can just about be guaranteed to snorkel with scores of the behemoths. See Undercurrent, October 2004, for a review of this new discovery.

Cozumel and the Mexican Caribbean Seasonal Dive Planner

Cozumel enjoys a fairly constant temperature of 80°, but it rises into the 90s during July and August, which are also rainy months. During these months, it can get hot and humid if you venture away from the sea breeze or don't have an air-conditioned room. The rainy season runs from June through October (which is also hurricane season). Rainfall doesn't affect water visibility, as there is very little run-off. Cozumel is blessed with great visibility because of its strong currents. Cold fronts blowing down from the north can make temperatures fall during the coldest winter months, but Cozumel, because of its size and proximity to the mainland, is usually less affected than most Caribbean islands. Water temperatures vary from upper 70s to low 80s.

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Cozumel and the Mexican Caribbean Feature Articles and Reader Reports

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For Undercurrent Online Members and some available for Public

Dive Articles - Land Based The Sailfish of Isla Mujeres, 9/09 Florida, California, Bahamas, Philippines..., good U.S. diving, Cozumel’s best gear repairman, and more, 5/09 Akumal, The Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico, It’s not Cozumel diving, but it’s an alternative, 2/09 Diver Car-Rental Scam in Cozumel, 1/08 Costa de Cocos, Xcalak, Mexico , 8/07 Slow Versus Fast Boats, 7/07 Help With Project Cozumel, 7/07 Isla Cozumel, Mexico, 7/07 Post Hurricane Cozumel, 4/06 Holbox Whale Sharks, Bonaire Wild Side Diving, 2/06 A Good, Safe Operator on Cozumel, 7/05 Valet Diving in Cozumel, relax and go with the flow, 5/05 In the Realm of the Mayan Gods, cenote diving on Cozumel, 5/05 Holbox Island, Quintana Roo, Mexico: some big, big surprises ,10/04 Reports From Readers: Part I; Cozumel's adult dive operators, Bonaire bummers , 8/04 Cozumel Taxi Mafia Holds Tourists Hostage, (see sidebar, p.10), 6/04 Available For Public Cozumel, Q. Roo, East side, west side, all around the island, 3/01 Cozumel for the Serious Diver, 2/00 Diving Into the Interior of the Yucatan, Villas DeRosa and diving the cenote's, 7/99 Warning - Cozumel Phones, (see sidebar, last page), 7-97 Cozumel, Aldora Divers and other choice diver operations, 10/96 Yucatan, Chinchorro Bank, 10/96 Yucatan, North to South in the Yucatan, 2/96 Paradise Reef Pier, Cozume, 1-95 Cozumel, Barracuda Reef on a Night Dive, 5/94

Dive Articles - Liveaboards

Editor's Book Picks for Cozumel and the Mexican Caribbean
Including Cancun, Costa Maya, Mayan Riviera, Akumal, and the rest of the Yucatan

The books below are my favorites about diving in this part of the world All books are available at a significant discount from Amazon.com; just follow the links. -- BD

World Atlas of Coral Reefs
by Mark D. Spalding, Corinna Ravilious, Edmund P. Green, United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center.

If there is one book that belongs in every traveling diver's library, this is it. The superb World Atlas of Coral Reefs has everything you want to know about the reefs from Costa Rica and Cuba to the Coral Sea and Cayman. The information is specific and up to date. The photos, maps and layout superb. And the price, for this 424 page, full color, hard bound volume, is a steal at $31.50

The Atlas was released in September by the United Nations World Conservation Monitoring Center to document and conserve the world's coral reefs. Clearly written with divers in mind, it's an invaluable resource for global travelers. Here's what you'll find.

• 94 maps, including global maps of biodiversity and reef stresses, regional maps showing 3-D bathymetry and high resolution maps showing reefs, mangroves, population centers, dive centers and protected areas.
• 280 color photographs, showing reefs, wildlife, people and places, Including 84 photographs taken from space by Shuttle astronauts.
• Text explaining the formation, structure and ecology of coral reefs; their various uses and abuses at the hands of humans; and the techniques used in coral reef mapping.
• Detailed texts describing the distribution and status of coral reefs in every country.
• Data tables listing information on biodiversity, human use, and protected areas. These include statistics on coral reef area, biodiversity, fish consumption, and threats.

For example, you can learn about pollution damage to the reefs at Providenciales and the lack of human impact, as well. Or, where extensive bleaching took place in Honduras 1998. You'll read that Milne Bay in Papua New Guineas has the most extensive reef system in that country and where, in Fiji, the bumphead parrotfish and tridachna clams will not be found, thanks to overfishing. Order now.

Diving Cozumel ... Cayman Islands ... Belize ... Bahamas ... Bay Islands ... Bonaire ... Bermuda ... British Virgin Islands ... Hawaii ... Micronesia
by Speck, Garoutte, Middleton, Cancelmo, Strohofer, Lewbel, Martin, Douglass, Verdure, Rosenberg, Hanauer...

No matter where you are headed, the Aqua Quest Books covering your destination are the only way to supplement Undercurrent's hardhitting critical information. Each of these books describes specific dive sites, depths and location, shore diving entries, the critters you'll see, local history and customs, places of interests. Take one as you travel or buy one after you return for the memories. Scores of excellent colorful pictures and maps supplement each of these 7x10 paperback 128 page books.

Paul Humann ID Books by Paul Humann, Ned Deloach: The three set fish, creature and coral ID books by Paul Humann are the unparalleled sources for information on Caribbean sea life and identification. This month Paul and his partner Ned deLoach released updated and expanded editions of each, with scores of new critters, even better photos, and information unavailable anywhere else. Why, the Reef Fish Identification book, at more than 500 pages, is 20 percent larger than the previous volume, which came out in 1994. Whenever I travel to the Caribbean, I tote all three books and spend my down hours figuring out what I saw and where to look to find rare creatures. Paul's splendid Reef Creature book (420 pages), covers sponges, nudibranchs, octopus, crustaceans, Christmas tree worms and plenty more. His Coral ID book (276 pages) helps you identify all the hard and soft corals, spawning, and even the growth on top of corals, as well as algae and other plant life. Beginners may want to ID only fish, but I'd recommend that all three books be part of every diver's library. And, if you have an old set, by all means replace it. You'll be delighted at the additions and improvements. Each book normally retails for $40, but are discounted when you order here. And the boxed 3-volume set is available now at a bigger discount, $81.60 (June, 2004). You'll get the best prices Amazon.com has to offer, speedy delivery, and the knowledge that a large hunk of our profit will go to preserve coral reefs. All are spiral bound, 6x9

• Reef Fish Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas ,
• Reef Creature Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas and
• Reef Coral Identification: Florida Caribbean Bahamas
• The Boxed Set of all three (now listed at $81.60 -- June, 2004)

Watching Fishes: Understanding Coral Reef Fish Behavior
by Roberta Wilson, James Q. Wilson.

Your buddies can probably name the reef fish, but read this volume and you can explain what those critters are actually doing -- and why. This fascinating book describes why and how fish change color, how they smell and socialize, the difference between day and night behavior, even how damsels cultivate algae patches -- which is why they attach you when you fin by. Watching Fishes, Understanding Coral and Reef Fish Behavior is written for divers, not scientists, by Roberta and James Q. Wilson. They describe in lively nonfiction prose the behavior of basslets to blennies, clownfish to crinoids, damsels to drumfish. Perfect for between-dive reference. Paperback, 6x9, 274 pages.

You might find some other books of interest in our Editor's Book Picks section.