Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura Cozumel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

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Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura Cozumel: "Lesser dive sites now emphasized", Nov, 2021, by Randall S Preissig, TX, US ( Top Contributor 37 reports with 15 Helpful votes). Report 11756 has 2 Helpful votes.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	I'll try to emphasize what isn't said in other reports. First, Cozumel is suffering from the same coral decline, thought to be an infection, as is seen elsewhere in the Caribbean. Of course, this is blamed on global warming, but it is obvious that this is a "patchy" disease, often infecting only part of the coral and only some of similar corals beside each other. But a far more likely cause is runoff of fertilizer, pesticides, etc. and sewage dumping from shore and the mega-ships passing by(frequently 4 every day!). So Cozumel is now closing groups of dive sites to "rest" them and give them a chance to recover. This means that "new" sites must take up the slack. These are regularly shallower, "lesser" sites with lots of sand and less coral. But you can hunt for critters in the grass and elsewhere with success, and I was able to point out several to my groups. As usual, the guides were guiding where to go, not what to see. Our resort was full, and clearly diving has picked up tremendously from our last trip one year ago, but isn't quite "peak" yet. And EVERYONE was glad to see us and even more accommodating than usual. Go now, before it wears off. As always, Cozumel is one of the very top Caribbean sites; it's close, reasonably priced and much safer than in years long gone. Yes, cruise ships have changed it, but you can't help but be happy for the prosperity that has brought to so many.
Websites	Dive Palancar Secrets Aura Cozumel
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Red Sea, Raja Amphat, Lembeh, Komodo, Alor, Thailand, Sipadan, PNG, BVI, Bahamas, Tahiti, Palau, Chuuk, Ponape, Guam, Australia, Hawaii, Myamar, Fiji, Cocos, Galapagos, Socorro, 3 Caymans, Bonaire, Cozumel, Belize, Etc.
Closest Airport	Cozumel	Getting There	Direct flights from several cities. We went through Houston on SW airlines. A big advantage for scuba divers with equipment is that SWAir allows two free bags. And also NEVER a charge to change your reservation.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	83-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	60-100 Ft/ 18-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Follow the leader diving, maximum 80-100 first dive and 60 to 70 second dive.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Day boats with rinse tanks for masks, for cameras, and for other.

Report currently has 2 Helpful votes

Subscriber's Comments

By Garth Peterson in OH, US at Mar 09, 2023 20:16 EST

Cozumel has some of the best diving around within a reasonable distance. We had better coral luck in sept. 2022. Secrets Aura was awesome. Flying from Ohio to the Pacifc like I did for Truk, Palau, Indonesia, Komodo etc. has become such a hassle. Drift diving makes it fun in Cozumel. I did however disagree that the guide can use a stainless rod but not an experineced diver. (try staying with the guide when eeryone swarms on a lobster vieiwing and not get blown downstream. Guy from UK, experienced diver was not allowed to use his which I felt was pretty anal (park or not it is the awareness factor that is more important I feeL) as it less or not damage trying to hang onto something strategically. Guide we had also needs to brush up on his frog kick on the swim thru's to avoid stirring up sand. Dave?

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Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura Cozumel in Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel

Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura Cozumel: "Lesser dive sites now emphasized", Nov, 2021,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subscriber's Comments

Dive Review of Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura Cozumel in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Cozumel