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Dive Review of Scuba Du/el Presidente in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan

Scuba Du/el Presidente: "Excellent Again", Apr, 2016,

by Marty Kalb, OH, US (Reviewer Reviewer 6 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 8871 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 3 stars
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments This visit to Cozumel was my 17th over a period of 25 years. For most of those visits I have stayed at the Presidente and used Scuba Du as the Dive operator. I experimented a few times by staying at less expensive hotels and I have used other operators but on each of those occasions I regretted the change. Cozumel is justly famous for drift diving, great visibility, fascinating underwater geography and a variety of marine life. It is all true. The drama of diving Santa Rosa Wall, Columbia, Palancar Bricks or Palancar Horseshoe is unforgettable no matter how many times you have done them. The first dive is a decent to about 40 feet followed by a swim to the wall's edge.You then swim out over a blue drop that appears to go on a thousand feet or more. What follows, at depths of about 80 feet, are a series of swim throughs that have you entering passage ways that twist and turn or rise and fall. You swim passed huge coral heads that tower over you,and if the sun is right your view as you move through the canyons and "tunnels" is impressive. The second dive is always 45 minutes after the first. It will be shallower then the first. It will be on a flat area and it will almost always feature small coral heads or hills,and many more animals then the deeper dives. During this trip I was lucky enough to see a huge Eagle Ray. numerous turtles and several nurse sharks, swimming rather then sleeping. And of course hundreds of the usual caribbean reef fishes. Of note is the current which can be easy or dangerous. Several years ago I had to abort a dive when the current almost took away another diver from our group. The dive master had the intelligence to quickly get us all out. As a dive operator Scuba Du is far ahead of all other dive companies I have used, in terms of safety and service. The boats are spacious,clean and have working heads. They take small groups assigning a dive master to 4-6 people. There were 12 divers to 3 dive masters and two additional hands on the boat. All your gear whether it is yours or a rental is checked before you enter the water. If your tank is light there is no problem about getting a better fill. After a dive when you return to the boat, you remove your BC and fins in the water and your gear is hauled up by one of the mates. Cold purified water is always available and between dives fresh fruit is provided. At the conclusion of all diving clean moist towels are provided to wash the salt off your face. The hotel. The Presidente is beautiful and the service excellent. It is more like a tropical garden then a large resort. There are never crowds of people. It is quiet. If you are seeking beauty,comfortable surroundings, excellent food, very friendly and helpful staff members and to be treated as a welcomed guest this is your kind of place.
Websites Scuba Du   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving 25+ years throughout the Caribbean. Bonaire, Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, St.Croix, Virgin Gorda, Curacao, Barbados, St Martin, Antigua, (snorkeling Galapagos )
Closest Airport Cozumel Getting There Numerous flights daily

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, rainy Seas calm, choppy
Water Temp 78-80°F / 26-27°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions A depth limit of 80 feet was strongly advised by all dive masters during the first dive. The depth of the second dive was limited by the terrain to 45-60 feet.
Liveaboard? no Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks 1 or 2 Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 2 stars

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

Subject Matter 4 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments There was a dedicated bucket for photo equipment. Knowledgeable staff are available if you have questions
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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