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gods are looking out for us. Let’s do this.” My wife
and I do our buddy check and then backroll over the
gunwale, plummeting down to join Mark and Alex.
Three eagle rays swoop gracefully by on the sea
wind, just a bit too far away for photos. I’ve read that
reef sharks are also seen here and even the occasional
manta. Our lean nitrox mix allows us to descend to
130 feet, where we drift for a moment, past deepwater
gorgonians and black coral bushes. We surprise a large
grouper hiding under a ledge, and then as a team we
angle upward to swim through a 30-foot-wide natural
archway at 120 feet. It’s a very impressive formation,
but I don’t have time or the right lens to do it justice. I
honestly didn’t think we’d be fortunate enough to see
this. Continuing up the wall we crest the edge, which
is decorated with a vibrant assortment of hard and
soft corals, a few golden crinoids and, of course, the
ubiquitous Technicolor sponges. Sea rods bow in the
current. Horse-eye jacks parade in front of us. A large
free-swimming green moray snakes along behind us.
Sadly, it’s time for us to take our leave and ascend.
Maracaibo is an advanced dive, because of the
depth (the top of the wall is at 90 feet, and it drops
precipitously to 150), sea conditions (big swell and
strong winds are common) and current (it can really
crank down there — no joke). Respect this site.
After a leisurely surface interval and an animated
discussion of Hurricane Wilma’s punishing visit
to Cozumel in 2005 (from which both topside and
underwater communities recovered remarkably), we
meander north to the
C-53 Shipwreck
. Coz is not a
wreck-diving destination, but we can’t skip a chance
to experience the local heavy metal scene. Resting
proudly upright on the sand at 75 feet, this 184-foot
Mexican Navy gunboat’s full name is Felipe Xicotencatl
C-53. It was intentionally sunk for divers in 1999.
Everyone can appreciate an easy dive around the ship’s
exterior, and those with wreck training can follow
an experienced guide to view some of the vessel’s
numerous interior compartments. The C-53 makes for
a good intro to wreck diving (it was well prepared for
penetration dives) and is the focal point for Cozumel
operators who offer wreck-certification courses.
City Under the Sea
Many of the best reefs along Cozumel’s leeward
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