“WATER AND AIR, THE TWO ESSENTIAL FLUIDS ON WHICH ALL LIFE DEPENDS, HAVE BECOME GLOBAL GARBAGE CANS.” — JACQUES COUSTEAU

We’re guided by very simple principles: treat others with respect, be kind, protect marine wildlife and fragile marine habitats, and ensure students have access to the highest levels of professional and safe education, while having lots of fun and enjoying the sport. Dive Mentor is an approved SSI Mission Deep Blue Dive Center, and we’re dedicated to the principles that dive the program.

Environmental Awareness

As divers and dive professionals, it’s critically important that we are personally conscience of the realities of what is happening to our planet. These are some of the things we can all do:

• Commit to personally protect the environment
• Prevent others from causing damage through positive action and motivation
• Support useful projects and organizations dedicated to marine protection
• If possible, collect garbage on your dives – but only if doing so does not cause more damage to the environment
• If possible, cut hanging ropes and collect floating nets and plastics
• Inform your buddy or the crew on the surface if you were not able to remove the net
• Never eat shark fins, whale meat, turtle eggs, etc.
• Report immediately violations of the ban on the use of marine animals as souvenirs

Avoid Garbage & Pollution

From stunning coral reefs to ridiculously spectacular marine life (sea turtles, sea horses, nurse sharks and numerous reef fish), diving in Cozumel is unparalleled. No, seriously. It’s sick. But not sick in a bad way, sick in the radical fun use of the word. But, it can literally become sick if we are not willing to keep garbage and pollution from entering the waters.

• Never throw inorganic waste into the sea – Plastics decompose incredibly slowly
• Minimize the production of garbage: Use reusable coffee mugs and lunch boxes, glass or metal bottles and shopping bags
• Do not bring unnecessary packaging to the resort
• Dispose of your waste in as eco-friendly a manner as possibleIf you smoke, dispose of cigarette butts in the proper receptacle, not on the ground or in the water

Here are some of the top dive sites found in Cozumel:

Santa Rosa Wall

Santa Rosa Wall is one of the most popular deep dive sites. The wall begins at around 15 meters and extends deeper into the blue Caribbean abyss. Santa Rosa Wall has so much to offer divers including, enormous sponges, caves, swim-through tunnels, and overhangs of stony coral. If you are looking for stunning marine life, sea turtles, eagle rays, and large grouper have been seen there on a regular basis. This dive site is more for intermediate level divers, as the currents can be strong.

Colombia Wall

Colombia wall is over 30 meters high and is home to a stunning cave, tunnel and cavern systems. When diving at this site, you can expect to see giant coral pillars, some of which tower over 20 meters tall. Large barracuda are often seen here within the surrounding Caribbean waters, as well as large sea turtles, eagle rays, and beautiful reef fish. Keep your eyes open for the Blue Tang, also known as surgeon-fish, with their scalpel-sharp tail appendages. If you are a budding photographer, the shallows of this site are perfect for capturing stunning images. This site is definitely not to be missed if you’re planning a trip to Cozumel.

Palancar Reef

 If you are a newbie to diving and have set off on your first diving holiday, then Palancar Reef is the perfect first dive site for individuals not totally confident in their skill set. It can also be an enjoyable ‘easy’ dive for those experienced divers out there too. Palancar Reef stretches for over 3.5 miles and is home to huge coral clusters where there are thousands of different coral species, all of which are interspersed with purple and orange sponges. The sea surrounding this reef is calm and can provide a number of gorgeous photo opportunities. Found in Palancar Reef are a number of deep crevices, which are great to hover over and observe the life hiding within. This spot provides a great feeling of adventure with new things to see, hiding within the deep gaps throughout the coral structure.

Palancar Horseshoe

Named after its U-shaped protrusion on the wall, this site is home to stunning tunnels and swim-throughs, which have been carved into the reef, meaning that you can explore this reef from the inside out. Its tall heads of a star, sheet and brain coral come together to form a ‘city skyline’ effect. On this dive you should expect to see alcoves filled with blue and brown Chromis, as well as schools of glassy sweepers shimmering throughout the blue waters. This site is a definite ‘MUST-SEE’ for all levels of scuba divers visiting Cozumel.

Punta Tunich

If you’re looking for swift currents and drift dives, then Punta Tunich is the site for you. Diving in this location starts at around 20 metres where the beautiful white sandy bottom introduces long extended ridges of coral, which rise between 12 -18 meters from the sand dunes. Stunning sea fans, gorgonians and whips are in abundance at this dive site. Beneath the coral overhangs you will find sponges and resident fish including grunt and snapper. This incredible dive site should not be missed.

Barracuda Reef

Barracuda Reef is really the stuff that myths are made from. With its crazy currents and magnificent marine life, which includes Hammerheads, black-tip reef sharks, eagle rays and of course barracuda, this is definitely a dive site not to be missed. This is certainly a dive for advanced divers and finding a reputable dive center that will be willing to take you out to this northern dive site might not be an easy feat, however it is well worth some research and some asking around.

Paradise Beach

If you enjoy beach diving, then this dive site is the site for you. Not only can you dive this site during the day, but it is also an amazing experience to do a night dive at this location. Located just north of Caleta, there are number of dive shops and centers found in this area and this dive site is regularly used for certification dives. Do not be put off by the number of people diving this site or the vast amounts of equipment lined up on the beach. If you are fledgling diver, then this would be a great introduction for diving in Cozumel. Within the beautiful, crystal clear waters, lies stunning reefs, which provide plenty of crustaceans, angelfish and other brightly colored tropical marine species.

Dealing with the Underwater World

Here’s some important tips divers, snorkelers, and swimmers should take seriously:

• Only use a swim-through if you can do so without touching anything
• Don’t swim or snorkel too close to the reef
• Don’t touch or break corals
• Use labeled entrances/exits for the water
• Don’t disturb the sand, since it reduces visibility and smothers corals
• Don’t hunt or bother animals
• Don’t touch animals unless properly trained
• Don’t feed animals
• Don’t take souvenirs from the sea – broken coral pieces or empty snail shells still serve as useful habitat
• Only place a reef hook where it will not damage or disturb the reef
• Do not disturb animals or habitat to improve your photo opportunity

Responsible Use of Resources

It may not seem like much, but even the little things matter. Let’s be good stewards of what we have, that way, future generations can enjoy the same benefits we have.

• Shower only as long as required to get clean, especially in areas with minimal ability to store/purify water
• Wash your equipment in the provided container, and only when necessary – often it’s enough to clean equipment thoroughly at the end of the dive trip
• Turn off the lights when you aren’t using them
• Use alternative transportation or walk instead of driving
• Avoid unnecessary waste – food plans and shopping lists help save you money, and prevent purchasing unnecessary food that may go to waste

Cozumel, Mexico

In the original Mayan, the word Cozumel means Island of the Swallows.

Located just a short ferry ride off the Eastern Coast of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, directly across from Playa del Carmen—Cozumel sits like an Emerald jewel against the incredibly azure blue background of the Caribbean Sea. Only 11 miles wide, and 32 miles long—it is by far the most populated Mexican island.

Since the famous underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau was introduced by locals to the beauty of Palancar Reef in 1960, the island has enjoyed a steady growth of tourism. For decades, scuba divers have flocked to it’s warm, crystal clear waters to enjoy amazing coral formations and the plentiful marine life.

These coral reefs are protected from the open ocean by the island’s natural geography, so in an effort to preserve (and conserve) the area for generations to come, the Mexican government established the Cozumel Reefs National Marine Park, forbidding anyone from touching or removing any marine life within the park boundaries—making the area the envy of the diving world.

The main town on the island is San Miguel de Cozumel, and that’s where you’ll stay when you come to dive with us. Our free accommodationis walking distance to the town center (Centro), restaurants, night life, grocery stores, a movie cinema, religious institution, gyms, and just about every other amenity you can ask for.

Travelers are required to have a valid Passport issued by their home country (including US Nationals) and a Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM), also known as a tourist card to enter the country. The FMM is a form that declares the traveler’s stated purpose of visit as tourism, and is valid for 180 days. International air travelers should receive their FMM during their flight and the fee is already included in the price of the flight.

To learn more about Cozumel and your dive program, read our FAQs.