Palancar Gardens
Sloping reef and wall with gentle currents, much of the dive at 12–25 m, a good introduction to drift diving.
- Advanced
- Drift
- Turtles
Advanced≤30 m
C-53 Wreck (Felipe Xicotencatl)
Dive site in Cozumel, Mexico
Wreck sunk as an artificial reef, 10–25 m, covered in corals and sponges with black grouper and cubera snapper.
- Max depth
- 25 m
- Level
- Advanced
- Best months
- May–Aug
- Current
- Moderate
The story
The C-53 began life as the US Navy minesweeper USS Scuffle, launched in 1943. Acquired by the Mexican Navy in 1962, she was renamed ARM General Felipe Xicoténcatl (C53) in 1994, then donated to the Cozumel underwater park and sunk just off shore from Chankanaab Park.
Source: en.wikipedia.org
The dive
A wreck and artificial reef dive.
Who it's for
Advanced≤30 mSource: islandlifemexico.com
Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).
- DepthThe usual dive goes deeper than lower certifications allow.
- Overhead environment: only go inside with the matching training.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Wreck, Artificial reef
- Environment
- Wreck penetration
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Groupers
- Snappers
Season in Cozumel
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: May–Aug.
Source: padi.comWhere is Cozumel?
The point shows the Cozumel area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Cozumel
Paradise Reef
Three long coral ridges in mild current off Marina Caleta, popular for night dives; look out for toadfish.
- Open Water
- Drift
- Octopus
Palancar Bricks
A maze of swim-throughs by a 30–50 ft mini wall and Palancar's main wall (14–27 m), with big groupers and hawksbill turtles.
- Advanced
- Wall
- Turtles
Drift
down to 36 m
Santa Rosa Wall
Drift a vertical wall that drops into deep blue past giant barrel sponges, with spotted eagle rays a regular presence in winter.
- Advanced
- Nurse sharks
Drift
down to 18 m
Yucab Reef
A shallower, colorful drift reef of hard corals and huge barrel sponges, a popular second dive on Cozumel charters.
- Advanced
- Nudibranchs
Drift
down to 30 m
Colombia Deep
Wall dive known for towering pinnacles, drifting north at about 27 m through swim-throughs and canyons.
- Experienced
- Nurse sharks
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.
Photo credits
- Palancar Gardens dive site, Cozumel, Mexico, Matthewselig2019, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Paradise Reef Cozumel dive site, Cozumel, Mexico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
- Swim-through on Palancar Reef, Cozumel, Johnnie Flashlite, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
