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

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Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura: "Consistently Good--diving, weather, value, etc.", Nov, 2022, by Randall S Preissig, TX, US ( Top Contributor 37 reports with 15 Helpful votes). Report 12174.
Photos Submitted with this Report Click on an image to see an enlarged version and captions
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	NOTE: Above star ratings are "Caribbean Scale" I've been to Cozumel approximately 40 times over 45 years. It's changed from fabulous diving with terrible facilities (MANY people died diving, including Miss Texas one year. Undercurrent was the first and only publication to break the news on the danger) to a huge resort with cruise ships and tremendous prosperity for the island people. It is now the safest vacation spot in Mexico--criminals don't like dead end streets or islands that they can't make a safe get-away from. The lion fish are either "under control" (NOT!) or have learned to hide during the day on the popular dive sites. The drastic decrease in small fish on the beautiful coral reefs is evidence of this. I won't give you a list of what I saw, but rather what has changed or was a unique sighting for me. The first 20 years I dove in Cozumel, I don't recall ever seeing a giant green moray eel. Now we see a dozen or more ever trip. Maybe they've learned to eat lion fish? Since the hurricane over a decade ago, there is a massive amount of elephant ear orange sponge everywhere--probably part of a natural regenerative cycle. The shallow reefs are slowly getting rid of the sand that covered them after the hurricane. Interestingly, I saw many more critters on the shallow dives (especially Columbia Shallow) than on the deep dives. I believe this is related to where the lion fish are able to survive. I saw a slantbrow batfish at Columbia Shallow, the first ever for me. I've seen plenty of batfish elsewhere, but never one in Cozumel. Learn to look under the ledges and in holes--you'll be richly rewarded with splendid toadfish and much more. Note: the sharks we saw were all sleeping nurse sharks, but we saw several, once three swimming together. When making flight and hotel reservations, do both as early as possible--rates skyrocket the closer you get to departure. SWAir has a can't loose cancellation policy, and not just during Covid. Plus two bags free, a big bonus for scuba divers. My now non-diving wife loves the great beaches, beautiful sunsets, good food, huge clean rooms with AC that works, etc. You will too.
Websites	Dive Palancar
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Red Sea, Raja Amphat, Lembeh, Komodo, Alor, Thailand, Sipadan, PNG, BVI, Bahamas, Tahiti, Tuamatus, Palau, Chuuk, Ponape, Guam, Australia, Hawaii, Myamar, Fiji, Cocos, Galapagos, Socorro, 3 Caymans, Bonaire, Cozumel, Belize, Etc.
Closest Airport	Cozumel	Getting There	I flew SWAir, but multiple airlines from many cities.
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Group diving, recommended 80 foot limit, but could go lower.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	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	N/A
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	No facilities exclusively for UWP on the day boats.

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

Dive Palancar/Secrets Aura: "Consistently Good--diving, weather, value, etc.", Nov, 2022,

Photos Submitted with this Report

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):

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