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Cozumel Snorkeling |
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| The search is over! You have come to the right spot! | For those who have never visited the island of Cozumel for snorkeling, a spectacular underwater rainbow awaits as you snorkel along the miles of world famous reefs here.
Since Cozumel enjoys an average of 350 days of sunshine, 150 - 250 feet of underwater visibility, a warm 80+ degree year-round average sea temperature it plays host to over 500 species of vibrantly colored tropical fish and corals. A big part of the ancient Mesoamerican barrier reef lies just off the Cozumel shore - about 200-500 yards. All of this adds up to incredible conditions for some awesome snorkeling!
Since tourism abounds in Cozumel and visitors are always diving or snorkeling the reefs of Cozumel, we enjoy some of the friendliest fish you can imagine. So hopefully you can snap a few good pictures this time instead of just fish butts! The miles and miles of incredibly clean, pristine reefs are simply mountains of living coral that provide a stunning view of the ocean and it all starts at just 20 feet deep!
The beauty of Cozumel snorkeling is that it plays host to all sorts of different coral formations like mounds and outcroppings in the shallow waters and then caverns and swim throughs along the coral walls that drop to over 500 feet deep. Snorkelers as well as divers enjoy this spectacular ocean view because of the crystal clear visibility and the drifting currents which provide a relaxing "free ride!"
Cozumel snorkeling is perfect for everyone- no matter the level of skill. Beginners as well as "Old Timers" feel right at home snorkeling amongst the colorful reefs teeming with sea life.
Since Cozumel consistently ranks among the top 3 - 5 dive destinations in the world among scuba divers, it goes without saying that the snorkeling must be incredible, too! Cozumel enjoys some of the clearest water found anywhere in the Caribbean and visibility can be 150 feet or more depending on the water currents.
| Why is Cozumel snorkeling better than other places? | Looking at an arial map, take note of the fact that Cozumel sits well away from mainland Mexico (about 7 miles) and also that the island is long going north to south. This happens to be the general flow of the ocean currents around the island as well. This constant flow of currents keeps the waters around the island clean and filled with fresh nutrients that corals feed on. If water is stagnate and not moving, some corals will grow but the majority of them depend on nutrients and sunlight to develop and thrive.
Since clean water is crystal clear, more sunlight can penetrate deeper and this allows corals to grow at deeper depths. A deeper depth coral colony will surive more natural events such as storm surges as well as be protected from human destruction (walking, crushing, harvesting for souvineirs, etc.)
While there are coral reefs and corals growing all around the island, Cozumel's most beautiful corals are formed and located on the west side of the island where there is more natural protection from the open Caribean sea and it's storm surge. This more protected west side of the island has, over millions of years, produced coral formations growing upward from the bottom of the sea some 400 feet and more! No wonder divers get excited coming here and seeing these beautiful underwater formations!
Snorkelers will not necessarily see all of these biggest most beautiful coral formations since their beauty is hidden well beneath the sea and diving equipment is necessary. However, snorkelers CAN see the TOPS of these coral formations as well as enjoy other coral reefs that exist in the islands shallower waters. And of course, where there is coral and protection from the elements and predators, there will be fish, lobsters, crabs, eels, stingrays and a multitude of other sea critters for snorkers to enjoy!
So take the plunge! Get your face wet and enjoy the "down under" beauty Cozumel has to offer snorkelers!
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Some Snorkeling and Related Activities
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We were on the NCL Epic and were in Cozumel on Thursday April the 7th. We did the Segway/Snorkel. The segway was AWESOME!!! We all highly recommend this....it was so much fun, it was by far the best excursion we did on our whole cruise.. Fred was our instructor...he was great!!! We will be back to Cozumel, and we will do this again!!! S. Taylor ~ Elkton, VA
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I am delighted to say that I received my maps today, and love them. Thanks for a great website. Hope to sign up for the 45-minute Dolphin Encounter as soon as our trip is coordinated. K. Roberts ~ Waco, TX
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Just wanted to say I thoroughly enjoyed The SNUBA and snorkeling trip. It was absolutely breathtaking seeing the wonderful reefs and sea life firsthand. I would say the SNUBA experience made our vacation one of the best ever for us. I was as excited as a Young child in a candy store when I went under with your support staff. Your whole group was so helpful and accomodating to us and I loved the whole experience. Thanks again! We will definitely be back and also tell our friends about the wonders of SNUBA! G. Carlson ~ Houston, TX
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We just came back from our Cozumel trip. We had a great time and really enjoyed the dolphin program. Thanks for giving our daughter such a great childhood memory!!!! By the way we came back to snow. Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine there!! The Francis family ~ Columbus, OH
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Dear Sherri - I just wanted to tell you how much my friend and I enjoyed spending the day at Palmar when we were on a cruise last week. Juan and Enrique are 2 of the most gracious, polite, and accommodating gentlemen I have ever met. This was my second visit to Palmar and the first for my friend. She was overwhelmed by the hospitality, and we both enjoyed Enrique's tour and explanation of the butterflies. Thank you again for a wonderful day at Palmar. Sincerely, JG Joan Gourley ~ N/A
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