Columbia Reef
Location guideCozumel

Columbia Reef

1540 madvanced+coralgeology● In season now

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Overview

A drift along the southern Cozumel reef where coral buttresses build into tall pinnacles riddled with swim-throughs, arches, and sand chutes, draped in barrel and vase sponges and sea plumes. The deep section starts near 18 m and drops past 40 m into blue water, with a gentler coral plateau running above it. Hawksbill and green turtles graze the coral, spotted eagle rays and nurse sharks patrol the drop-off, and the Cozumel-endemic splendid toadfish tucks into reef crevices. A light-to-moderate current carries divers north along the structure.

Briefing note

Inside Parque Nacional Arrecifes de Cozumel; a marine park fee/wristband is required and anchoring is banned. Dived as a live-boat drift, so deploy a surface marker buoy on ascent. The deep pinnacles and swim-throughs make it an advanced dive, while the adjacent Columbia Shallows is far easier.

What you'll see

6 species curated
  • Hawksbill turtle
    year-round
  • Green turtle
    year-round
  • Splendid toadfish
    year-round
  • Spotted eagle ray
    seasonal
    Peak: Dec · Jan · Feb · Mar
  • Nurse shark
    year-round
  • Nassau grouper
    year-round

Conditions

MonthWaterVisibilityCurrent
Jan2526 °C2540 mmoderate
Feb2526 °C2540 mmoderate
Mar2627 °C2540 mmoderate
Apr2627 °C2540 mmoderate
May2728 °C2540 mmoderate
Jun2829 °C2540 mmoderate
Jul2829 °C2540 mmoderate
Aug2830 °C2540 mmoderate
Sep2930 °C2035 mmoderate
Oct2829 °C2035 mmoderate
Nov2728 °C2540 mmoderate
Dec2627 °C2540 mmoderate

Season calendar

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Peak season highlighted · current month outlined

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