Papa Hogs Scuba Emporium

Located on the Carretera Costera Sur in San Miguel de Cozumel, Papa Hogs Scuba Emporium is one of the island's original dive shops. Founded in 1991 by Mike and Margaret Gerus, the centre has spent over three decades building a reputation for reliable, family-style hospitality.

The shop serves as a hub for both local and visiting divers, offering a relaxed atmosphere that caters to multiple generations of divers. Whether you are looking to complete an Open Water certification or are an experienced diver seeking drift dives, the centre is positioned to accommodate various skill levels.

As a family-run and operated business, the centre maintains a personal approach to diving. The team focuses on grouping divers with similar experience levels to ensure a cohesive environment on the boats and in the water.

Beyond the diving itself, the centre provides practical amenities for your post-dive routine, including on-site lockers for your gear and shower facilities. For those looking to stay close to the action, they offer accommodation at the Hogtown Hotel or various packages with local hotels like Hotel Cozumel, Casa del Mar, and Villa Blanca.

Papa Hogs offers a comprehensive range of training through both PADI and SSI affiliations. Beginners can start with Discover SCUBA Diving or work through the Open Water Diver and Advanced Open Water Diver courses.

For those looking to advance their skills or career, the centre provides Rescue Diver training, Divemaster programmes, and the Instructor Development Course (IDC). They also offer specialty training such as the Nitrox course and Refresher courses for divers returning to the water.

The centre operates fast boats designed to get you to the best reef sites quickly. These vessels have a capacity of either 6 or 8 passengers per trip, allowing for a more personal experience on the water.

Nitrox is available for your dives, and the centre also organises night dives. For those who prefer to stay closer to shore, shore diving options are available, including tank rentals for those heading out from the beach.

Full rental kit is available on-site, including wetsuits, computers, and torches for night diving. If you are looking for a more minimal setup, you can also hire individual items such as BCDs, regulators, or masks and fins.

Nitrox is available for use, and the centre provides shore diving tank rentals for those choosing to head out from the reef flat. The facility is designed to be functional, with dedicated areas to rinse and store your equipment after a session.

The reefs are home to a vast array of tropical fish, including various species of angelfish (Pomacanthidae), butterflyfish (Chaetodon), and parrotfish (Calotomus). You will frequently see large schools of fish, including snappers (Lutjanus), grunts, and jacks (Carangidae) moving through the water column.

For those interested in larger pelagics, the area is known for sightings of eagle rays (Aetobatus), spotted eagle rays, and various shark species such as the Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum). Hammerhead sharks and bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) are also part of the local ecosystem.

Macro life enthusiasts can look for octopus (Octopus vulgaris), seahorses (Hippocampus kuda), and various species of nudibranch (Chromodoris willani). You may also encounter scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae), moray eels (Muraenidae), and different types of crabs and shrimp.

Hard corals, brain corals, and sea fans (Gorgoniidae) provide the structural foundation for the reef, alongside barrel sponges, red coral sponges, and various sea rods and sea plums. You will also find various sea turtles, including the green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) and the hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata).