Scuba Du

Located in Cozumel, Quintana Roo, Scuba Du has been a fixture of the local diving community for 34 years. The centre is built around a fleet of five custom-built dive boats, known as Scuba Du I through V, which are maintained specifically for the local conditions of the Mexican Caribbean.

The team is composed of experienced professionals, including PADI and NAUI instructors, dive masters, and captains who are certified by the marine park. This ensures that every trip is led by staff who understand the local ecosystem and navigation requirements.

Services are provided in both English and Spanish. For younger divers, the centre runs the PADI Seal Team programme, making it a viable option for families looking to introduce children to the underwater world.

Scuba Du offers a comprehensive range of PADI training. You can begin your journey with the Open Water Diver course or utilise PADI eLearning to prepare for your training before arriving on the island.

The centre also provides various PADI specialties and the PADI Seal Team programme for children. Whether you are looking for foundational skills or advanced certification, the instructors are equipped to guide you through the curriculum.

The centre operates five custom-built dive boats, named Scuba Du I, Scuba Du II, Scuba Du III, Scuba Du IV, and Scuba Du V. These vessels are specifically designed for diving excursions around the Cozumel reefs.

On board, you will find essential safety and comfort facilities including a VHF radio, life vests, flares, and a DAN oxygen unit. The boats are also equipped with freshwater rinse showers, toilets, and dedicated rinse tanks for camera equipment.

Shore-based facilities include freshwater rinse showers and dedicated tanks for rinsing camera gear. Safety is a priority, with a DAN oxygen unit and a first aid kit kept on hand for all divers.

The reefs around Cozumel are home to a vast array of tropical reef fish and large pelagics. You can expect to see schooling fish, including jacks (Carangidae) and barracuda, alongside various species of snapper (Lutjanidae), grouper (Epinephelinae), and parrotfish (Calotomus).

Large animals frequently pass through the area, such as various sea turtles (Cheloniidae), including the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), and Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). You may also encounter eagle rays (Aetobatus), spotted eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari), and reef sharks (Carcharhinus), including the Blacktip reef shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and Caribbean reef shark (Carcharhinus perezi).

The macro life and smaller inhabitants are equally diverse. Keep an eye out for the splendid toadfish (Sanopus splendidus), various octopus (Octopoda) species, seahorses (Hippocampus), and nudibranchs (Chromodoris willani). Crustaceans such as spiny lobster (Palinuridae) and various shrimp (Caridea) are also common among the reef structure.

The seabed and reef walls are covered in complex living structures, including various hard corals, brain corals (Diploria), and gorgonians (Gorgonacea). You will also find large barrel sponges and red coral sponges providing habitat for smaller species like scorpionfish (Scorpaenidae) and various eels (Muraenidae).