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Highlights of diving in Cancun
The best diving spots in Cancun
Sunken ships
Diving in sunken ships in Cancun It’s like traveling to a mysterious past beneath the waves. These shipwrecks, now home to incredible marine life, offer unique experiences filled with excitement, history, and natural beauty.
Prepare to immerse yourself among amazing structures, majestic eagle rays, and underwater tales you’ll never forget.
Star seasons: Eagle rays, bull sharks, and whale sharks
Cancun is famous for its seasonal activities:
Bull shark From November to March. A radical, supervised, safe (although imposing!) experience.
Snorkeling with whale sharks From the end of May to September 18th. Although it’s not scuba diving, swimming alongside the world’s largest fish is a life-changing experience..
The ideal season to watch eagle stripes in Cancun it goes November to March, when they migrate and concentrate on submerged shipwrecks.
OUR personal experience
Before we plunged into the depths, it was important to feel that we were in good hands.
We chose Deep Life Founded in 2010, it feels more like a family than a diving center.
We were blown away by them because the Divemaster had over 40 years of experience exploring the reefs of the Mexican Caribbean. What really convinced us was that if you look up reviews of them, you’ll see they organize almost private dives, and we can honestly say that choosing them was the best decision we could have made. a complete success.
Diving in Cancun: Immersing yourself in the best underwater spots
When you think about diving in Cancun You probably imagine reefs and crystal-clear waters. But if you’re truly ready for an unforgettable underwater adventure, you need to explore places like… C-58, The Grampin and other spots that only a few have the privilege of exploring.
Sunken ships: C-58 and C-55 (P. Mexico)
How we experienced going down to the sunken ship C-58 and being surrounded by more than 30 eagle rays
He C-58Originally the USS Harlequin (AM-365), it was a U.S. Navy minesweeper during World War II. After years of service, it was transferred to the Mexican Navy, receiving several names—including ARM DM-20 and General Pedro María Anaya—until it was intentionally sunk in May 2000 as an artificial reef off Isla Mujeres/Cancun.
When I first saw the immersion briefing, I was warned: deep divecurrents and possible penetration. And yes! The dive was deep (~26 m) and the best part is that the visibility was incredible, a visual spectacle that you don’t see on every dive, and believe us: we’ve dived a lot!
Thanks to Hurricane Wilma in 2005, the ship was split in twoThis has allowed you to enter it today, walk through different sections, and explore its hidden corners. It’s an almost organic project, a blend of metal structures, coral, and marine life.
But the jewel of the C-58 are the eagle stripes. During their migration (November-February), we saw groups of up to thirty rays hovering right above the shipwreck. Lying on the sand, looking up, and watching those translucent wings pass over your head is one of the most unforgettable underwater scenes I’ve ever experienced.
Fish such as grouper, large barracudas, and moray eels can also be seen in its crevices. And although there is tiny life (crabs, small fish), the larger life is the best part.
Near the C-58 is the C-55 (formerly USS Ransom). Also sunk in 2000, at a depth of 75 feet (≈22 m), it is divided into three sections and is home to bream, moray eels, lobsters and eagle rays in season. Below I compare them so you can choose between the two options of sunken ship in Cancun.
Which is better, the C-55 or the C-58?
- If you’re looking for the ultimate eagle ray experience: C-58 It is higher, especially from November to February, due to the massive sightings of these rays.
- If you prefer to explore shipwrecks: C-58 It is better, since its split structure offers more accessible areas for penetration, with open spaces and historical details.
- If you are less experienced: C-55 It may be a better option, as it is slightly more accessible for experienced Open Water divers, although it is still an advanced dive.
- If you want to combine sites Both are close together, so many operators offer combined C-58/C-55 dives, allowing you to enjoy both in a single day.
- General conditions Both have similar depths and currents, but the C-58 can be more demanding due to the lack of a descent line and stronger currents.
C-58 is generally considered the better dive site of the two, thanks to its rich history, more extensive documentation of wreck penetration, and impressive eagle ray sightings in winter. However, if you’re a less experienced diver or looking for a less demanding site, C-55 is an excellent alternative with similar marine life and fewer restrictions.
Another great dive site near Cancun
The Grampin: the anchor-shaped reef
Unlike shipwrecks, The Grampin It is a reef near Punta Cancun, at a depth of about 15-16 m, ideal for divers of all levels (OW and above).
It’s called Grampin because of its shape (grampin = anchor). It has gentle to moderate currents, swim-throughs among corals, sponges, and sandy areas teeming with life. I saw trumpetfish, barracudas, moray eels, and needlefish in high numbers; also fan corals and tunnel-like formations. Visibility is around 20-30 meters, with a pleasant temperature of 28°C.
Our experience
We were lucky. The visibility was so good it felt like I was viewing the ship from a glass platform. And then… the eagle rays! Suddenly, almost 30 of them were hovering right above me as I explored the interior of the C-58 wreck. A surreal moment: pure excitement and the thought, “This is like something out of a movie.”
On the next dive we went to The Grampin. A gentler dive, slow current, but equally fascinating: snorkeling through coral tunnels, moray eels coming out to say hello, hidden trumpet fish, schools of banana fish, fan corals floating like giant fans… it was the perfect transition after the shipwreck to a reef full of life.
Absolutely amazing!
Anecdotes that make a difference
Our dive center, Deep Life, was 10 out of 10.
Our divemasters They demonstrated enormous passion and professionalism:
Free transport: The only company in Cancun that includes free transportation from any hotel in the hotel zone, facilitating the logistics of getting to the diving sites.
Safety and patience Before each dive, they would do a thorough safety check and remind us of the basic signals, maximum depth, and considerations regarding the current.
Closeness At all times, they gave us the confidence to enjoy each dive, explaining the marine fauna that we could find.
- Unforgettable moments We were able to see nurse sharks, a large bank of jack mackerel, barracudas and an incredible variety of colorful fish. On our first dive, we came across more than 30 eagle rays soaring through the blue water. It was spectacular!
If you too would like to experience these moments, here are the contact details for the Deep Life diving center:
