Manchones I
Protected Area
Costa Occ. de I. Mujeres, Pta. Cancún y Pta. Nizuc
Why dive here
With 177+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, bull sharks, dolphins, eagle rays and nurse sharks - Manchones I offers some of Cozumel's richest diving. Water ranges 27-30°C, warmest August, September, October.
Manchones I always puts a smile on our faces. This site is classic Cozumel drift diving, easygoing and full of those subtle joys we keep coming back for. We usually drop in around 18-20 metres, letting the current nudge us gently past sand flats and low coral heads. You’ll spot plenty of French grunt schooling here, often in impressive numbers, along with mutton snapper eyeing you from the shadows. Keep an eye out for the smaller stuff too; we’ve had some fantastic encounters with Caribbean pipefish tucked amongst the gorgonians. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of a sand stargazer peeking out from the bottom. It's a relaxed, colourful dive perfect for photographers wanting to practice their drift shots or anyone looking for a chill afternoon spent watching the reef go by. We’d suggest going in the morning before it gets too busy.
Safety Notes
Strong currents typical this month (avg 79 cm/s). Good buoyancy control essential.
Nearest Dive Centres to Manchones I
Dive shops near Manchones I
Casa del Buceo
Mexico Divers
Sea Hawk Divers
Vision Oceanos Dive Center
Solo Buceo
Squalo Divers
Reviews for Manchones I
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Manchones I
Manchones I Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Manchones I, sourced from NOAA NDBC + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Yucatan Basin - 120 NM ESE of Cozumel, MX (227km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
30°C
85°F · Range: 28.7–32.3°C
Air Temperature
29°C
84°F
Current Speed
78.6 cm/s
Direction: NE (36.7°)
Chlorophyll-a
0.046 mg/m³
Very clear (oligotrophic)
Salinity
35.99 PSU
Wave Height
1.1m
6.7s period
Wind Speed
5.5 m/s
10.7 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1010.7 hPa
Visibility
24.1 nmi
Based on 5 years of monitoring data · Data sources: NOAA NDBC + Copernicus Marine (EU)
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