Cozumel · Mexico · Wall · Drift · Reef
San Francisco Wall
A steep drop-off dived at 11 to 15 m, with frequent eagle rays
Area photo: Matthew T Rader · CC BY-SA 4.0
One of the shallowest wall dives on the island, worked between about 11 and 15 metres along roughly 800 metres of reef broken into three sections. The drop-off is steep and the current can run strong, and the reef is loaded with life. Eagle rays are seen frequently, and big grouper and green moray eels hold on the reef itself.
Also known as San Francisco.
Where it is and how deep
20.3918° N, 87.0274° WPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef here runs about 800 metres and comes in three sections, each separated from the next by some 55 metres of open sand. On a moving day the current takes a group across those sand gaps quickly and the dive becomes three short reef passages rather than one continuous one; on a slow day there is time to work each section properly before crossing.
The wall is the shallowest on this stretch of coast, with the drop-off starting around 11 metres and the usual profile staying inside 15, so bottom times are longer than the southern wall dives allow. Eagle rays are seen frequently out over the edge, and the reef itself holds big grouper and green moray eels. The current is the variable to plan for: it can run strong here, and it decides how much of the reef you actually get to look at.
Marine life and season
- Eagle rays
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good |
Season follows Cozumel: January–April is prime with December close behind; lighter trades keep the leeward side calm, though winter nortes can shut the port for a day. Peak hurricane risk falls in September and October.
Know before you go
- The current here can run strong. Stay with the guide, keep the reef on one side, and do not try to swim back up-current to something you have passed.
Questions divers ask
How deep is San Francisco Wall?+
It is one of the shallowest wall dives on Cozumel, normally run between about 11 and 15 metres, with the drop-off falling away below that.
Sources
- San Francisco dive site — Scuba Du
- San Francisco Wall — Scubago
More dive sites in Cozumel
Drift
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Reef
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Reef
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Reef
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Similar dives elsewhere
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