Xcalak & Banco Chinchorro · Mexico · Wall · Night · Pinnacle
Doña Nica
Large numbers of lobster and octopus on night dives
Area photo: Juan Ortega · CC BY 3.0
Doña Nica has two distinct coral formations: a shallow wall from 9 m to 15 m (30 to 50 ft) facing sand flats, and tongue-and-groove ridges with pinnacles across the sand. It suits divers of all levels, and it doubles as a night dive for its large numbers of lobster and octopus.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Xcalak & Banco Chinchorro and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The first formation is a shallow wall from 9 m to 15 m (30 to 50 ft) that faces open sand flats. The shallow depths and soft sand for training exercises make it a favourite site for instruction, and it is full of marine life, which is why it works for divers of all levels.
The second area lies just across the sand flats heading into deeper water, where the site reaches 24 m (80 ft). It has large tongue-and-groove formations plus pinnacles and coral heads, and large grouper and snapper use its overhanging ledges as hiding places, with turtles also seen. The site is used for night dives too, when lobster and octopus come out in large numbers.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Sea turtles
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Xcalak & Banco Chinchorro: Summer brings the calmest seas and near-daily Chinchorro trips. Hurricane Dean came ashore near Mahahual one August.
Dive videos
Scuba Diving Doña Nica in Xcalak, Mexico with Diving Xcalak - 4K 🎵 Sun Models - Odezsa · The Dive Planner on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Doña Nica in Xcalak?+
The shallow wall runs from 9 m to 15 m (30 to 50 ft), and the second formation across the sand reaches 24 m (80 ft).
Can Doña Nica be dived at night?+
Yes. Doña Nica is used for night dives because of its large numbers of lobster and octopus.
Sources
- XTC Dive Center: recreational diving — XTC Dive Center
- Dive Sites — Diving Xcalak
More dive sites in Xcalak & Banco Chinchorro
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A horseshoe-shaped wall tracing the outline of a cenote
Wall
Tall, narrow canyons where groupers appear to nest
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La Catedral, a large cavern lit through a hole in its ceiling
Wall
Schools of large tarpon along the wall just past the swim-through
Similar dives elsewhere
Two facing walls a quarter mile apart, cut by a prehistoric river
A pinnacle rising off the North Wall into the Cayman Trench
Twin pinnacles beside a coral-carpeted slope off French Cay
A sponge-covered wall and a pinnacle where barracudas live