Cozumel is an island in the Caribbean Sea off the eastern shore of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, south of Cancun and the mainland.  It is Mexico’s largest Caribbean island, largest permanently inhibited island, and Mexico’s third-largest island.  The island is covered with mangrove forest which has many endemic animal species.  It is a flat island based on limestone. Cozumel is similar to a monsoon climate.  All food and manufactured supplies are shipped to the island.  Water is provided by three different desalination facilities on the island.  Year round temperatures average 71 to 89 degrees with lots of humidity in the air.  San Miguel is the only town and it is located on the northwest coastline combining charming old Mexico with contemporary conveniences.

We have been to Cozumel many times as one of the location visited by many cruise lines.  One of my best experiences in Cozumel was the Chankanaab Park.  The Chankanaab is a landlocked lagoon connected to the sea.  This is also the location of the Chankanaab dive site.  We cruised along Cozumel’s west coast aboard a ferry vessel Ana to the Chankanaab dive site  in Chankanaab Park.  At the Chankanaab dive sites we boarded a US Coast Guard Certified Submarine.  In the US Coast Guard submarine, we traveled 100ft underwater and cruised the ocean floor of Chankanaab.  Chankanaab is an envirinmentally protected marine park with a huge variety of sea life usually only seen by divers.  We viewed parrotfish, grunts,groupers, aquatic plant life; and magnificent 30 foot coral heads.  A 100ft underwater view in the ocean is not as vividly  colored as the view from the top of the ocean when snorkeling.  It was a fantastic experience non the less.