Punta Sur, Cozumel

Experience level: Advanced (Experienced)

Depth: 80'-120'

Current: Mild

Recommended Equipment: Reel/Finger spool, SMB, whistle, torch/light. If using nitrox, keep your mix no greater than 32% due to the depths. Consider using a 100cf cylinder for this dive.

When planning a trip to either of the Punta Sur sites, a few things are paramount.

Buoyancy. You will most like be traversing through tunnels and passageways, some as narrow as 5' wide, so single file is how this is done. You do not want to be the one stirring up the sediment reducing the visibility of those behind you nor do you want to be the one behind someone that does. You are 90-120 feet of depth, inside a tunnels/passageways of huge coral with limited to no ambient light. I strongly urge you to gently and purposefully frog kick through the tunnels. You should be able to glide as well as use your finger to pull yourself along the way verses using the Power Kick method. Your body should be parallel to a foot off the floor so not to hit the ceiling.
A Torch. Preferably one with at least a 60 degree beam but any light will do.
Not be claustrophobic. Should you feel the urge to get out, there are only two ways, forward or backwards. If you are in the middle of a group, my best suggestion is forward. Remain calm, breath. Depending on which was you are going you'll come out along the wall or some sandy slope in shallower waters.
Excellent gas management. You should be very good on managing your air consumption by now. You will be diving deep, which means your supply will be depleting faster then what you may be use to. Do not enter any tunnel if your pressure is below 1500lbs. There still more to come while on the dive than the tunnels. Running low means you will separate from the group to head towards the surface.
No Go, When you reach the tunnel entry and upon seeing how deep you are and the tunnel leads into this massive coral, you may decide not to enter. This is fine. Just go over the reef in the direction the group was headed. Watch for the bubbles and join up with your group on the other side. This should be performed with your buddy. Always remain with your buddy.

Currents can be strong when you are out over the wall. Due to the depth of the dive, the potential for strong currents, and the long swim throughs, this dive should only be done by experienced divers.

There are two main parts of Punta Sur. The Punta Sur reef to the south consists of nice swim throughs and a spectacular chamber called the Cathedral. The northern part of Punta Sur contains the infamous Devil's throat. Due to the depth of the dive and the distance travelled, you will usually do one or the other, but not both. However, if you do the Cathedral section of the reef, you will usually dive by the Devil's throat section on the way to Colombia.

The Cathedral section is spectacular. There are large swim throughs at about 110'. The Cathedral is further north from the start of the swim throughs.

Devil's throat is a constricted swim through that starts at about 90' depth. There are a few ways to go. One way takes you to 115'. Most dive companies will have you come up as you exit the tunnel, and then do an ascending dive over the rest of Punta Sur into Colombia. There are other tunnels above and below the exit to Devil's throat.

Some divemasters may take you through the tunnels a few times exploring different passages. There is a part of Devil's throat where the tunnel narrows to about 5' wide, makes a left and drops down about 15' before it opens up again. There could be no ambient light at time be sure to take a light.