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Shows where the reef is located.

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Another rare animal to be seen in the reef.

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Rare shark to be in the reef

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Sea turtle swimming through the reef.

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An article over an adventure in the reef.

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Meet Layle Stanton: Adventurous inspiration for Paul Mila's latest scuba novel, NEAR MISS

(DiverWire) Scuba Diving author Paul Mila's latest novel, NEAR MISS, is the talk of the dive industry. One of the main characters in the book is modeled after real-life diver Layle Stanton (she just happens to be featured on the cover).
Mila took some time recently to write about his first encounter with Layle in Cozumel.
Cozumel Mexico, June 14 th 2010: Aboard the MAXIMUS, dive boat of Scuba With Alison, with dive operator Alison Dennis and seven other divers.

My first dive of this trip, and I'm buddy-less. In these cases I usually hang close to the dive master, not only for safety but also because the dive master knows where all the critters are hiding. However, on this pre-dive briefing, operator Alison Dennis throws me a curveball. "Paul, you buddy up with Layle."

I looked around the boat and saw an attractive, thirty-something young lady, donning her equipment. We exchanged greetings, and I noticed Layle was wearing mask, fins, snorkel, BC, and a paisley-print bikini.

"Where's your wetsuit?" I asked. "Don't use one, mate. I'm warm enough," she replied casually, with an accent I couldn't quite place. Could be British, South African, or Australian, I thought.

"Keep your eye on Layle for me, Paul," Alison said. "I need to watch the rest of the group, and she enjoys exploring swim-throughs and outcroppings where I can't see her. Okay?"

"Sure thing," I replied, still not believing I had drawn the straw for this assignment. We dropped in on a dive site called Palancar Caves, an interesting site with colorful and varied coral formations. Once in the water, I immediately saw that Layle was comfortable and her buoyancy excellent. She swam like a fish, and as Alison had warned me, Layle loved exploring narrow crevices, twisting swim-throughs, and numerous tight spots, temporarily out of sight from the rest of our group. I followed her, trying to avoid scraping the coral and rocky outcroppings. But Layle, sans wetsuit, maneuvered through the narrow openings easily, without a scratch.

During our surface interval, I asked Layle where she hailed from. "Originally from Australia, mate," she confirmed. "But I've been living abroad for fourteen years, six in the U.S. and eight in Switzerland. I'll stay in Cozumel for a while, then travel south through Mexico, visit Belize, then head into Central America, probably Guatemala, and Honduras. I have no set plans, and I'm free to do whatever I want."

I thought, Very few peo ple Layle's age have that much freedom. I wonder if there's a story behind her remarks.

The rest of our dives were exciting, especially a dive with Papa Hogs dive operation, billed as the Special Effects Dive, which my friend Fulvio had arranged. For this dive, we descended near Paso De Cedral Wall, but far offshore in the disorienting deep blue, which I found out Layle loves. You drop to 100 feet, and then swim toward the wall, which eventually appears out of the blue gloom as a coral panorama. Then you ascend to between 80 to 60 feet and continue the wall dive. The current was strong and the dive challenging, but Layle was up to it. Every so often she intentionally drifted away from the wall to experience floating in the deep blue.

I was determined to find out more about my mysterious dive buddy, and over dinner one evening I learned a lot. I asked Layle what kind of work she did. "Well, I did some business consulting in the U.S., and then served in executive and corporate management roles while in Europe. I recently left my company with a generous severance, so I am free to travel, explore, and determine what I want to do with the rest of my life."

After several days of diving in Cozumel, we bid farewell, and I wished Layle good luck. Months later, I received an email from her. She had set up residence in Roatan, Honduras, and added professional diving to her resume. She completed her dive master training at Bananarama Dive resort in West Bay, instructor training with Mayan Divers, and then worked as a freelance dive master/instructor for other dive operations, including Ocean Connections.

Several months later, she decided to become a teacher at a Honduran school, teaching all subjects to third and fourth-grade children. During a school break she invited me down to dive. By then she was also working part-time at Linga Longa, a wonderful restaurant located on Half Moon Bay in Roatan's West End. Now, Layle was acclimated to warm tropical climates so she dived with a wetsuit.

Novelists tend to steal from life. We observe people and situations. In my case, interesting people I meet often find themselves as characters in my next mystery-thriller. Layle did not disclose why she left her firm, but I felt I could fictionalize an interesting story that led to her world-wide adventure. Every story needs a compelling character to keep the reader's interest. So Layle became Dayle, the fictional heroine in Near Miss, keeping one step ahead of a determined assassin pursuing her across the Atlantic and down to the Mexican Caribbean. She even graces the book's cover, facing down a spear gun in her trademark bikini and BC.

What's next for Layle, who travels the world like an unpredictable current? Last month she headed home to Australia to visit her family. But in a recent email she wrote, "It was lovely being with my family. However I am feeling restless and more than ready to get travelling again. Just getting ready to head for the airport. First stop . . ."

For more details about author Paul Mila, visit his website. Interested in NEAR MISS, order it online by clicking here: BUY NEAR MISS BY PAUL MILA

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Meet Layle Stanton: Adventurous inspiration for Paul Mila's latest scuba novel, NEAR MISS - Diverwire

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(DiverWire) Scuba Diving author Paul Mila's latest novel, NEAR MISS, is the talk of the dive industry. One of the main characters in the book is modeled after real-life diver Layle Stanton (she just happens to be featured on the cover). Mila took some time recently to write about his first encounter with Layle in ...

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Photographer article on best way to take pictures.

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Cozumel, Mexico's largest island, is located in the Caribbean near the Yucatán Peninsula, a few miles southeast of the resort town of Cancún. Often overlooked for specialized photo opportunities in the area such as bull sharks, sailfish, cenotes, and whale sharks, Cozumel offers up some of the healthiest reefs in the Carribbean with a treasure trove of subjects for the underwater photographer.

Diving in Cozumel

Cozumel offers a unique combination of convenience, affordability, and abundant marine life that attracts many underwater photographers to its warm, clear waters. The lee side of Cozumel is a fully protected marine park, home to many colorful fish and creatures, both large and small. The opportunities for wide-angle, fish portraits, and macro photography are endless.

Drift diving is the norm in a current that generally runs from the south to the north. All diving in the marine park is guided. Dive boats drop groups of divers and their licensed dive guides off, and pick them up when they surface at the end of the dive. Reefs farthest to the south consist of huge coral formations, the size of apartment houses, with walls that drop off into a blue abyss. The further north you go, the shallower the reefs become, the smaller the coral heads, and the more abundant the fish life. A few resorts offer shore diving, but the main coral reefs are only accessible from a dive boat. On the other hand, shore dives offer the opportunity of "muck diving" for smaller, macro subjects and the opportunity to spend lots of time playing with the camera.

Drift dives bring some of the healthiest sponges and coral growth in the Caribbean
Top Cozumel Dive Sites for Underwater Photography

Palancar is too long of a reef to do in one dive, and so is divided into named sections: Palancar Bricks, Palancar Horseshoe, Palancar Caves, and Palancar Gardens. Jacques Cousteau made this reef system famous in the 1950s when he brought Calypso to Cozumel and filmed his team of divers on the reef for television. Large coral formations are bordered on the east with sand and on the west with deep water. Scuba dives are normally done along the drop-off with the possibility of some penetration of the wall via large swim-throughs. This is the ideal place for wide-angle images of divers against the wall and huge, colorful sponges. Palancar is also where you are very likely to encounter numerous hawksbill turtles.

Palancar is a hotspot for hawksbill turtle activity, so keep your head on a swivel for these reptiles, which tend to sneak up even on a seasoned photographer

El Paso del Cedral, north of Palancar, can be dived either along the wall or in the shallows. The wall offers large fish, nurse sharks, big parrotfish, and turtles feeding on sponges. The main reef is intermediate in size and has an amazing tunnel system through it. This reef is the best bet to find a large green moray eel, and is home to a large school of resident porkfish ( Anisotremus virginicus).

Giant green moray eels are a notable subject on several Cozumel dive sites, such as El Paso del Cedral

Paradise Reef is the other end of the spectrum and the northernmost portion of the marine park. Here, the reef is shallower and full of many, colorful tropical fish. The coral heads are smaller than on the reefs to the south. Paradise is a popular second dive site after diving on a deep reef to the south or as a night dive. The dive guide may point out a colorful splendid toadfish ( Sanopus splendidus) in its den, a colorful purple and yellow fish found only in Cozumel's waters. This is also a great reef to photograph the beautiful queen angelfish ( Holacanthus ciliaris). Some dive guides like to take photographers onto the turtle grass area to look for seahorses. The grassy area is a wonderful place for muck diving-Cozumel style.

The splendid toadfish is a rare sight indeed-but your Cozumel dive guide should be able to find you one on "Paradise Reef"

Shore Diving: A few hotels and dive resorts offer shore diving off the iron shore in front of their locations. Here, an underwater photographer can dive without a guide and find many interesting macro subjects to shoot. Shore dives are fantastic opportunities to play with a camera and capture images not possible on the reefs during a drift dive.

Cozumel's shore diving offers unlimited opportunities to scour the shallows for Mexican-style muck diving critters like seahorses and pipefish
Cozumel Facts

Where: Located off the east coast of Mexico, near Cancún.

Language: Spanish, but English is widely spoken.

Currency: The official currency is the Mexican peso, but US dollars are widely accepted.

Water Temperature: The water temperature is about 75°F (24°C) in winter and as high as 82°F (28°C) in summer.

Diving Experience Level: Cozumel diving is suited for divers of all levels, with certification courses frequently conducted.

Photography Experience Level: The drift diving and currents make Cozumel best suited for photographers with some level of experience diving in current. However, there are plenty of sites that are current-free and easy to dive as well.

Although an invasive species in the Caribbean, the lionfish still makes for a colorful and dramatic photo subject
Cozumel Underwater Photography Subjects

Protection in the marine park means there are many large fish often absent in places where they have been overfished elsewhere in the Caribbean. Shallow, sandy bottom sites also feature a variety of desirable macro critters.
Wide-Angle

Nurse sharks

Hawksbill turtles

Green moray eels

Sponges and hard coral

Groupers

Parrotfish

Jacks

Barracuda

Cozumel's healthy reefs come with a variety of schooling fish, including jacks (pictured above) and snappers

Peek inside a hole to find more fish life and-if you're lucky-a nurse shark

Pipefish and pipehorses are amongst the most prized macro subjects in Cozumel. Your best bet to finding one is to enlist the help of your knowledgeable dive guide
Underwater Photo Equipment for Cozumel

Compact cameras: While a point-and-shoot underwater camera can capture some great images on its own, more serious photographers will want to bring both a wide-angle wet lens and macro lens to better capture the diversity of Cozumel's marine environment-large and small.

DSLR and mirrorless: You'll want to pack at least three lenses when going to Cozumel: fisheye wide-angle, a good portrait lens (50-60mm) and a longer focal length lens for macro. A wide-angle or fish-eye lens (~15mm) is appropriate for deep, wall dives, while your portrait or intermediate zoom lens is best for the countless reef fish portrait subjects. A longer focal length macro lens (105 mm) is an absolute necessity for filling the frame with shy critters during shore dives.

Video: Videographers are finding GoPro cameras to be fantastic for underwater shooting. It is best to use filters for wide-angle with your GoPro. Macro diopters are convenient for little stuff, and for these subjects, you'll want video lights to bring out the color and contrast. (Read more about using GoPro for underwater photography in DPG's comprehensive guide.)

Cozumel's plethora of subjects and relatively easy diving make it a great destination for trying a new technique, like shooting GoPro video
Photography Tips and Techniques for Cozumel

Plan ahead for drift dives: If you are going to Cozumel, you should have good buoyancy control and be comfortable diving in a current. Since you won't have much time to spend with each photo opportunity, think about your camera settings and composition in anticipation of getting that award-winning image, as you may only get that one chance. Periodically, take throwaway pictures of the water and underexpose for dark blue backgrounds.

Drift dives in Cozumel tend to move rather quickly. It's best to meter out into the blue and get your settings down before you fly past your subject

For macro, get out of the current: Drift diving can make macro photography challenging. This doesn't mean it can't be done, but it requires dropping out of the current and taking only a couple of shots before moving on with the group.

Look in the holes: Taking pictures of fish hiding in holes, like the splendid toadfish, requires using a long focal length lens, moving the strobes in close to the lens, and pointing straight forward in order to get light into the hole. Crevices and holes in the reef provide some of the best underwater photography opportunities in Cozumel.

Many of the most desired (and most missed) underwater photography subjects in Cozumel lurk in holes and under ledges-so just have a look!
Planning Your Underwater Photography Trip to Cozumel

How to Get There: From the United States, Cozumel is very easy to get to. Domestic airlines offer daily flights from several gateway cities. Alternatively, you can fly into Cancún and then take a ferry to the island.

When to Go: Cozumel offers diving all year round, but keep in mind winter is the most crowded with tourists, the water is cooler (high 70s F), and there is the possibility of a "norther" storm that may close the port for dive boats. However, winter is also the best time of the year to see spotted eagle rays. Summer is the off-season, the water is warm (low to mid-80s), and you run the slight possibility of a hurricane.

Where to Stay: Cozumel offers a full range of accommodations and amenities, from upscale to inexpensive, from room-only to all-inclusive.

Popular with Scuba Divers: Scuba Club Cozumel or Blue Angel

Upscale Resorts: Cozumel Palace and El Presidente

Budget Accommodations: Many to choose from

Recommended Dive Operators: XTC Diving and Aquasafari

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An Underwater Photographer's Guide to Cozumel

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Cozumel, Mexico's largest island, is located in the Caribbean near the Yucatán Peninsula, a few miles southeast of the resort town of Cancún. Often overlooked for specialized photo opportunities in the area such as bull sharks, sailfish, cenotes, and whale sharks, Cozumel offers up some of the healthiest reefs in the Carribbean with a treasure trove of subjects for the underwater photographer.

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Some human threats to this reef are sewage. People don't recycle so all the trash goes into the ocean. Over-fishing is another threat. We humans like to fish in the wrong spots and we put the animals in this reef at risk.

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Close up look at the Parrot Fish.

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Cozumel Mexico Dive Parrot Fish Palancar Reef

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Parrotfish eat a wide variety of reef organisms, and they are not necessarily vegetarian. Their feeding activity is important for the production and distribution of coral sands in the reef biome, and can prevent algae from choking coral. Their teeth grow continuously, replacing material worn away by feeding.

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Shows Schools of Fish Swimming through reef.

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Giant School of Fish - Cozumel Mexico Reef Dive

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This is a collection of videos taken in Cozumel Mexico. All videos were taken using a go pro HD hero. If you like the videos, please subscribe and like. There are many other dive and other videos available on my channel.

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Swimming away from camera

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over view of the reef

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Diver exploring the reef

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Most of the people that go and visit Cozumel are going snorkeling to see The Palancar Reef. Also a lot of tourist go scuba diving to see this attraction.

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Sea turtles common in this reef. Some not so rare animals are angelfish, parrot-fish and green moray eels. Rare animals in this reef are nurse sharks and eagle rays.

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This reef is located in Cozumel, Mexico. Its a very large reef. Its depth is more than 130 feet.

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Some ways you can help save the reef is less pollution. Also, dispose of your trash properly. Recycle what should be recycled and dispose of all other items properly. Another is Try to reduce fishing as much as possible. Due to over fishing some species are put at risk.