Yucab Reef

Quintana Roo, Mexicoreef17 m maxbeginner

Conditions & tides

Channel site — tidal current funnels through here and can run fast, changing quickly with the tide. It is usually strongest around mid-tide and eases near the slack windows below. Dive with a local operator who knows the timing.

Yucab ReefQuintana Roo

Good · 5/5

conditions visualisation

Good5/5

Calm and diveable right now — best window today 7 AM–5 PM.

Wind7 kn NE

Current~0.7 kn NE · model

Swell

0.2 m · 4s · SE

Water

29 °C

Max depth

17 m

Conditions through the day

6 AM6 PM

Calmest current near slack — 02:30 AM & 02:15 PM local

Sunrise 06:53 AM · Sunset 06:10 PM local

Show details

Tide · local

Outlook — select a day for full conditions

On-face swell 0.0 m — the component of the swell aimed at this site’s exposed face. Strong-current reef: plan a drift and enter near the slack windows above. Current is a regional model value (Copernicus, ~9 km grid) — a guide to the area, not a precise reef measurement. Imagery © Esri · not depth or visibility.

Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model

Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.

Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?

About this site

Yucab Reef is a shallow coral reef dive site located within Cozumel's marine park, sitting at depths between 10 and 18 metres (with a maximum of around 16.9 m) and recognised as one of the most reliable sites on the island for encountering the splendid toadfish. The reef is a shallow reef formation, accessible to divers of all certification levels, including beginners, and is noted as an excellent night dive destination.

The terrain is a shallow reef with complex coral structure, including ledges and undercut coral formations that provide ideal habitat for resident species. Multiple individual splendid toadfish have been documented returning to the same ledges over many years; the technique for spotting them is to look for flashes of yellow fin tips under ledges using a torch. Night dives at Yucab are particularly productive, as toadfish become more active after dark and may move short distances from their ledges to hunt.

Marine life at Yucab Reef includes splendid toadfish, nurse sharks, spotted drums, angelfish, and moray eels. The site is considered the most reliable location in Cozumel for consistent splendid toadfish sightings, and the relatively shallow depth allows extended bottom time for searching.

Read the full guide

Water temperature ranges from 26 to 31°C and the site can be dived year-round. Current at Yucab is light, and conditions suit all experience levels. The reef sits within Cozumel's national marine park, where touching, collecting, or disturbing marine life is prohibited under park rules.

AI-written site guide