Dive Review of Rafael de la Parra in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Isla Mujeres

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Rafael de la Parra, Jul, 2012, by Lisa Jabusch and Steve Nieters, TN, US ( Sr. Contributor 24 reports with 8 Helpful votes). Report 6611 has 1 Helpful vote.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations	N/A	Food	N/A
Service and Attitude	N/A	Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation	N/A	Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We chose to go out with Rafael de la Parra (grampusr@hotmail.com) based on a report we read here on Undercurrent, and we were extremely glad we did. He is affiliated with a research group working on ID'ing the separate sharks, as well as being a tireless promoter of maintaining the ecological zone to keep them protected. He has repeatedly been interviewed by CNN and the BBC, and appears to be one of the most knowledgeable captains out there. His charge is $150 US p/p and he only takes out 6 people on his boat at one time. He goes out early and stays late, thus maximizing your time in the water. We were very impressed that he didn't cancel on us, after the only other couple who had been signed up to go out with us cancelled. He went ahead and took just the 2 of us out! He is based in Cancun, but picked us up at the dock on Isla Mujeres at 0730. He provides drinks, fruit and sandwiches, and there is shade over half the boat. He also has a large freshwater tank for cameras. The whale shark season is June to Sept., but the peak months are definitely July and August. We went on 7/12/12 and he estimated there were at least 150 animals in the water. Just 2 weeks before he said they only saw 5 or 6 total. At one point, there were 5 of these gorgeous animals swimming within touching distance of us! In 25 years of diving, this was literally the best experience of our lives.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Australia (Barrier Reef), Tahiti (Rangiroa), Cayman Islands, Cozumel, Belize, Venezuela (Los Rocas), Hawaii
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	calm
Water Temp	-°F / -°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	30-50 Ft/ 9-15 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	?
Enforced diving restrictions	This was snorkeling with whale sharks - no diving allowed. Wetsuit or life jacket required.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	> 2
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals	N/A	Tropical Fish	N/A
Small Critters	N/A	Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	[None]

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Rafael de la Parra in Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Isla Mujeres

Rafael de la Parra, Jul, 2012,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Rafael de la Parra in
Cozumel and the Mexican Yucatan/Isla Mujeres