Falling in Love with Diving

We’re so grateful to share the words of our dear friend and return guest Kimela, who has been diving with Jungle Divers for more than 5 years. With over 675 dives around the world, she still chooses Cozumel — and us — as her dive home. Here’s her story, in her own words:

I’m 65 and Still Love Diving Cozumel!

I started diving right before my 50th birthday. My certification took place in a cold, dark, green quarry with really low visibility. Honestly, I wasn’t sure I ever wanted to dive again after that experience.

But then I discovered warm, blue water with crystal-clear visibility — and I was hooked. Fast forward to today, and I now have more than 675 dives under my belt and am an avid underwater photographer.

I know that someday I’ll have to hang up my fins, but until then, I want to dive as often as possible and visit places with rich marine life. And for me, Cozumel has consistently delivered.

⁠Why I Return to Cozumel

I’ve been lucky enough to dive in places with both better and worse marine life (from the Philippines to the Bahamas). But Cozumel is where my dive buddy and I return again and again.

Yes, the boat dives are incredible. But what really keeps me coming back are the shallow dives — whether from a boat, or more often lately, from shore at Tikila or Villa Blanca.

Meeting Jungle Divers

We’ve been diving with them for 5 or 6 years now. The story of how we first connected still makes me smile: I had seen Jungle Divers on social media talking about Tikila shore dives, so I reached out to Alex to schedule one. At the last minute, I chickened out and canceled because it was a dusk/night dive, and I wasn’t sure I could confidently walk into or out of the water in the dark.

That same night, we ended up doing a boat night dive, and I posted my pictures online. Alex, bless her heart, commented on my photos, saying it looked like we had a great time after all! Her supportive response — even though I had canceled on her — convinced me to dive with Jungle Divers next time.

Now, they’re the only dive shop I dive with.

Diving with Jungle Divers

So how did they win my loyalty?
• Unlimited bottom times: We have decent air consumption, and Jungle Divers lets us dive until we are ready to come up. Nobody tells us to stop at 45 minutes. Nobody rushes us back to the boat at one hour. Even at 90 minutes, we’re still exploring, and the rule is simple — we surface when the first of us is low on air. Period.

• Small groups: I’ve never been on a dive with more than 4 divers per guide. That personal attention makes a world of difference.

• Shared passion for critters: We love finding the small stuff — and so does Steph. We swap photo ops, share sightings, and never feel hurried.

• Strong support when needed: At our age, we sometimes need help climbing out after a shore dive at Villa Blanca. Steph is strong as an ox and always willing to lend a hand.

We’ve been lucky to dive with Alex a couple of times, too — she’s a blast — but she usually holds down the shop and cares for their little mermaid-in-training, Jasmine. Whenever she’s around, it’s a special treat.

And the other Jungle Divers guides? They’re fantastic as well. Friendly, professional, and always in line with the shop’s philosophy of small groups and unhurried dives.

⁠Why Jungle Divers Feels Like Family

Over the years, diving with Jungle Divers has felt less like booking with a dive shop and more like joining a family. Alex and Steph have built something unique: a dive operation where safety, service, and passion for the ocean come first.

Always a good time, always memorable dives, and always the kind of experience that keeps me coming back to Cozumel.

— Kimela