C-53 Felipe Xicotencatl

The Felipe Xicotencatl is Cozumel's set-piece wreck dive: a mid-century minesweeper that served in the Mexican navy and was sunk deliberately in 2000 as an artificial reef near Chankanaab. She sits upright and whole at recreational depth, which makes her a teaching wreck in the best sense: guides lead simple line-of-sight passes through opened corridors and the engine room while glassy sweepers swirl in the dark spaces. Outside, the hull carries a growing fur of sponge and hydroid, patrolled by barracuda and the occasional resting stingray on the surrounding sand.

The moment you come for: Upright intact hull, guided interior corridors, glassy sweepers, easy depth for a wreck.

Topography: Intact steel minesweeper resting upright on flat sand near the reef line.

Current: Gentler than the southern drift sites; occasional along-hull flow.

Entry: Moored descents near Chankanaab; mild conditions on most days.

Hazards: Overhead sections require training and a guide; sharp steel edges; silt inside if finned carelessly.

Conservation: Artificial reef inside the marine park; take nothing and touch nothing.

Nitrox: Worth it here: profiles sit in the range where enriched air meaningfully extends no-stop time (with the training to use it).