A 72-Minute DPV Shore Dive in Mahahual to La Rampa

From shallow reef to deep walls, turtles and a huge grouper—this is one of my favourite DPV shore dives in Mahahual, Mexico

The shore entry for one of my favourite DPV dives in Mahahual, heading towards La Rampa.

One of the things I enjoy most about diving in Mahahual is that you don't always need a boat to experience incredible marine life. With a DPV (Diver Propulsion Vehicle), it's possible to explore much further from shore than most divers ever see.

On this dive I entered the water just south (left) of the cruise ship pier and headed towards La Rampa, one of my favourite sections of reef. The dive lasted 72 minutes, reached a maximum depth of 32 metres, and was completed using EAN32 (Nitrox 32%).

Authors selfie while shore diving with twins and a DPV

The surface water was stained brown-red by sargassum, reducing visibility on the surface. As soon as I descended, the water cleared dramatically and visibility opened up to around 15–20 metres.

At about 4 metres, the reef begins with scattered coral heads, rock formations and plenty of life. Sergeant majors, parrotfish, wrasse and schools of jacks were already busy feeding as I cruised past.

Continuing west, the reef gradually gives way to a broad sandy plain. Between roughly 12 and 20 metres, there is surprisingly little reef, but once you reach 20 metres, the reef quickly becomes continuous again and the scenery changes completely.

Turning south, I followed the reef edge towards La Rampa. A couple of large barracuda cruised effortlessly along the drop-off before disappearing into the blue.

Then I spotted what initially looked like another large rock resting on the reef.

It wasn't.

A large female loggerhead turtle swimming peacefully on the reef.

A female loggerhead turtle was swimming peacefully on the reef. She barely acknowledged my presence as I drifted past on the DPV. Loggerheads are one of my favourite turtles to encounter because they're much less common here than green turtles or hawksbills, and seeing a large adult like this always makes a dive memorable.

Leaving the loggerhead behind, I continued south along the reef to La Rampa until reaching my maximum depth of 32 metres.

Adult yellowfin grouper blending perfectly into the reef.

Tucked beside the reef sat a massive adult yellowfin grouper, perfectly camouflaged against the coral. These fish rely on their incredible patterning to blend into the reef, and it's easy to swim straight past them if you're not paying attention.

After spending a few minutes watching the grouper, it was time to begin the journey back.

Using Nitrox 32% gives me extra no-decompression time compared with air on dives like this, making it a great choice for extended reef exploration. If you've never tried Nitrox, it's one of the most useful certifications recreational divers can have.

A curious hawksbill turtle greeted me in the shallow reef before the end of the dive.

Just before reaching shore, a friendly hawksbill turtle appeared and allowed me to spend a few minutes watching it feed before continuing on its way.

Encounters like this are a perfect reminder that every dive is different. Even after hundreds of dives in Mahahual, the reef still manages to surprise me.

Whether you're interested in shore diving in Mahahual, DPV diving, or simply exploring some of the best reef the area has to offer, this route to La Rampa is one I never get tired of.

If you'd like to experience this style of diving—or learn Nitrox, DPV or technical diving—I'd love to show you another side of Mahahual that many visitors never get to see.

See you underwater.

Lets Dive Differently!