Sisal Dive Camp · Summer 2026
Three days diving the wreck of a 19th-century ship 8 meters down off Sisal.
Not a dive school. Not a resort package. A small group of people staying in a fishing village on the Gulf coast, diving a real historical wreck twice a day, eating what the boats bring in, and going to sleep to the sound of the sea.
What it is
Immersive. Small. Real.
The Sisal Dive Camp is a 3–5 day immersive stay in the village of Sisal on the Gulf coast of Yucatán — 50 km west of Mérida, 260 km from Cancún. It runs June through August, when the Gulf is at its calmest and warmest.
The group stays in Sisal itself — basic, clean accommodation coordinated by me, within walking distance of the dock and the dive entry points. Meals are organized around the local catch: whatever the fishermen bring in that morning. Evenings in the village. No resort infrastructure, no all-inclusive model, no programmed excursions outside of diving and the village itself.
The anchor of the camp is the wreck. I've been diving this site for years. I know the conditions, the entry points, the visibility patterns, and the history of the site in detail. You will not dive it with a stranger.
The wreck
A 19th-century ship — in 8 meters of clear Gulf water
Off the Sisal shoreline, in approximately 8 meters of water, lies the hull of a ship that sank in the 19th century. On a calm morning — which the Gulf coast delivers most of the year — you can see the outline of the hull from the surface before you even put your face in the water.
The historical record of this wreck is incomplete, but the broader context is not: the Gulf coast of the Yucatán Peninsula was an active maritime trade zone throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, integrated into a trans-Atlantic network that included the movement of enslaved people from West Africa to Gulf and Caribbean ports. This ship is physically part of that history.
Diving the wreck is not a haunting or solemn experience — it's an extraordinary dive. Shallow enough that free-divers and snorkelers can engage with it. Clear enough that the structure is fully visible. Calm enough that you can take your time. The Gulf visibility in summer is consistently 8–15 meters. The water temperature is around 28–30°C.
I know this wreck intimately. The dive plan, the entry, the navigation, the history — this is not a guided tour from a brochure. This is a place I return to regularly because it is genuinely worth returning to.
The reef
Beyond the wreck
The Gulf coast of Yucatán has a coral reef system that runs parallel to the shore — separate from the Caribbean reef (the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the world's second largest) but with its own ecology and considerably fewer divers.
The Sisal reef hosts brain coral, sea fans, moray eels, grouper, barracuda, sea turtles, and during the right season, whale sharks in the nearby open water. The reef is in good condition relative to heavily trafficked Caribbean dive sites because the tourist infrastructure simply isn't here. We are often the only divers in the water.
A typical camp day includes a reef dive in the morning and a wreck dive or snorkel in the afternoon, depending on conditions and what the group wants. Both sites are accessible by small boat from the Sisal dock — under 20 minutes to either location.
Daily schedule
A day at camp
Fishing boats go out
The village wakes up before dawn. If you want to go out with the fishermen, some mornings this is possible. Otherwise, sleep.
Morning dive — reef
Early morning is the best light and the best visibility. We take the small boat out to the reef. 45–60 minute dive, surface debrief, back to the dock by 9am.
Breakfast
At the local comedor. Fresh seafood, eggs, tortillas, café de olla. Breakfast in Sisal is not complicated.
Free time
Rest, swim from the beach, walk the colonial streets, photograph the fort and the customs house, or ask me questions about what we saw on the dive. The heat at midday is real.
Afternoon dive — wreck
The afternoon light at this depth creates a different experience from the morning dive. We free-dive or snorkel the wreck. I dive alongside the whole time.
Sunset at the dock
The Sisal dock at sunset is one of those views. Pelicans, fishing boats coming in, Gulf light going gold. This is not organized. It just happens every day.
Dinner
Whatever the boats brought in. Grilled fish, ceviche, octopus. Prepared by people who have been cooking this food their whole lives. Eaten at a table outside.
Logistics
What's included — and what isn't
Included
- All dives — reef, wreck, guided free-dive
- Small boat use for all dive excursions
- Kev as guide and dive partner throughout
- Accommodation coordination in Sisal
- All meals coordinated (local catch daily)
- Route logistics from Cancún airport if needed
- Photography during dives if requested
- Full history brief on the wreck site
Not included
- Dive equipment (bring your own or rent locally)
- Transport to/from Cancún (I can coordinate)
- Alcoholic drinks
- Any activities outside the camp itinerary
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
Maximum 6 people per camp. June – August 2026. Spots are limited.
Find me on Instagram