_Safety Stops are a breeze in Cozumel _ Safety stops are usually the least interesting part of a dive - unless you're lucky enough to be in the sunny shallows of Cozumel. In many destinations, the mandatory hold at 15 feet is spent patiently watching the minutes tick down on your computer while draped on a hang bar. Sort of boring. The situation is quite different in Cozumel, where stiff currents that help maintain the health of the island's lush reefs also propel divers through the water during safety stops. The unseen force enhances the sensation of underwater flight, which is somehow relaxing and exhilarating at the same time. Another benefit is that divers can cover a lot of ground by the time their safety stop winds down. Along the way they can enjoy a bird's-eye perspective on the reefs and marine life flourishing below. Sometimes safety stops in Cozumel provide unexpected entertainment. That was the case during the day's first dive at one of the sites on the famed Palancar Reef. Drifting along halfway through my safety stop, I glanced down and saw a beefy 4-foot nurse shark swimming effortlessly into the strong current. Behind the shark, a gaggle of flailing divers was struggling to keep up. Watching the divers' valiant but doomed efforts to go against the flow was as amusing as it gets underwater. The notion that a safety stop can be a highlight of an underwater day in Cozumel crossed my mind as I sailed over Yucab Reef's vibrant corals and gorgonians at the conclusion of a recent two-tank outing with Scuba Du, a PADI dive center. Being safe was never so much fun. A First-Time SightingAn enjoyable safety stop is nice, but you pay for bottom time - and almost every dive in Cozumel is worth the money. Our visit to Palancar and Yucab with Scuba Du was no exception. Seeing a new critter for the first time is a surefire way to etch a dive into your memory. During our shallow dive at Yucab, our divemaster motioned to me with something in his hand as passed over the low-profile reef. As I approached, he handed me the object - a small magnifying glass - and motioned toward a tiny crevice in the sand at the base of the reef. Having never used - or seen - a magnifying glass underwater, it took a few seconds to figure out what I was looking at. Then it came into focus; A juvenile sea dragon had ventured hesitantly out of its hiding place. The tiny creature was about the size of a fingernail, and I never would have seen it on my own. Here's a secret that most veteran visitors already know: Divemasters in Cozumel have an uncanny talent for spotting impossible-to-see marine life such as toadfish, frogfish, sea horses and the like. It's a skill that comes from years of experience. Scuba Du's five instructors and seven divemasters have each worked on Cozumel for several years and the staff turnover is exceptionally low. Part of the loyalty is based on owner Jorge De La Fuente Saganon's commitment to quality and safety. For instance, nitrox is available to members of the dive staff when making repetitive dives. Based at the regal Presidente Inter-Continental on the southern end of Cozumel's western shore, Scuba Du has a fleet of five custom fiberglass fast boats that can comfortably reach the island's best dive sites within 30 minutes. The operation also offers a full array of instructional courses, as well as snorkeling tours and tanks for shore dives on a nearby reef where sea horses frolic. For More Information:Scuba DuToll Free: 800-372-0200 Presidente Inter-Continental CozumelTel: 011-52-987-0322