Our Story

Sea Life Cozumel is owned by Daniel Gongora, a young man born and raised in Cozumel Quintana Roo Mexico, father of 2 children, a girl 5 years old and a boy 3 years old.

He’s also a PADI Scuba Instructor who learned the scuba diving business watching his mother’s family. They are recognized for dedicating their lives to the sea around Cozumel fishing and scuba diving for decades. The Gongora family is one of the first families who appeared after Spanish people mixed with Mayan people during the discover of the island in 1518 by Spain.

Daniel has guided thousands of dives and thaught 150+ certifications of all levels through PADI. He started scuba diving as an Open Water diver at a very young age. He has many memories from his childhood and also remembers his grandfather Ernesto Gongora, his uncles Mariano Gongora and Javier Ivan A.k.a "La mestiza, Aguja, la flaca” get everything ready for scuba diving or fishing.

Daniel started his professional diving career as a PADI Divemaster as soon as he turned 18 years old since it is one of the main requirements of the PADI Divemaster Course, working for Renee Applegate “Apple” R.I.P. US citizen owner of Dive Paradise. A big, reputable, and rated #1 dive shop in Cozumel when she was alive. After Apple passed away in 2017, Daniel thought he would keep escalating his professional career and he prepared himself studying day and night to be able to become a Scuba Instructor.

He made it to the Scuba Instructor level and decided to leave Dive Paradise to seek a company where he could start getting experience teaching all levels of certifications. He was hired by Aqua safari Dive Shop at Hotel Cozumel Palace and worked for them for a couple of years until the Pandemic. After hard months at Aqua safari Dive Shop, he ended up his contract with them due to the lack of work and was hired by “Timothy Massimino” US citizen owner of Scuba Club Cozumel where Daniel certified and guided at the same time, served at the front desk, and performed equipment maintenance, and dive shop operation for a couple of years.

One random day the owner of Scuba Club Cozumel decided to shutdown the entire company after more than 48+ years in the dive business due to his health and age.

That’s how it all started…

Daniel thought he would stop working for someone else and start working for his little family. He got the desire in his heart to create jobs for native people to support their families as well and for them to have a better life.

Daniel’s dream is to have a reputable company at all cost, be fair with his personeel, and work hard everyday to make sure his company is the best over all dive companies in Cozumel.