¿Qué pasa Cozumel? - ARM General Felipe Xicoténcatl (C53)

Originally named the USS Scuffle (AM-298), this ship was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the United States Navy during World War II.  She was awarded a Presidential Unit Citation and five battle stars for service in the Pacific during World War II. Decommissioned in June 1946, she was placed in reserve where she remained for the rest of her U.S. service. The Scuffle was reclassified as MSF-298 in February 1955, but never reactivated.

In October 1962, she was sold to the Mexican Navy and renamed ARM DM-05. She patrolled the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, performing search and rescue missions, and patrolling for illegal arms and drug trafficking.  In 1994, she was renamed the ARM General Felipe Xicoténcatl (C53).  In 1999, after 55 years of service, the ship was finally decommissioned and donated to the Coral Reefs National Marine Park as an artificial reef and dive attraction.  She was sunk upright, resting on the seabed in 82 feet of water, just offshore from Chankanaab Park.

The C-53 is a great "divers" wreck because of the  large openings cut into the decks, hull and corridors allowing divers easy access into the interior.  The C-53 is 154 feet long and 33 feet wide. The superstructure of the ship rises to 40 feet from the keel, allowing divers to descend upon the superstructure just 20 feet below the surface. The wreck itself was chained to the sandy seabed to prevent it from shifting during storms or hurricanes.

The C-53 is generally considered a beginners wreck because of the easy access to its interior, but the site can suffer from the occasional strong current, making it a bit challenging to navigate at times.  The interiors of the ship are relatively intact and you can visit several interesting sections, including the engine rooms which still contain the massive engines. You can also visit the galley, officers quarters, the head and the radio room. It is advisable to use a waterproof wreck site card to assist you in navigating your way around the wreck.

The exterior of the wreck remains relatively clean, most likely due to the currents, but it boasts a great variety of marine life and sponges. Large schools of barracuda frequent the site along with grouper, eel and a wide variety of other reef fish.