Diving the Cenotes of Mexico
Diving the Cenotes of Mexico
Part 1
September 2019
The Perth Scuba crew have made it to Mexico for our third time and this time a contingent of 24 of Perth Scuba’s elite divers are taking on the Cenotes and Caves in the Tulum region.
The caverns (cenotes) and caves that pepper this area is vast with so many endless underground systems that pass and meet each other in a network of underwater wonders left behind after a meteorite hit the Earth millions of years ago.
Today the remains of that historical moment in time give us an opportunity to see diving in a different light. (or darkness). Our groups were split into more manageable groups and set off for different locations. The first Cenote destinations… Chuk Mool and Eden.
These two fantastic and wel known areas are visited by divers from all over the world looking to taste some action in what can only be described as amazing and Adrenalin pumping for t’he serious cave divers.
descending into a small pond like area nestled under a solid rock ledge it feels almost claustrophobic at first. Wondering how this pond could possibly hold one diver let alone our group, we all wade in to the water down a set of steps carved into the rock at the side of the cave. Once in and after the initial shock of lowering into 24 degree water in board shorts and rashies, we descended into what was surely a first time experience for almost every diver there.
Once underwater our eyes adjust to see a massive cavern open up beneath us and an amazingly clear passage of water leading down and around to a bright orange line layed for us to follow. The line itself is wrapped around various rocks as it changes direction across, down and around the massive cave complex and is our way of finding the exits of these caves if we need to or to follow if we break away from our group and become disorientated.i could feel the excitement of the other divers as we reached the bottom of the cavern and glance upward at where we had come from. The light shimmering down from the cavern entrance is breathtaking and one of the most scenic and beautiful things you could see as a diver. The background reflecting the beams of light directing them across the cavern highlights the insane topography and roof formations caused by volcanic action and years of undisturbed settling which has allowed Stalagmites and Stalactites to form throughout the cave. It gives you a feeling of awe knowing that whilst we are diving in an area so accessible to us, so many divers will never get a chance to see what we are seeing right now.
We followed the line around and through the cavern stopping only to admire the beauty of the formations within it and occasionally to wonder how an area which is predominately fresh water in the middle of a bush area far from the ocean, could actually have so many fish in it and in the case on our dive… and to our amazement, a turtle!
The dive led to a cavern leading off to the side where an large sign glaringly states that this is the limit of the Cenote and you are about to enter a cave.
If the picture of the skull and crossbones doesn’t get you to notice, the message telling you that you can prevent your own death by not passing this sign without cave dive training and the correct equipment certainly will. On this occasion, we opted to stay on this side of the sign and leave the cave diving to the others for today.
Tomorrow we will be diving Taj Maha which is a Cenote with fossilised sea urchins, huge shells and all sorts of other cool stuff as well as massive Stalactites, Stalagmites and open air underground caverns filled with bats and fish!
This is the laziest kind of diving you could ever do and it’s awesome!
Can’t wait to get wet tomorrow!
