Second thoughts about cenote diving

[damage]

Sam, the cave bug has you, and it won't let go until a) you've had your fill of cave diving, b) your checkbook is completely empty, or c) your forehead is flat from banging it against that limestone wall

That is so true, after finished the first dive, I was sure that I will never want to dive in the ocean again

 

[DandyDon]

Every one of us had lights (I even had my backup light) but was in a part before the "dome" of light, but once she panicked she let the lamp go, and turned very dark for her

I like to pride myself on checking my equipment closely before diving, especially for a night or guided cave dive - which is essentially what those are. On my second dive last time tho, not only did my primary light run out of battery (dummie here should have used new ones, even in an LED), but when I put my secondary light on my wrist for the switch - it dropped from a broken lanyard. The diver behind me saw where it landed and was able to retrieve it for me but in some cases that would not have been possible.

And even tho the guides have excellent safety records, you're right - what if something happens to him down there? I had been so involved in shooting pics that I had no idea how to get out of my own. Good reminders here.

It does seem like many of the Ops will take anyone into the caves, and it sounds like she was a mistaken choice. Hope she grows out of that.

 

[waynne fowler]

Sam, the cave bug has you, and it won't let go until a) you've had your fill of cave diving, b) your checkbook is completely empty, or c) your forehead is flat from banging it against that limestone wall

OMG that's soooo flippin funny.... cuz it's true!
you kill me!

 

[scottm]

My wife and I dove Chac Mol last month while on vacation and it is a stunning dive. We dove it, however, after completing a cavern course (during which we dove Aerolito on Cozumel).

We spent most of the next days first reef dive wishing we were back in the cavern; needless to say we're also hooked and planning for more cave training in the future.

I'd previously done plenty of swim throughs (wrecks and reefs), but was struck by how cavelike the "cavern" was. The "when is a cave a cave" thread is good reading, and I'm definitely glad we decided to take a formal cavern course before doing any of the cenote tours.

I asked my cavern instructor his opinion of the tours and he was strongly against them. Consider that he did have a vested interest in selling cave classes, but the risks are very real and I don't believe the cenotes are any place for someone without at least some exposure to overhead training. I'm not sure how a guide who first met an OW/AOW diver that morning can assess how their customer will react the first time they can't see the surface or how poor their handheld night-dive light is compared to the HID the guide has.

At a minimum, the diver needs to be comfortable in the water so that having an overhead doesn't add (much stress), needs relatively fine buoyancy control and proper trim to avoid damaging the cavern. Some awareness of line protocols and required equipment wouldn't hurt, but I think in a place set up for Cenote tours with qualified guides issues like that can be dealt with.

 

[damage]

At some point of the dive, it happened to me that I was paying more attention to the camera than to the guide, so I go easy on the pictures, other thing that I blame myself was that my backup lamp is LED and the primary was a normal one that the shop provided us, so I switched in the second dive, but I didn't check that it has no lanyard, and there were places were if it feel, I won't be able to get it back because it was to narrow to get my arm into.

As you, I pride myself on checking my equipment two or three times before a dive, but still have that stupid mistake.

That's one of the things that I think is as challenging and rewarding at the same time of scuba, you keep learning and as time goes by, you realize that still have a lot to learn, and never give thinks for granted

 

[ItsBruce]

When I dove the Cenote last year, the guide picked me up at the hotel and we spent about an hour driving to the Cenote. During that hour, he learned about my skills and gave me a pretty good briefing on what to do, expect, etc.

I had a grand time. My biggest issue was doing a giant stride into water that was so clear that I did not believe it was really there or would keep me from crashing into the rocks on the bottom.

Now, I dive in the pool with the plastic cover over it! (Necessity is the mother of invention.)

 

[DandyDon]

At some point of the dive, it happened to me that I was paying more attention to the camera than to the guide, so I go easy on the pictures, other thing that I blame myself was that my backup lamp is LED and the primary was a normal one that the shop provided us, so I switched in the second dive, but I didn't check that it has no lanyard, and there were places were if it feel, I won't be able to get it back because it was to narrow to get my arm into.

As you, I pride myself on checking my equipment two or three times before a dive, but still have that stupid mistake.

That's one of the things that I think is as challenging and rewarding at the same time of scuba, you keep learning and as time goes by, you realize that still have a lot to learn, and never give thinks for granted

Haha it wasn't obvious but I guess you were replaying to my post and mistakes. Yeah, live to learn from our screwups is a good goal - as long as we do manage to live beyond them.

 

[ScubaSam]

<snip> I'm not sure how a guide who first met an OW/AOW diver that morning can assess how their customer will react the first time they can't see the surface or how poor their handheld night-dive light is compared to the HID the guide has.

At a minimum, the diver needs to be comfortable in the water so that having an overhead doesn't add (much stress), needs relatively fine buoyancy control and proper trim to avoid damaging the cavern. Some awareness of line protocols and required equipment wouldn't hurt, but I think in a place set up for Cenote tours with qualified guides issues like that can be dealt with.

To your point about how the guide assess the customer, the dive shop that I wanted to book the cenote tour with required that I do a local reef or wreck dive with them before they would book me on a cenote tour.

They wanted to assess my buoyancy control and trim, make sure I was not going to collide into or damage the stalactites and stalagmites. I did a reef dive with lotsa swim throughs and a wreck dive, yes, I penetrated the wreck with an instructor/DM from the shop. The next day I headed into the cenote with the same instructor/DM and the cenote guide, the three of us did three cenote dives that day...I was a very happy diver.

 

[SailNaked]

I loved my cenote tour. I also recognized that there was a lot to be learned to make it safe. we were only 4 relatively experienced divers and we had no problems however I was constantly aware of the line, and that I did not know where the line(s) went. they do not have many markers on them and seem to go in all directions. without the guide I would have to pick a direction and hope that it was out and not in. I plan to take Cave some day, and until then I plan to stay far from them.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

"freaked out in a part where there was no light."??? No one had a flash light?

Many cavern tours do not allow anyone but the dive guide to carry a light. This prevents people from getting tempted to go past the "GO NO FURTHER" sign.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)