Second thoughts about cenote diving

[damage]

Last week I was in Cancun for my birthday, and one of the best ways to celebrate it was diving of course I really wanted to dive in a cenote, and dove in Chac Mol last Wednesday. It was amazing, the colors, the clear water, the lack of currents everything was amazing.

Yesterday I read in this forum this thread http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/cave-diving/303219-when-cave-cave.html and after reading all of it, I'm starting to feel a little guilty.

First of all it was my first dive in a cave, I don't have any certification or training regarding this kind of dives, second one, The guide (very professional full cave diver from MAD) explained everything to us, and really made me feel confident about myself, which at this point I don't know if it was good or bad.

Just 10 minutes after we started, a girl who was in the diving tour, freaked out in a part where there were no light, and no immediate access to the surface; the dive master manage to calm her down, and took her to the next open water area which was just 60 feet away, after 5 minutes on the surface, we all continued the dive.

I really enjoyed the dive, beautiful stalactites and stalagmites, but now I'm aware how quick things can get bad, specially in this kind of environment, like what if something happened to the dive master and the three of us were left alone? I know that it was a remote scenario, and there are permanent lines along the cenote, and usually there are many divers at any given time, the open water is no really far away (90 feet tops) but still made me think about it, none of us had the proper training for a emergency situation.

I'm now really sure that I need to get more training as soon as possible, first the rescue course, which I've been delaying for a while, and next start with the cavern courses.

I think this was some kind of an awaking experience for me; and I really want to share with you.

 

[TSandM]

Just 10 minutes after we started, a girl who was in the diving tour, freaked out in a part where there were no light, and no immediate access to the surface; the dive master manage to calm her down, and took her to the next open water area which was just 60 feet away, after 5 minutes on the surface, we all continued the dive.

This is the reason that I don't recommend cenote tours for novice divers. You have to know that you can keep calm when stressed, before you should enter an overhead environment.

The cenote tours, in general, have a good safety record BECAUSE the guides are good. They do give people a taste of what the caves have to offer, and I think motivate quite a few people to go get training.

I'm glad this made you think, and very glad to hear you're going to pursue more training as a result. Perhaps we'll meet in Mexico someday.

 

[ScubaSam]

Damage - Happy belated birthday! Thank you for sharing your experience.

You remind me how I felt after my first cenote dive although no one panicked in my group. During my first cenote dive, I had a simple point and shoot UW camera but two minutes into the dive, I turned it off and stowed it in my pocket because I realized that this dive was unlike any environment I'd ever been in and I wanted to pay full attention. Definitely did not want to be distracted with picture taking. I knew I was falling in love with the cenotes during that first dive. I also knew that things could go terribly wrong in an overhead environment especially within the tighter spaces.

I was very impressed with the guide's skills and knew I wanted to train for caverns and caves after that first dive. When I got home to the states, I signed up for a Rescue class. Since then I have been taking, and am still taking, different classes (Intro to Tech, Fundies, Adv Nitrox/Deco Precedures) to improve my skills before I sign up for Intro Cave/Cavern next year. Dunno if I'll ever get to full cave but will keep training and diving until it's no longer fun...so far I don't see that happening in my future.

Good luck with your training, safe dives and I'll see you in the cenotes.

 

[TSandM]

Dunno if I'll ever get to full cave but will keep training and diving until it's no longer fun...so far I don't see that happening in my future.

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

 

[ScubaSam]

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

As always, Lynne, your post is well thought out and insightful btw,

a). impossible to imagine
b). easy to imagine
c). possible to imagine

 

[Garrobo]

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

 

[ScubaSam]

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

I believe OP is referring to the portion of the dive when you cannot see the natural daylight streaming into the cavern from the outside. I'm sure they had flashlights as there are portions of the dive where it's pitch black.

 

[robint]

This is exactly why I say EVERY diver should do the Rescue course. You learn so much about how to help other divers when in need, and how to recognize a problem before it is out of control. Take the class, everyone, take Rescue!

 

[damage]

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

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

 

[dlndavid]

What is interesting is sometimes you don't know what you can be comfortable with until you try it. Because cenote dives are done with very well trained guides, it gives you a chance to check it out. I have only done 4 cenote dives and found them to be a great dive experiences. The first were soon after OW cert, and the later after Rescue. I am going to Cancun next month, and the cenote dives will be on my calender for sure. I also plan to go to my LDS and nail down my fresh water weighting, as buoyancy is critical to a good cenote experience.