MantaSlap
Registered
Last week I did two days of cenote diving out of Playa del Carmen with CenoteXperience. If you are unsure about cenote diving I cannot encourage you enough to GO FOR IT, and I highly recommend this dive operation (thank you scubaboard for the reco!).
Day 1: Orquiedas & Tajma Ha
Orquiedas is a recently opened cenote, I believe currently exclusive to CenoteXperience. Driving in/out we had to go over very rough "roads" that have been partially hacked out of the jungle, and there was little in way of facilities. Liked it as a first cenote dive because it is a deep pit, not a lot of overhead and no swimthroughs - a confidence builder for the crazier adventures to follow. Going though the halocline played tricks on my mind. It looked like sandy bottom but I trusted the instructions to deflate and we magically sailed right down through it (with a slightly perceptible sulfur odor); on the way back up it looked like I had flown above a layer of clouds in a plane.
Tajma Ha was more of what I expected - more overhead/swimthroughs on an out-and-back "V"-ish shape route (including surfacing in an air pocket). So beautiful to see rays of sunlight striking down through the darkness, and the lights of other divers illuminating far-off walls, and of course all the formations and fossils under the water. So SAD I failed to pack the GoPro!
Day 2: Kukulcan & Chac-Mool/Little Brother
These are all at one facility, minimizing time spent driving. The facility was also the nicest bathrooms and changing rooms. No cameras are allowed here, apparently a recent change due to somebody’s clumsiness. Had nice long 50/60 minute dives in each, with distinct interiors despite being co-located. Most amazing sight was looking up at the surface of the water from below to see a crystal clear reflection of the cavern's boulders and stalagmites - a disorienting experience of amazing natural beauty. Air pocket here also has some tree roots growing down to the water's surface, with a big upside-down mushroom cap, a trippy sight.
What did I forget to bring? Mosquito repellent...many many bites at Orquideas.
CenoteXperience were super accommodating to schedule our second day, when we asked to go somewhere other than Dos Ojos (I am embarassed in retrospect to have asked...we were worried about too large of crowds in the highest of the high season...very naive of us) Matty (sp?) & Martin were excellent guides. We were thoroughly briefed, kept entertained, and felt safe throughout (even driving on the roads). Martin encouraged/instructed me to help develop my frog kick and move slowly. They have a clear passion for cenote diving. It rubbed off, my wife and I had a semi-serious conversation about getting cave-certified ourselves (I see a future full of tank-carrying)!
Two skills keys for these dives seem to be buoyancy and equalizing. Both were stressed repeatedly by our guides. While I've rarely had trouble equalizing, I often struggle with buoyancy. The guides and the progression of dives helped give me confidence in that area. The lack of current also made body control easier. Any uncertainties I had going in were put aside in awe of this diving experience. Although next trip down there we’ll likely dive Cozumel, we will come over to the mainland for at least one day of cenote diving. Its too awesome to miss out on!
Day 1: Orquiedas & Tajma Ha
Orquiedas is a recently opened cenote, I believe currently exclusive to CenoteXperience. Driving in/out we had to go over very rough "roads" that have been partially hacked out of the jungle, and there was little in way of facilities. Liked it as a first cenote dive because it is a deep pit, not a lot of overhead and no swimthroughs - a confidence builder for the crazier adventures to follow. Going though the halocline played tricks on my mind. It looked like sandy bottom but I trusted the instructions to deflate and we magically sailed right down through it (with a slightly perceptible sulfur odor); on the way back up it looked like I had flown above a layer of clouds in a plane.
Tajma Ha was more of what I expected - more overhead/swimthroughs on an out-and-back "V"-ish shape route (including surfacing in an air pocket). So beautiful to see rays of sunlight striking down through the darkness, and the lights of other divers illuminating far-off walls, and of course all the formations and fossils under the water. So SAD I failed to pack the GoPro!
Day 2: Kukulcan & Chac-Mool/Little Brother
These are all at one facility, minimizing time spent driving. The facility was also the nicest bathrooms and changing rooms. No cameras are allowed here, apparently a recent change due to somebody’s clumsiness. Had nice long 50/60 minute dives in each, with distinct interiors despite being co-located. Most amazing sight was looking up at the surface of the water from below to see a crystal clear reflection of the cavern's boulders and stalagmites - a disorienting experience of amazing natural beauty. Air pocket here also has some tree roots growing down to the water's surface, with a big upside-down mushroom cap, a trippy sight.
What did I forget to bring? Mosquito repellent...many many bites at Orquideas.
CenoteXperience were super accommodating to schedule our second day, when we asked to go somewhere other than Dos Ojos (I am embarassed in retrospect to have asked...we were worried about too large of crowds in the highest of the high season...very naive of us) Matty (sp?) & Martin were excellent guides. We were thoroughly briefed, kept entertained, and felt safe throughout (even driving on the roads). Martin encouraged/instructed me to help develop my frog kick and move slowly. They have a clear passion for cenote diving. It rubbed off, my wife and I had a semi-serious conversation about getting cave-certified ourselves (I see a future full of tank-carrying)!
Two skills keys for these dives seem to be buoyancy and equalizing. Both were stressed repeatedly by our guides. While I've rarely had trouble equalizing, I often struggle with buoyancy. The guides and the progression of dives helped give me confidence in that area. The lack of current also made body control easier. Any uncertainties I had going in were put aside in awe of this diving experience. Although next trip down there we’ll likely dive Cozumel, we will come over to the mainland for at least one day of cenote diving. Its too awesome to miss out on!
