Page 73 - Mexico Diving From the Caribbean to Pacific Isles

At the end of the Ice Age the sea levels between scuba diving in the open ocean dangerous activity. Many of the Cenotes are
and in a cave which has no direct access to marked with “Stop” signs warning the ex-
I rose and this raised the ground level table
of the waters of the Yucatan. Many of the the surface. Divers should be adequately plorer to go no further. Many people have

subterranean caverns filled with water. In certified, have the correct equipment and become lost and drowned in these vast sys-

1936, a simple morphometry-based clas- be accompanied by a dive master certified tems. Cave diving is reason for many diving

sification system for cenotes was presented. for cave diving and knows the Cenote to be related deaths. Cave diving should never be

Cenotes-cántaro (Jug, or Pit cenotes) are explored in detail. The floor of a Cenote is performed alone and always hire an expert

those with a surface connection nar- covered in fine silt. guide from a local dive operation.

rower than the diameter of the water body; I t is important for divers to maintain their D iving and filming Cenotes is an amaz-
Cenotes-cilíndricos (Cylinder cenotes) are buoyancy since any sudden movement ing experience. The magnificent
those with strictly vertical walls; Cenotes-

aguadas (Basin cenotes) are those with can cause sediment to rise and result in a colors change as the sun sets into different

shallow water basins; and grutas (Cave quick whiteout and diver disorientation or angles. The richness and tone of the water

cenotes) are those having a horizontal en- cause damage to the fragile Stalacites and can change depending on the position of

trance with dry sections. The classification Stalagmites. These formations take thou- a camcorder to the angle of the sun. The

scheme was based on morphometric obser- sands of years to form, but a careless fin interaction of water and light can create a

vations above the water table, and there- kick can destroy these structures. Always truly remarkable viewing and filming expe-

fore incompletely reflects the processes by follow the established guidelines for cave rience. The mystic experience of diving in

which the cenotes formed and the inherent diving and maintain a maximum distance of total darkness and no natural light creates

hydrogeochemical relationship with the 200 feet from an exit for breathing and in a feeling of excitement and fear at the same

underlying flooded cave networks. sight of a source of natural light. time. The color of the water can change

B efore scuba diving in a Cenote it is I f you venture into a Cenote to the point from a light green to a rich blue depending
important to understand the limita- you can no longer see any natural light on the time of day.

tions and risks. There are stark differences you are now cave diving and this is a more