Cenote Diving and Cavern Certification

[jbird71]

I am traveling to Cozumel, and I have 4-5 days free where I'd like to get an awesome Cenote diving experience, as well as get my Cavern certification. I am looking for a dive op and any suggestions where I should go.

 

[TSandM]

If you are doing a Cavern class, and you are staying on Cozumel, I can highly recommend German Yanez (Yucatech.net). He was my cavern instructor. He is a very patient and pleasant man, with a long history of cave exploration on Cozumel. He will teach the class on the island, if you like, or on the mainland.

 

[Augustus]

Yucatech Expeditions. Cenote, Cave, Cavern and Technical Dive Courses and Tours.

German's web site

 

[jbird71]

Thanks, I appreciate the recommendation, and looking at the website this is exactly what I am looking for.

 

[stdiver]

You also may want to contact www.cenotexperience.com.mx - I just spent a week diving with them, drop 'em a line and find out about cavern courses. I've been diving with them for several years and I keep coming back.

 

[robint]

I second Nicholas at Cenote Experience.

BTW... you do not need to get cavern certified to dive a cenote. You need to have a certified dive guide and you can only go into most of the popular cenotes with them, those where you can still see light zone at all times.

robin

 

[TSandM]

Just another thought . . . if you want an "awesome" cenote experience, you will probably want to go over to the mainland. The caverns on Cozumel are smaller, darker and siltier than the ones on the mainland. They are very interesting, because they actually have quite a bit of life in them, much of which is unique to the island (this is German's research interest) but they aren't the crystal-clear blue and turquoise beauties that you see in the typical article on the cenotes.

As robint said, you don't HAVE to do a cavern class to dive the cenotes. But doing the class will open more sites up to you, and also introduce some skills which are extremely useful in ANY diving environment -- I really recommend, especially since you have so much time, that you go ahead and do the class anyway, and then let German show you some mainland cenotes.

 

[jbird71]

Just another thought . . . if you want an "awesome" cenote experience, you will probably want to go over to the mainland. The caverns on Cozumel are smaller, darker and siltier than the ones on the mainland. They are very interesting, because they actually have quite a bit of life in them, much of which is unique to the island (this is German's research interest) but they aren't the crystal-clear blue and turquoise beauties that you see in the typical article on the cenotes.

Thanks, I appreciate the heads up. I did notice on German's website that a lot of those caves look small My idea is to spend a day or two doing a guided Cenote tour to make sure I'm comfortable/interested in the course.

I have a hotel for the first 5 nights in Cozumel booked, but I'm free otherwise. I had thought of renting a car and going to the Tulum area, since I want to see Chichen Itza anyway.

 

[jbird71]

Cenote Experience is *exactly* what I'm looking for, thank you!

 

[jbird71]

I'm all set for 4 days of diving with Nicolas. I have a full 3mm wetsuit - will this be warm enough for the Cenotes?