Cenote diving as a recreational diver

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I was on the dive with JD. I would add that while the guide divers may know a shortcut to the exit, the other divers being guided do not.

Though you may see a glint of light in the distance off to the side, if you some how had to exit on your own, it would be risky to go off-line and hope you can squeeze through the formations and make your own exit. With every twist and turn you make to go around and squeeze through restrictions, you risk loosing sight of that faint light, or simply finding you can’t get there from here. The best plan is to stay on the line and backtrack. At that depth, there’s plenty of time.

We had guides front and rear, so they should be able to keep things safe. But, it was definitely well beyond the cavern zone and a trust me dive. However, short of someone just freaking out, there’s enough help and gas amongst the group to exit safely. And, unlike Florida caves, the dive is so shallow there’s lots of time to work problems.

The combination of having guides with lots of extra gas and the shallowness of the dive, I felt it was pretty safe.

 

[DeepSeaExplorer]

I took several short videos during the dives. They’re too large to post, but here’s a screenshot of the lead guide I was following. It’s definitely not a cavern dive.

 

[-JD-]

@DeepSeaExplorer I don't recall a tail guide (although I was pretty focused on the dive/novelty). I thought Warren was at the end of our group, though.

 

[halocline]

Depending on which Cenote you are diving, it could be, frankly, full cave.

"Full cave", meaning a dive that is only accessible by the rules to those with full cave certification, would have either complex navigation requirements, restrictions, or be long enough to prevent penetration on more than 1/6 of gas capacity for double tanks. So I'm sure that your guided cenote dive was not a 'full cave' dive.

If there is no visible light, meaning if you cover your light completely and let your eyes adjust, there is no visual indication of direction to an exit, then you were taken into a cave zone which is absolutely against the rules down there. No reputable cave guide would do that. There's another rule, too, which is that you can't be more than 130 linear feet, depth and horizontal distance, from an exit. Somehow, all the cavern lines adhere to these two rules or guides simply don't take OW divers there. I know that it seems an awfully lot like diving in a 'full' cave, but it's not.

 

[halocline]

We had guides front and rear, so they should be able to keep things safe. But, it was definitely well beyond the cavern zone and a trust me dive.

Looking at that map, there's a cavern line and cave passages heading off. You were on the cavern line, or your guides violated some very serious safety rules. Again, the cavern zones are clearly established and guides that take OW divers beyond those zones usually get reported by cave divers. I've been diving in those caves for years and I've never once seen a cavern tour leave the cavern line and go into the cave zones. I'm not saying it's never happened, but guide services that are established businesses with reputations to protect don't do it.

The cenote tours are trust me dives, as you say. You are relying on the guides to show you the way and deal with any problems.

 

[boulderjohn]

Thanks all, that’s really helpful. Perhaps sounds like I’m being overly cautious.

Under the Jungle look like a high quality shop so I’ll drop them an email.

When I wanted to do my first cave dives in Mexico, I sent emails to a bunch of dive operators. Only one of them answered--Diablo Divers. It turned out Diablo Divers was really just one person--Natalie Gibb, and she was running a shoestring operation. She said that as a beginning instructor/guide in the area, she relied heavily for her business upon what I had experienced: she answered her emails, and nobody else did. I had a great time and used her several times in later years.

Diablo Divers collapsed for reasons beyond her control, and she created Under the Jungle. It seems to me to be doing quite well. I used them the last time I was there.

The Under the Jungle FaceBook page understandably devoted a lot of time this fall to Natalie's induction into the women divers hall of fame.

 

[rmssetc]

The cenote tours are trust me dives, as you say. You are relying on the guides to show you the way and deal with any problems.

Yep. As a newly-minted AOW, my thoughts during guided cavern dives in Chac Mool and Kukulkan that if the guide had some kind of problem, I may not be able to help him, and that following the guideline myself (even though it was a loop), could be a long way out (10~15min) if you go the wrong way 'round.

It was beautiful, and an interesting experience. I did find out that I like warmer water and pretty fishes.

 

[Lorenzoid]

"Full cave", meaning a dive that is only accessible by the rules to those with full cave certification, would have either complex navigation requirements, restrictions, or be long enough to prevent penetration on more than 1/6 of gas capacity for double tanks. So I'm sure that your guided cenote dive was not a 'full cave' dive.

If there is no visible light, meaning if you cover your light completely and let your eyes adjust, there is no visual indication of direction to an exit, then you were taken into a cave zone which is absolutely against the rules down there. No reputable cave guide would do that. There's another rule, too, which is that you can't be more than 130 linear feet, depth and horizontal distance, from an exit. Somehow, all the cavern lines adhere to these two rules or guides simply don't take OW divers there. I know that it seems an awfully lot like diving in a 'full' cave, but it's not.

I interpreted JD's enthusiastic but perhaps imprecise use of the term "full cave" as meaning something more like "full-on cave"--that there were parts along the cavern line where no light would be visible even if you covered your light and let your eyes adjust and/or farther than 130 feet or so from an exit; in other words, beyond the definition of "cavern." Unless someone has actually made an effort to find a completely dark stretch or a point more than 130 ft or so from an exit in Dreamgate, we won't know for sure. My present understanding is like yours--that there are no cenote cavern lines like that open to OW divers for these tours. I'm still waiting for someone to prove an exception.

 

[-JD-]

@halocline and @Lorenzoid, thank you. Fair enough - I may have been overstating/stretching terminology. I'll assume it meets the strict definition of a cavern dive.

I guess I really wanted to point out that some of these are not "circling a big OW hole under a ledge" type dives and to ask questions and make decisions based upon their training level, experience, risk tolerance, and composure under unusual conditions.

Actually, the thing that I was most apprehensive about going into the dive (I was not diving with folks that I knew underwater, in advance) is that somebody would do something cavalierly, bone-headed, or panic-induced and cause a cluster-f***. Even worse if it would be me.

 

[hilljo88]

I've done a dozen ish cenote dives and have never seen an incident in my group or any other group at any of the cenotes, just my experience. That being said, most of the dive is with an overhead obstruction and some degree of darkness, both of which can cause complications in the event of equipment failure, health issue or panic. If you struggle with night dives, I would caution you against cenote diving. But there is no current, no waves, no surge, no random propellers, no boat ladder, no biting, stinging fauna..
If you enjoy night dives, have well maintained gear, etc., the conditions existing in cenote diving might be acceptable risks. The reason for doing these dives is the dramatic stalactite/stalagmite formations and the jaw-dropping, inspirational lighting: