We wanted to dive one of the Cenotes, this past October. I did lot's of research, and the consensus was to use Manta Divers, and ask for Leif as our guide. Some of the divers that I contacted said that Leif has a sterling reputation and is one of the best cavern guides in Cancun.
I spoke to the owner, John,(an American from Texas), a few times and he was very helpul. We booked a wreck & reef dive, along with a Cenotes dive, in advance, and requested Leif for the Cenotes.
Here's a brief, and not very detailed, synopsis of our experience.
Leif gave a very, very thorough briefing. (He had plenty of time, as it was about an 1 1/2 hr drive. The water was a tad chilly, (mid-70's, perhaps?), and quite clear and beautiful. At this particular Cenote, we geared up, and walked down a couple of flights of wide steps, which lead down to a large cavern.
We guestimated the weights, (didn't need as much as it is fresh water), and did giant-strides into the water for our buoyancy checks. Basically, you swim in single-file, a few feet apart, with Leif in the front. (There was also a photographer following the group around...who wore doubles, as did Leif). If you needed to get his attention, you point your light, over his right side, and wave it straight up and down. All the rest of the signals were the same that you used on night dives.
He had a powerful light, that he illuminated the caverns with. There were multiple swim-thoughs, and few places with somewhat tight quarters, (I've been in tighter spots diving swimthroughs in Cayman). The water is crystal clear and the rock formations are beautiful.
I will admit, that was a tad eerie, knowing that you can not safely ascend, in the event of an emergency. (This was my second dive trip, with my own gear, and the confidence that I felt in it on that day made it worth every penny!) If memory serves, we started with ~3,000 psi, and we had to let him know when we hit 2,000. The rule is, 1/3rd in, 1/3rd out, which leaves 1,000 in the event of problems. The depths were quite shallow. It was a very relaxing dive.
For the subsequent dive, didn't even get out of the water, we switched tanks, in the water. It was similiar to the first dive. Very pretty, and very relaxing. I did start to feel chilled, about 1/2 way through the second dive. (I wore a 2mm shorty) If you get cold easily, I would suggest wearing a full suit.
Be aware that, from Cancun, it's an all-day adventure....you roll out around 8:30 and don't get back until around 4:00 pm. It includes a very good lunch, (but not beverages)
Did we have fun? Yes! Would I do it again? Probably not. It's definitely a great experience but, for me anyway, it's a "been there, done that" type of thing.
If you're comfortable with your skills, (decent buoyancy is a must), and not too claustrophobic, then I suggest giving it a try.
Hope this helps!
