Cenote Xperience- Amazing Cenote Dives, Amazing Dive Op

[Antarctic-Adventurer]

Another recommendation here for Cenote Xperience. I dived two days with them in January this year and their shop was really well run. Both brothers are professional, kind, passionate about cave and cenote diving and most importantly, take their customers safety very seriously.

If you are looking for a great Cenote dive experience while in the Yucatán, I’d definitely recommend them.

 

[kafkaland]

Sounds like a fun time! I do have a question - in theory, shouldn't you have at least a cavern diver cert to venture into an overhead environment? Did you get any instruction before the dive, or is this a total 'trust me" situation? Not knocking the experience at all, but as a very new diver myself, I am curious about how far folks push boundaries when accompanied by a dive master.

This has been discussed in some length here. There is even a sticky on the main Mexico forum about this.

The upshot is that the local community has developed protocols to safely conduct guided cenote dives for experienced OW divers. The safety record is excellent, as long as the rules are strictly followed, but things can go very wrong very quickly when they are broken. The most important rule is that the group has to stay on the cavern line at all times. All incidents that I am aware of have involved leaving the line, either because the guide wanted to show something extra, or out of convenience when the line makes a 'detour', or when a diver swam off to explore on his own. Other rules include no more than four divers per guide, the guide has to be at least a dive master with full cave certification and must be sponsored by a local shop, and must use a full cave configuration for the dive. Every diver must carry at least one light and be equipped to share air, and an extensive dive briefing must be given. And any diver can call the dive at any time for any reason without repercussions. The cavern line itself also has to satisfy certain rules, most importantly, daylight must be visible at any time (even though it still gets very dark), cannot go through narrow passages where two divers wouldn't fit side-by side, and can never be too far (200ft I think, but I'm not sure) from open water. It is also usually a thick yellow rope that clearly distinguishes it from regular cave lines in the area.

When you go with a reputable guide who follows these rules and you have your buoyancy dialed in and are not claustrophobic, these cenote tours are a great way to experience a stunningly beautiful cave-like environment. And you may just come back for more and get cavern and cave trained...

 

[ggunn]

It's been my experience and observation from spending weeks on the ocean on a boat was very buoyant, (think cork in the water), that women deal with motion much better than men.

I don't know that there is a gender difference, but I used to get seasick when I was a kid. I got acclimated (which is by far the best remedy) and I now only experience a very mild and temporary queasiness on a rough trip when I haven't been out in a while. My wife, OTOH, can sit in a hot enclosed cabin permeated by diesel fumes and rotting bait smell reading a small print book in bad lighting and rough seas and never feel a twinge. OTOOH, our daughter has no trouble on dive boats but out for extended times on fishing boats she is miserable.

Go figure.

 

[uncfnp]

I don't know that there is a gender difference, but I used to get seasick when I was a kid. I got acclimated (which is by far the best remedy) and I now only experience a very mild and temporary queasiness on a rough trip when I haven't been out in a while. My wife, OTOH, can sit in a hot enclosed cabin permeated by diesel fumes and rotting bait smell reading a small print book in bad lighting and rough seas and never feel a twinge. OTOOH, our daughter has no trouble on dive boats but out for extended times on fishing boats she is miserable.

Go figure.

Studies are mixed with women somewhat more likely to report symptoms but objective test have found to significant difference.

 

[ggunn]

Studies are mixed with women somewhat more likely to report symptoms but objective test have found to significant difference.

A few years ago we took a honeymooning couple out fishing with us. There was a little chop running but nothing big. He was from Missouri and had never been offshore; she was from Maine and used to go out as a kid. He was fine; she wasn't. I have rarely seen someone so sick at sea; I swear her ears were getting transparent. Luckily for her we were fishing the Cozumel/Yucatan channel; we put them ashore at Puerto Adventuras and kept fishing. On a normal trip she would have just had to endure it.

 

[MrBigfins]

This has been discussed in some length here. There is even a sticky on the main Mexico forum about this.

The upshot is that the local community has developed protocols to safely conduct guided cenote dives for experienced OW divers. The safety record is excellent, as long as the rules are strictly followed, but things can go very wrong very quickly when they are broken. The most important rule is that the group has to stay on the cavern line at all times. All incidents that I am aware of have involved leaving the line, either because the guide wanted to show something extra, or out of convenience when the line makes a 'detour', or when a diver swam off to explore on his own. Other rules include no more than four divers per guide, the guide has to be at least a dive master with full cave certification and must be sponsored by a local shop, and must use a full cave configuration for the dive. Every diver must carry at least one light and be equipped to share air, and an extensive dive briefing must be given. And any diver can call the dive at any time for any reason without repercussions. The cavern line itself also has to satisfy certain rules, most importantly, daylight must be visible at any time (even though it still gets very dark), cannot go through narrow passages where two divers wouldn't fit side-by side, and can never be too far (200ft I think, but I'm not sure) from open water. It is also usually a thick yellow rope that clearly distinguishes it from regular cave lines in the area.

When you go with a reputable guide who follows these rules and you have your buoyancy dialed in and are not claustrophobic, these cenote tours are a great way to experience a stunningly beautiful cave-like environment. And you may just come back for more and get cavern and cave trained...

Essentially they give you an adventure dive with padi cavern cert restrictions. My guess is that the maximum penetration would match cavern restrictions of 130' as well.

 

[Scuba_88]

I dove with Cenote Xperience back in November when they closed the port in Cozumel. I did the three dive with them and couldn't recommend them enough. These guys are very professional and I felt very safe. I would highly recommend experiencing the cenote dives if you have never tried them.

 

[drdfblackm]

Another big big recommendation. This was a top notch shop. Dove Angelita and Dos Ojos....amazing dives. The entire experience was so great!!!!!!