Cenotes = sinkholes?

[Jasonmh]

Many years ago, I used to dive sinkholes in Florida. They were cold with terrible visability and little or nothing to see. Is that what the cenotes in Mexico are?

No way. It was the exact opposite from that when we dove in Dos Ojos 2 weeks ago. It was mind-blowing... Amazing formations, columns, stalagtites and stalagmites, 200-300-400 foot viz. It is an outstanding experience.

 

[AZ Desert Diver]

No way. It was the exact opposite from that when we dove in Dos Ojos 2 weeks ago. It was mind-blowing... Amazing formations, columns, stalagtites and stalagmites, 200-300-400 foot viz. It is an outstanding experience.

I have to agree with Jasonmh. I just dove Dos Ojos this past weekend and WOW!!! I for sure will be doing more Cenote diving in the future.

 

[Sideband]

Many years ago, I used to dive sinkholes in Florida. They were cold with terrible visability and little or nothing to see. Is that what the cenotes in Mexico are?

I'm curious which ones you were diving in Florida? I've been to several and none match that description.

Joe

 

[timetraveler]

It was so long ago, I don't remember the names or even the locations. Actually, I don't think they had names. They were all located withing a day trip of Tallahassee.

 

[E_mcSCOW]

They both form the same way - dissolution of the limestone by meteoric (fresh) water causing cavernous porosity (big holes). It's what flows through them that makes a difference. There are spings in Florida that are really clear and then there are recent sinkholes that have a slower flow rates that can be muddy. The black water cenotes have slower flow rates and have a lot of organic material falling into them staining the water dark with organic tanin.

 

[Jeff Toorish]

That is a photograph taken at about 70 feet in a cenote in Yucatan. The visibility is more limited by darkness than the water. The water itself is crystal clear. In fact, most people when people see that photo, they ask me if it was really taken underwater.

Incidentally, the skull is probably from a Mayan sacrifice.

Jeff

 

[yak]

I dove Dos Ojos on Saturday. Here's a few shots of the East Eye entrance:

And a map :

 

[Rafael]

I dove Chac -Mol as well as Taj-Majal last week. Both incredible, so please do not miss the chance to go down there, you may had had a bad expereince down in Florida, but this Mexican cenotes are like no other.

If you go to the Cancun/Playa del Carmen Area, go to Manta Divers and ask for Lief great knowledge of the cenotes.

 

[Fish_Whisperer]

This month's DAN magazine has a great article on cenotes. The short answer: No, they are not sinkholes.

Awesome photo, Jtoorish!

 

[Pez de Diablo]

To get technical a Cenote is a Karst Window - an opening where an aquifer is exposed to the surface; or a cavity in the limestone area of Yucatan where the bed rock has collapsed and exposed the water table. This opening can be referred to as a Sinkhole in many places around Florida or a Spring or a Resurgence or a collapse doline in other places around the world. The term Cenote is used in the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico

Cenote is a name that has been adopted by the Spanish - a mispronunciation of "Dznote" which means "well" in Mayan and now refers to the gin clear waters that are accessible to divers and provide some of the most memorable dives with visabilty well in excess of 200 feet.

Dennis - Cenote Guide