Do you need cave cert. to dive the Cenotes ?

[TSandM]

Well, I have to admit that, having done Fundies and Rec Triox, I wasn't exactly the typical OW diver going into the cenotes. And Zero Grav doesn't guide for people who haven't done Fundies. But still, there were definitely caverns we did where I can't imagine anybody getting into serious trouble, like Chac Mool and Carwash. There WERE caverns we did where I actually thought as we were going through them, "Wow, the guide would have his hands full if somebody freaked out here." (This was in Dos Ojos, where we were a LONG way from visible light.) But the cave in those places was not the issue, in terms of complex navigation or abundant silt. It was just that we were a long ways in.

 

[DiveDiva_Ashley]

I dove a few different Cenotes on my honeymoon in Riviera Maya. BTW, if you're looking for a great resort, I'd highly recommend Sunscape Puerto Adventuras. Our stay there was amazing. Some things to know about the Cenotes though:
-Cenotes are COLD. My husband snorkeled without a wetsuit and froze. I had a 5 mil and also froze. I am from Ohio, if that means anything. I do, however, chill very easily. I still think most would think it was chilly though. I'd definatly recommend renting or bringing a wetsuit.
-There is next to no fish life, and U/W photography just isn't nearly as fun, if you're into that. Backscatter is horrible, especially if you're far down the line and have a vacation diver in front of you kicking up all the crap into your lens. Also, after a few pictures of cave formations, they all start to look the same. It is a very unique dive, though, and everyone should try it once.
-You must go down with a certified cave instructor, and those the closest to the instructor generally will have the best view. Those at the end will be covered with silt. There are ropes that the instructor and divers follow, so it'd be pretty hard to get lost as long as you hold onto the rope and stay with your group. You'll operate by the rule of thirds and thus, dives aren't too long. Throughout my dive, we came up into several openings to see the overhead formations. That was pretty cool. Sometimes, we met with groups of snorkelers and just hung out for a bit before going back down.
-There are bats, and they're creepy. Of course, I never did like the things. I think I watched too many vampire movies when I was younger
Anyways, the Cenotes are a very unique and interesting dive, but I can't say I'll rush back. I am much more into marine animals and fish life than caves, but that is a personal preference. I have an album with some pics if you want to check them out. Bare with me- I didn't have a strobe back then so they're pretty drab- but they'll tease you at least. anp05/Mexican Cenotes - Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
Hope you enjoy your trip!

 

[Meng_Tze]

I think it is madness to take OW divers into an overhead environment in drones. Low/no flow makes it even worse. You don't know if someone will panic. Silting up is a very real possibility, this leads to more anxiety. Getting lost and not knowing lost line/buddy drills can be a real issue. Now you go a ways in and actually in the dark......with jumps, lines and a bunch of non-trained divers.... madness.

But I guess since not that many accidents seem to be reported, it is not as bad as I believe it to be?

 

[lamont]

Well, I have to admit that, having done Fundies and Rec Triox, I wasn't exactly the typical OW diver going into the cenotes. And Zero Grav doesn't guide for people who haven't done Fundies. But still, there were definitely caverns we did where I can't imagine anybody getting into serious trouble, like Chac Mool and Carwash. There WERE caverns we did where I actually thought as we were going through them, "Wow, the guide would have his hands full if somebody freaked out here." (This was in Dos Ojos, where we were a LONG way from visible light.) But the cave in those places was not the issue, in terms of complex navigation or abundant silt. It was just that we were a long ways in.

Dos Ojos is still pretty shallow isn't it? Taj Mahal gets down to 60 fsw into the halocline and there were good chunks of time when I didn't know if there was any ambient light or which direction it would have been coming from.

I was also bringing up the rear in my cavern dives, and there were 3 other divers in the group other than the leader, and I had a silt-free dive. I also took lots of pictures...

There were OW divers that definitely should not have been down there, though...

 

[rjack321]

Dos Ojos is still pretty shallow isn't it?

Yes in the "Bat Cave" portion of the "cavern" you are in about 15-20ft. This is well beyond the daylight zone. But there's a huge air pocket with a swimming platform in there. A very weird definition of a cavern IMO.

 

[TSandM]

Funny, my husband and I both agreed that the person in the back gets the best view . . . That's one of the reasons why I keep saying that you should have good buoyancy control and correct trim (and preferably understand a modified flutter kick) before you do the tours.

Kicking up silt is NOT an unavoidable part of diving, not anywhere!

 

[KMD]

The halocline at Taj Mahal starts at 40' and the main cave line runs down to 43' so I dont think the cavern line even runs near that deep.


We need to distinguish between three different types of cenote diving down here in Mexico:

Cave diving - Doing dives beyond the daylight zone with or without a guide. You absolutely should be cave trained. No guide should should *ever* take O/W divers into the cave, no matter "how good of divers they are"

Cavern Diving - Doing dives in an overhead withing the daylight zone without a guide. You absolutely should be cavern trained. O/W divers shouldn't be doing this types of diving without training.

Cavern/Cenote Tour - A controlled diving experience. O/W divers should always be with a guide and the guide should follow the standards and practices set down by the various orginizations.

While each association is slightly different here are the general limits of a Cavern tour:

1.-Natural daylight and an unobstructed ascent to the surface.
2.-Maximum linear distance from surface:200ft-21 m
3.-Maximum depth:70 ft-21 m
4.-No restrictions
5.-No decompression
6.-Minimum visibility:40ft-12m
7.-Guide ratio:Strictly 4:1

The poplular caverns that you will be taken too are most likely going to be Pondarosa, Taj Mahal, Chac Mool, Grand Cenote, and Dos Ojos.

A couple of things to keep in mind.

1) All these dives are going to be shallow. (under 60') most of them you will need a shovel to get below 40'
2) Many of them have multiple exits to the surface from different Centotes.
3) The water quailty is such that one can expect 200'+ vizability.
4) The Cavern lines are well established lines thicker than normal lines (usually a yellow Kermantal), that are strung very very tightly. Most of them, you couldnt even get enough slack to double wrap a cookie much less get entangled.
5) Silt is pretty much non existant on the well traveled path. The rocks have been scoured clean from years of o/w divers' flutter kicks. Zero Vizibility is highly unlikely.
6) Almost all of the Cavern lines start and end in Open water and the length of them is designed so that the typical o/w diver can complete the circuit on 2/3rds of a single al80.

So in reality, its pretty safe. I would rate it no more dangerous than your first couple of o/w dives during class. As long as you have a decent guide who will follow the standards you will have an experience to treasure for a lifetime.

The biggest danger for the O/W diver is going through that controlled experience and thinking they are ready to do cave/cavern diving on their own.

 

[lamont]

The halocline at Taj Mahal starts at 40' and the main cave line runs down to 43' so I dont think the cavern line even runs near that deep.

i hit 45' on my 2nd dive in taj mahal which was right on top of the cavern line (and i was right on top of the cavern line due to the halocline being completely chowdered up by the team in front of us).