Looking for DIR dive buddy for self-guided cenotes PDC/Tulum Jan 26-31

[ScubaSamScubaStevesFather]

Hi,
Looking for a DIR buddy (minimum doubles + cavern certified) for Cavern diving in Tulum cenotes in Jan. I’m a TDI ER tech diver w Cavern doing my GUE fundies and then looking to do some cavern diving afterwards before I head back to Cancun.

Hoping to dive w a buddy and save $200+ from paying for a guide/buddy

 

[rjack321]

Good luck with this. Most, if not all, "DIR" folks are going to be intro cave, C1, or above. We don't "do" cavern since that course by itself just leads you into a slightly lite cave environment which can be silted out and turned in a legit full-on cave experience with a few errant fin kicks. Finishing GUE-F, possibly with only a rec pass, and going into an overhead the next day is going to be... "frowned upon"

I suggest using your time to either continue with an intro course, go ocean diving, coming back and getting your Cave1, or last choice switching shops and paying for a cavern guide.

 

[ScubaSamScubaStevesFather]

Good luck with this. Most, if not all, "DIR" folks are going to be intro cave, C1, or above. We don't "do" cavern since that course by itself just leads you into a slightly lite cave environment which can be silted out and turned in a legit full-on cave experience with a few errant fin kicks. Finishing GUE-F, possibly with only a rec pass, and going into an overhead the next day is going to be... "frowned upon"

I suggest using your time to either continue with an intro course, go ocean diving, coming back and getting your Cave1, or last choice switching shops and paying for a cavern guide.

yea I was afraid of being in a situation where there are few non-cave cavern divers who are responsible (ie doubles and proper gear/training)…when I did my cavern training + fun dives after the course I saw very few divers in doubles and a **** ton of single tank recreational divers…

Regarding your other comment, I am not only cavern but also tech certified, so that’s not an issue. GUE fundies for me is just something I’ve been wanting to accomplish since I started my tech journey.

 

[dylanfromwinnipeg]

Most Mexican cenotes with caverns won’t let you in without a guide.

Update: if you are a cave diver there are plenty of cave options without a required guide, but not so for caverns.

 

[Barefoot_Lawyer]

GoDiveMex in PDC was very reasonable for guided cavern and they are almost fully a GUE shop now and will give you a GUE guide if you ask. I did a day of guided cavern with Fran as a shakeout day before my tec upgrade evaluation with Emoke. Excellent experience all around.

I know that’s not what you are asking, but hopefully it’s a good backup if you can’t find a teammate.

 

[rddvet]

If you're going to be taking fundies and probably stuck paying for a guide (cause it will be hard to find just a cavern buddy), contact Zero Gravity or Third Dimension and go do some work with a guide/instructor. You won't just be doing skills. You'd be getting guided and mentored at the same time. Ponderosa is a decent cavern dive, but you need a guide. And you'll find that is common in caves that see alot of cavern divers (as stated by someone else).
I don't know who ZeroG has that would do some guided cavern dives, so I can't speak for them. 3rd Dimension has 2 instructors (Giovanni and a newer guy who's name I can't remember) that regularly get paired with newer divers or divers who need a little bit of work prior to fundies. They are both quality instructors, but are also working their way up the instructor chain and are picked to work with newer divers who need a tune up before taking on things like tech 1 or cave 1 as part of their own training. I think it would be better money spent than hiring a guide from a rando non-DIR shop

 

[rjack321]

If you're going to be taking fundies and probably stuck paying for a guide (cause it will be hard to find just a cavern buddy), contact Zero Gravity or Third Dimension and go do some work with a guide/instructor. You won't just be doing skills. You'd be getting guided and mentored at the same time. Ponderosa is a decent cavern dive, but you need a guide. And you'll find that is common in caves that see alot of cavern divers (as stated by someone else).
I don't know who ZeroG has that would do some guided cavern dives, so I can't speak for them. 3rd Dimension has 2 instructors (Giovanni and a newer guy who's name I can't remember) that regularly get paired with newer divers or divers who need a little bit of work prior to fundies. They are both quality instructors, but are also working their way up the instructor chain and are picked to work with newer divers who need a tune up before taking on things like tech 1 or cave 1 as part of their own training. I think it would be better money spent than hiring a guide from a rando non-DIR shop

ZG offers cavern tours to freshly minted GUE-F divers?

Well I'll be they do. Color me shocked. It's hard to break out their daily rate from the rest of their packages though ZERO GRAVITY DIVE CENTER MEXICO

 

[Norwegian Cave Diver]

If you take Intro to Cave and Cave it will be much easier to find divers to go with. Especially if your trained at the same shop or another very reputable shop.
Ask if you want shop recommendations.

 

[ScubaSamScubaStevesFather]

Most Mexican cenotes with caverns won’t let you in without a guide.

Update: if you are a cave diver there are plenty of cave options without a required guide, but not so for caverns.

Thanks. I’m confused…so cenotes won’t allow cavern certified (real tech cavern certified with doubles, not single tank recreational divers) divers to dive without a guide, but they allow unguided cave divers? This is a consistent thing in Tulum/pdc?

I’m surprised to read this…I don’t understand why this would be the case. Is it because there is just too much demand for guided cavern diving for single tank rec divers?

 

[dylanfromwinnipeg]

Thanks. I’m confused…so cenotes won’t allow cavern certified (real tech cavern certified with doubles, not single tank recreational divers) divers to dive without a guide, but they allow unguided cave divers? This is a consistent thing in Tulum/pdc?

I’m surprised to read this…I don’t understand why this would be the case. Is it because there is just too much demand for guided cavern diving for single tank rec divers?

In general there are 3 types of cenotes:
1. Cavern only
2. Cavern + cave
3. Cave only

If you are cave certified you can get into #3 without a guide (usually). But even if you are full cave certified you can’t get into #1 or #2 without a guide.