andrepenhabrasil
Registered
Team
The team (me, my girlfriend and a friend) are all recently certified full cave divers. It´s our third trip to QR. Our plan was to do two days of guided cave diving and another 4 days of independent diving. We were all on sidemount.
Arrival
We flew into Cancun airport on the afternoon of 21st/June. Suprisingly quick through immigration, bags took a little while to show up, my buddy got stopped at customs for an inspection of camera gear, took about 15 min, but without any problems.
Transportation
I rented a pick-up truck with Alamo, cost me US$600 for the week, with full insurance. I had it all prepaid, so we got the car quite quickly too.
Logistics
We stayed in a resort in Puerto Aventuras, Catalonia Riviera Maya. Great value, US$1.400 for the whole week per couple, all inclusive. Right next to Zero-Gravity and very close to Under The Jungle.
Under The Jungle
We dived with UTJ and it was a great experience. Our guide, Heather, was waiting for us (she actually got in touch through WhatsApp before we got to Mexico) and on our first day diving (22nd/June) we met at 8am to do paperwork and pre-dive briefing. UTJ is right next door (literally) to Tajma - Ha, so we did our first two dives there. Heather was an outstanding guide and she made sure we followed all appropriate protocols and etiquette in the caves. UTJ is a world class outfit, everything is neat and organized, and yet it´s a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere! I would definitely use them again on our next trip.
On the next day, 23rd/jun, we went to Ponderosa (Eden) on two more guided dives, and we passed muster to dive on our own!
Independent Diving
24th/Jun- We went back to Tajma Ha to shoot videos, they charge 400 pesos for the camera (on top of the 350 pesos for cave diving).
25th/Jun - Monkey Dust: South of Tulum, about 100m down the road from the entrance to Dos Pisos. I popped a HP hose during checks and had to abort the dive. The team went in while I carried tanks back up (it´s a bit of a hike), but I was glad it happened at the entrance and not inside the cave. The mainline is to the right of the entrance (about two o´clock), right under a strange rock outcropping.
26th/Jun - Dos Pisos: Did two dives there, first one on the mainline (mainline is visible from the entance), the second one to the "Roots Room" , 3rd jump to the right.
27th/Jun - Nohoch Nah Chich: Did two dives there, it was pouring rain (we had perfect weather all days until then), we went both upstream and on the first jump to the right. Nohoch is my favorite cave, they charged 400 pesos per diver and it´s been rumored that they´ll soon close to independent divers.
We flew back on the 28th without incident. We had paid the VisiTax before we got to Mexico, no one asked us for it at departure. We had no issues with police (drove down to Playa on the 24th to go shopping, I recommend El Fogón at Avenida Constituyentes, it doesn´t look like much but it´s in the Michelin guide and not by accident) or with gas stations.
The team (me, my girlfriend and a friend) are all recently certified full cave divers. It´s our third trip to QR. Our plan was to do two days of guided cave diving and another 4 days of independent diving. We were all on sidemount.
Arrival
We flew into Cancun airport on the afternoon of 21st/June. Suprisingly quick through immigration, bags took a little while to show up, my buddy got stopped at customs for an inspection of camera gear, took about 15 min, but without any problems.
Transportation
I rented a pick-up truck with Alamo, cost me US$600 for the week, with full insurance. I had it all prepaid, so we got the car quite quickly too.
Logistics
We stayed in a resort in Puerto Aventuras, Catalonia Riviera Maya. Great value, US$1.400 for the whole week per couple, all inclusive. Right next to Zero-Gravity and very close to Under The Jungle.
Under The Jungle
We dived with UTJ and it was a great experience. Our guide, Heather, was waiting for us (she actually got in touch through WhatsApp before we got to Mexico) and on our first day diving (22nd/June) we met at 8am to do paperwork and pre-dive briefing. UTJ is right next door (literally) to Tajma - Ha, so we did our first two dives there. Heather was an outstanding guide and she made sure we followed all appropriate protocols and etiquette in the caves. UTJ is a world class outfit, everything is neat and organized, and yet it´s a very friendly and welcoming atmosphere! I would definitely use them again on our next trip.
On the next day, 23rd/jun, we went to Ponderosa (Eden) on two more guided dives, and we passed muster to dive on our own!
Independent Diving
24th/Jun- We went back to Tajma Ha to shoot videos, they charge 400 pesos for the camera (on top of the 350 pesos for cave diving).
25th/Jun - Monkey Dust: South of Tulum, about 100m down the road from the entrance to Dos Pisos. I popped a HP hose during checks and had to abort the dive. The team went in while I carried tanks back up (it´s a bit of a hike), but I was glad it happened at the entrance and not inside the cave. The mainline is to the right of the entrance (about two o´clock), right under a strange rock outcropping.
26th/Jun - Dos Pisos: Did two dives there, first one on the mainline (mainline is visible from the entance), the second one to the "Roots Room" , 3rd jump to the right.
27th/Jun - Nohoch Nah Chich: Did two dives there, it was pouring rain (we had perfect weather all days until then), we went both upstream and on the first jump to the right. Nohoch is my favorite cave, they charged 400 pesos per diver and it´s been rumored that they´ll soon close to independent divers.
We flew back on the 28th without incident. We had paid the VisiTax before we got to Mexico, no one asked us for it at departure. We had no issues with police (drove down to Playa on the 24th to go shopping, I recommend El Fogón at Avenida Constituyentes, it doesn´t look like much but it´s in the Michelin guide and not by accident) or with gas stations.
