Mx trip report

[kathydee]

Tropical depression Alex kept me inside and at a computer long enough today to sketch out some details from the last three weeks down here in Tulum Mx.

Sorry I haven't been taking many photos. Hope you all are having a nice summer!

 

[kathydee]

Part I - Heading to Mexico

Post Fundies, I just couldn’t resist pictures of beautiful decorated Cenotes. So when my research was delayed this summer, I jumped on the chance to head down south of the border. So, just days after the semester ended my suitcases were stuffed with way too much scuba equipment and way to few clothes & I was on my way down to satisfy this burning curiosity.

A few hurdles to hop over first -- the Zero Gravity GUE Instructors wanted me to find a tour partner for the fundies level cavern tours. No friends had the time/interest/training - so I found a cool travel/tour women partner on a Scubaboard thread. Our first meeting was at the Cancun airport, then it was off to a few days of clear warm OW diving.

The first few days we indulged in warm salt water & I only punched my non-existing drysuit inflator about 50 times ;-)! Diving with a single Al80, 20lb wing, wetsuit, little bitty M Jet Fins in 80ft vis & 82F salt water is just way too easy - It felt like cheating!

We did a few salt water dives which were so/so, then we spent a whole dive reviewing skills. Kick, kick, kick after the DM -- do some skills --- kick, kick, kick. So much fun!

Finally, an email bearing great news came from Fred which promised three days of cavern guiding. Not one, but all three cave instructors (Danny, Fred and Chris) promise to take us into the cenote caverns! The next morning I hopped out of bed 1 hour before my alarm-- buzzing with excitement!

Rewind to August 09. I hated leaving warm water 5mm wet suit diving and thought I’d never learn to dive dry. It’s funny, even in the 76F cenotes, I am so happy to dive my beloved TLS 350 drysuit ;-). I do have to admit I love diving gloveless, the little thin UG´s, hood, little light Al80 doubles, and feel so much more relaxed in the warm water -

I guess some habits just die hard.

 

[kathydee]

Part II – Into to the Cenote Caverns

Danny is the most amazing guide one can imagine - revealing the secrets of the cenotes, bringing it all to life. Each cavern is so incredible different and offers its own surprises. The first day we dove Eden and the Taj Ma Hal

First impressions from the Taj:

It’s as though we are submerged in some altered world where magic is real. Gliding through dark passages, towards turquoise clear cenotes, light beams dance through the intoxicating halocline which seems to last forever.

We fly through the striated halocline, our lights are in saltwater, our head above where they mix, the light is refracting from the boundary in other-worldly way. Emerging from a dark cavern into a room with light beams cascading down through the clear water from above, the ceilings are dripping with stalactites -- Looking up through crystal vis, through the glass-like placid water surface we see a tree above water, rainbows emit from every leaf. Little passages whisper. This amazing experience makes all the hard work in fundies & learning the drysuit/doubles well worth the effort!!!!

The second day we visit Pet Cemetery and Dos Ojos with Fred. I didn’t journal impressions from the day that I can share here, but the shallow loop of some of the most beautiful white formations at pet cemetery was quite impressive and Fred is a fantastic instructor.

On our final tour day, we dove both Grand Cenote and Car Wash caverns with Chris. Car Wash was perhaps my favorite of the two. Dropping down through a mist like layer into a surrealistic pond of clear cool fresh water, little rainbow colored fresh water fish wiggled their way through the water amidst long stemmed graceful lily pads. Departing one surrealistic world and heading into to another, the mouth of Car Wash cavern yawns open offering us its black interior into a delightful glide through breathtaking geology.

Carwash was our sixth cavern in two days, the darkest yet, and the only one without a fixed line to follow. Chris ran the line while we followed into the dark interior. We glided through the dramatic stalactites in that crystal clear vis to the end of the line. Then he observes while we took turns reeling the line, indulging in that addictive hypnotic sense of “flying” through the dark beautiful still clear water. Ah, if only we had the gas to stay down a few more hours, a few more days!

But soon we headed downstream for more fun in a darker cavern - and Chris coached as we ran a bit of our own line, till we hit the sign. You can bet we asked lots of questions about Cave 1 on the drive back to ZG

I really can not imagine a more graceful introduction to this environment than with the cave instructors here at ZG. Along with the spectacular tours, the instructors kindly offered gentle tips which slowly expanded our awareness, our new cavern skills and refined what we brought from fundies.

 

[kathydee]

Part III -- The Science Project

I had the spare time, so was incredibly lucky to join the science project (and it appears I didn't screw up too bad during the tours) beccause they promised BT and new challenges ;-).

The science project accommodated a variety agendas. One focus was on climate. The core/samples were aimed at discovering past climatic variations. They pulled several core samples to piece together historical climate data – which suggests a potential forecast of future climate variation impacts. Micro fossils which vary with salinity content are the indicators. Recording present day halocline fluctuations, through water temp variations and depth was another focus of the science project. Temp sensors were placed to record data that indicated fresh-salt ground water changes. The other focus was mapping.

I was the only gal on the project, one of the least experienced divers - but they set me up with another fundies diver and daily missions . We collected OW soil/depth samples/surveyed for the scientists, assisted the scientist catalogue the samples, helped carry lots of equipment and offered surface support. Towards the end of the week, I acted as surface coordinator on some of the cave dives.

Which meant, I’d sit there for hours by the side of a little pond in the jungle or perhaps swim to keep boredom and flies at bay. I knew they'd been down there for hours . I’d keep watching -- but the surface was calm. Finally after 5 hours, bubbles flowed to the calm surface. It’s pretty surrealistic to watch the scooters pull up with all the bottles, and watch the guys surface take their first breath of air in 5 hours. The twinkle in their eye made me quite curious... And they returned a bit of curiosity when I lugged a Gavin on my shoulder quite a ways down to the water by myself ;-).

I learned tons from this insiders perspective, but you can imagine that after all that work, I just couldn’t wait to slip back into the paradise of the quiet dark still tranquil mesmerizing water. Turns out the hours topside swatting mosquitoes, and carrying lots of equipment as support crew. were sweetly rewarded. It is off season so the ZG had the time to indulge my request to learn a little more technique at a slow and gentle pace (within the context of guided cavern dives).

To be continued.

 

[ae3753]

Part IV -- Staying in Mexico, Goodbye MoCal?



Fantastic report and thanks for sharing, been awaiting an update for many days. Sounds like a great time you're having. Not only enjoying the dives, contributing to a significant project, and learning new skills.

But lugging a Gavin on your shoulder, aren't you showing off now?

 

[pacificgal]

Great report Kathy, so glad you're having a good time! Miss you, girl!

 

[kathydee]

Part IV -- Staying in Mexico, Goodbye MoCal?



But lugging a Gavin on your shoulder, aren't you showing off now?

LOL! Staying in Mx.. I wish .

Funny the guys were hesitant to ask me to carry stages - that dissapeared after I lugged the Gavin ;-).

 

[kathydee]

Great report Kathy, so glad you're having a good time! Miss you, girl!

Thanks sweetie :giveusahug:

 

[ccohn2000]

Well that report provided a really nice break from the work I should actually be doing! Thanks Kathy, it was almost like a mini-vacation!

 

[TSandM]

Awaiting the next installment . . .