Cenotes and diving

Some cenotes have turned into wonderful places to dive. Since a lot of cenotes are interconnected divers can go from one to another underwater exploring caverns and underwater formations that are hidden in the dark.

You need a guide, a good light, lots of skill and enough nerve to allow you to go into a cave, in the water, in the dark except for your light.


To get to the cenote you put on all your gear, suit, weight belt, tanks, etc, and carefully manuever down a rock staircase with 50 lbs. on your back without falling over and hurting yourself or breaking something.


After you get to the water it's time to put on fins and mask, turn on your light and slip into the water. From there you go under the cave roof and aim for the next hole in the cavern roof that lets in the light.

Unless you total lose it and can't handle it. Yours' truly. Fortunately I figured it out in a very few minutes that going under rocks in the water is not my idea of fun.


The hole in roof of the cave that I came out of. Once I in the daylight, I was fine. The water was crystal clear and beautiful. Nice place to swim and snorkel.

This is a beautiful spot to sit and enjoy the water, from above. There are lots of cenotes over the peninsula that are dive sites. But I think I'll stick with snorkeling from now on when it comes to caves.

Blue Cenote

Some of the scenery around the cenote. Because of a constant water source the greenery and size of the plants are incredible.

It is truly amazing. An awful lot of these plants are indoor plants in Alaska, nurtured and babied to keep them alive in arctic conditions.


The walk way around the cenote. It's a beautiful walk with huge plants and blooming flowers.


The bath-house shower complex behind the cenote.


The extensive gardens around the restaurant, gift shop and walk ways. There are little bungalows that can be rented scattered all through the complex.


The restaurant. A little bit pricey but good food. The staff is very friendly. English is not their strong point.

Cenotes

Outside of Chichen Itza is a cenote called Xtoloc or 'Well of Xtoloc'. It's known as the 'Blue Cenote' by the travel guides etc.

A cenote is a sinkhole in the limestone, filled with freshwater. It was where the natives came to get water for thousands of years. They are scattered all over the Yucatan penisula. There are no rivers in the Yucatan, it's completly flat. Rain water seeped through the jungle growth, through the limestone and was trapped in the rock underneath. Over the centuries the water eroded the rock and the ground above collapsed. That's geologic history. But centuries ago the natives didn't realize that everything was interconnected. A cenote used in ritual sacrifices was the same water that downstream was used for drinking. The practice of throwing bodies into their water source helped lead to the downfall of the Mayan people.

Today many of the cenotes are still used for water and many more are a spot for recreation. From snorkeling to diving, people enjoy the crystal clear water and the cool temperatures. The Blue cenote has a complex built around it that allows easy access to the sinkhole. Stairs in the rock in an undergound tunnel lead downward. Ladders in the rock help you enter the water if you don't feel like jumping.

There's even a platform high over the water if you are really brave for a dive. A 'lifeguard' watches over it and you can rent life jackets if you're not comfortable with your swimming skills. The water is much cooler than the ocean, taking on the temperature of the surrounding rocks. It can be quite the shock when you first hit it.

Roots from the plants above strain toward the water and there are signs proclaiming 'don't pull on the plants.' A type of catfish live in the water, dark black and totally oblivious to the humans splashing around. Water seeping through the overhanging limestone rains down in small waterfalls.

The facility around the cenote includes showers, lockers, a restaurant and a gift shop. Everything is spotless with attendants cleaning and assistants for lockers and towels. Of course there is a tip jar everywhere, but a few pesos dropped in a bowl is a small price to pay for such wonderful facilities in the middle of nowhere.

If you plan to swim for any length of time I would recommend a shorty wetsuit. The water gets cold fast. I had a 'sharkskin' suit with me and was very happy to have it after a few minutes.