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Too bad you couldn’t stay a few more weeks;
One month from now, November 18 - 21, Cozumel will play host for the first time to "Expo Tequila" which brings together 40 - 50 tequila manufacturers from all over Mexico to exhibit and sell their products. Normally the event has been hosted in the city of Solidaridad but has been relocated to Cozumel in order coincide with tourism associated with IRONMAN activities.
According to the QRoo Secretary of Economic Developement, Bello Melchor Rodriguez Carrillo, the exhibition will serve to encourage tourism and commercial activity as it brings together tequila manufacturers with potential buyers on the island such as restaurants, bars and hotels who might not otherwise be exposed to the products. Tourists staying in hotels will enjoy the several day event as well locals since in addition to tequila samplings, there will be food samplings, a fair and local artensanias displaying their wares. This year will be especially spectacular since there will also be a Centennial Celebration of the Mexican Revolution as well."
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Thanks for the report. We are headed back down in January. If you had to choose one cenote over the other which would it have been? This will be our first cenote experience. As it is all day from Playa and the cost is a bit higher than traditional openwater dives - we want to make the most of it.
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Hello Warmwater, regards to all.
Just got back from Coz and I did both Dos Ojos and Batcave on the mainland. They are good cenotes to do. my last trip before this one I went to Puerto Morelos, up the road from Playa del Carmen, and I did the cenote called Chikin Ha, translated as "The Western Water." If I was to use a movie analogy, like Star Wars, Dos Ojos and Batcave are "The Force" and Chikin Ha would be the "Dark Side" which makes it more seductive and you want to go there. These cenotes can be checked through YouTube, just type the names and there are videos of them. Let me know how the search goes and which one you select! Diver Away!!!
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Hey, it’s me again.
I did not mention this as I was writing before, cenotes are VERY nice to do however, be ABSOLUTELY sure that there are no claustrophobic issues, as some people cannot stand closed spaces and as always, safety first. Stay hard.
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We got Home from Cozumel on Oct 5th and I’m more then ready to go back !!!
How was the CENOTE dives ??? we were thinking about maybe doing one or two next year..
Jeff
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Que pasa Smithgold!!!
Regards to all. First, have you done any cenote dives at all?
Julio - Seawolf5
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Well good for you! you are about to take your first steps into a larger world. I will not bore you with the cenote geography, you can lok that up on the Internet at any time. However you book the trip, cenote dives are worthwhile. This is how it went for me both times. After reporting to the dive op, did the usual don’t blame me if you croak paperwork (ha, ha, ha), paid the fee, and met the guide. The guide is a full cave certified diver, you won’t go w/ anybody less certified than that. Load up onto a vehicle, usually a p/up truck w/ the gear, and off you go. During the drive there will be the usual introductions, the guide give you his working background, history of the cenote and the surrounding area, signals to acknowledge and follow, emergency procedures, how the route is marked, what you expect to see, how to check buoyancy and other areas related to the day’s dive. When you get to the site there’s an entrance fee to be paid by the guide and off to the site you go w/in walking distance after parking.
Get your gear ready and any questions to the guide will be answered. At the cenote entrance final preps are made, jump in the water, buoyancy check, lights check, and go explore! Be prepared as I did to "WHOAAAA, how did these dang Mayans travel through this?" Hope this helps a bit.
Seawolf5
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Thanks Seawolf5,
That should help us alot !!!!
Looking forward to next years trip already !!!
Thanks again,
Jeff
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Are the cenote dives overhead environment, or are you in a large open area? Do you need cave diving training? Also, how deep are the usual dives?
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Hello Diveray, regards to all.
Cenotes are pretty much (remember that they are underground rivers) with an overhead (like a dome in some areas) space where the trapped air gathers on top. Not a cave per se, more of a cavern. Your guide is fully cave certified, you don’t have to be but some people find it useful if they had some previous training. When I did Cenote Chikin Ha "The Western Water" in Puerto Morelos, up the road from Playa, I went to 38 ft. and in Dos Ojos and Batcave, 24 and 29 ft. accordingly. Hope this helps some. Dive safe, stay hard. Diver away!!!
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