|
I really enjoyed Taj Mahal cenote earlier this year. It’s the only one I’ve ever dived so I can’t say if it is better or worse than others, but it was nice. youtube.com/watch?v=G05PCSzxcDU I went with Tank Ha in Playa Del Carmen if you’re looking for a shop.
|
|
|
Taj Mahal looks interesting, thanks I’ll look for it.
|
|
|
|
It wasn’t super deep. Looking at my profile, I maxed out at 48’ where the thermocline really changed the buoyancy. But it was a constant depth change, we had fossils and you can surface in a few places with blue sky above. I usually don’t dive with a wetsuit in Cozumel, but you’ll need one in a cenote. Also plan on cutting about 30-40% of your weight.
|
|
|
|
That was one of my concern to know if I needed a thick wetsuit! You answered it.
And I didn’t think about cutting the weight, thanks.
|
|
|
|
I dive in the Puget Sound a lot so I’m pretty used to colder water so I didn’t need much. I used a 3mm shorty and was fine in 77F water, I’ve been told 75F is the coldest it gets, most everybody else was wearing a full 3mm or a shorty. There were a few with no exposure suit, but I don’t think that’s a good idea.
|
|
|
If you haven’t done a cave before have a backup plan. It’s not for everyone. You may not like a cold, dark, cramped cave. Try to pick a shallow one like Gran Cenote so you don’t have to worry about blowing your NDL or running out of air.
|
|
|
|
Thanks Bill,
What is a NDL?
Are you saying that the dives are so long that we can run out of air?
How deep are those cenotes?
|
|
|
|
NDL = No Decompression Limit. (Going beyond the time allowed on tables or your computer) Definitely dive a cenote with a computer.
Cenotes go from 30 feet or so down to beyond recreational limits. But they can take 45 minutes to navigate. So if you go too deep and your consumption increases accordingly, you might see an issue. Personally I am a heavy breather and usually dive with 100s. But if you are with a good operator/guide and you discuss your air consumption beforehand you shouldn’t have any problem selecting a cenote with a dive profile that suits your skill set and personal limits.
|
|
|
|
Wow, thanks guys. This is good information to remember.
I’m glad to have joined this group, this is the most answers I had in any post.
Many thanks to all.
Luc
|
|
|
I’m also AOW and I have done a few of the Cenotes south of Cancun MX really have no rules I believe the general PADI is min. two full 80 steel tanks on at min one diver per group prefer it be on someone that is cave certified would be best. I actually hired a private DM with cave cert. to go with me just as a safety thing. I like to come back out alive if you know what I mean. There is no place for error no place to come up for air, water is cold fresh water and there’s typically no fish to speak of. These were inland caves not far from the ocean coastline. I think there are others on the coastline. One last important thing have a very good light and a very good back up light. Without a light you are toast.
Have fun
|
|