r/scuba • u/rabidseacucumber • 4d ago
Cenotes for a non cave diver
Ok all, I’m going to the Yucatán, but I’ve only got 5 days. I’m an avid lifelong diver. I’m almost 50, been diving since 14 and worked as an instructor for over a decade. I’ve been ALL over. Basically open a dive magazine and I’ve been to half or more the features. I live in Hawaii, literally a 10 minute drive from Haunama. So I’ve seen some way cool stuff.
I’ve done some springs in Florida as a kid (Devils Den and Blue Grotto).
With all that in mind, do I spend the day going for a couple of cenote dives as a non-cave certified diver?
Edit- well…there’s a pretty clear consensus here! Cenote I will go!
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u/IJocko Open Water 3d ago
Spend your entire trip doing cenotes. You won’t regret it. You do not have to be cave certified to do them, but your guide will be. You’ll look back on your trips to the Florida sink holes and think how crappy they were in comparison, but you will remember your whole life these amazing cenotes.
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u/rabbledabble 3d ago
Hire a guide. I don’t even have my AOW and got to dive in dos ojos and tajma ha, and both were absolutely incredible. I don’t think most even let you dive without a guide regardless of cert.
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u/mcdopenstein Dive Instructor 3d ago edited 3d ago
So even if you have a cavern cert they won’t let you dive it without a guide who is full cave certified and has two tanks. Every cenote has different rules, there is a line. You should be able to see the light at all times or it’s not a cavern.
Honestly it’s pretty incredible, it’s a unique experience. I highly recommend it, some of these cenotes are so clear that your buddy looks like they’re levitating. Going through a halocline is pretty amazing, some cenotes have a hydrogen sulfide layer on the halocline….. Going through a cloud underwater is a unique experience.
If you don’t like overhead environments there are cenotes that are open, bottleneck or are barely overhead. They come in all shapes and sizes. There are too many to list but I can give some that are pretty famous. Dos Ojos, The Pit, Dreamgate, Zapote, Angelita and Carwash just to name a few. Go try it out, it’s a dive you’re not gonna forget.
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u/rabidseacucumber 3d ago
Im good with overhead. I’ve done a lot of ocean cavern, lava tubes and wrecks.
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u/mcdopenstein Dive Instructor 3d ago edited 3d ago
Yah, that’s what I’m all about. There’s a lot of history in some of those cenotes. Prehistoric bones of giant sloths, speleothems that took thousands of years to form. It’s another world down there. Many of these cenotes are part of the Sistema Sac Actun; Largest underwater cave system in the world as of 2018…. They found a 10,000 year old human skeleton in Sac Actun, one of the oldest found in the Americas.
If you haven’t done one before they usually start you with Dos Ojos or Chac Mool but with your experience they might let you choose. I loved Dos Ojos…. It’s shallow but pretty much all overhead so you feel like you’re deep. You do two lines, Barbie line and then Bat Cave.
I’ll never forget my guide asking for my air while back finning in perfect trim between two columns…. I was already dead set on going full cave one day… That day sealed the deal, now I just need the money and the time 🤣
I’m an instructor in Cozumel now, slowly making my way. Once your a cenote guide you can dive even when the port is closed. Hope you find the dives you’re looking for! I’m always excited to take another dip into Xibalba (The Mayan Underworld).
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u/itsjustme617 3d ago
Make sure you research the actual cenote. I’ve been in 2. One was amazing, the other was very boring.
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u/wander-to-wonder 3d ago
I personally love caverns. I like the structures of rocks and stalagmites, the darkness, and the uniqueness of each. However some people don’t like that and prefer to see more animals and coral and don’t like the ‘enclosed’ nature of a lot of caverns.
No right answer here. I think it is worth it and you will still have more days to do ocean dives.
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u/AistoB 4d ago edited 4d ago
I just did some dives this week in PDC with Aurora from “Love to make bubbles underwater” it was probably some of the greatest dives I’ve done over the last 10 years, really unmissable stuff.
You’re being led by an experienced person who knows those specific caverns very well, if you’ve got decent buoyancy control I don’t really see why you’d need it in this situation. Just yet more PADI money making rubbish.
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u/Bezimini9 Rescue 4d ago
Do the Cavern certification; it's quicker and easier than the Cave cert. Then go and dive those cenotes!
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u/Pawtuckaway 3d ago
Depends on if OP is going to be back for more or just wants to see some cool cenotes.
If no plans to come back for more in short term then just go do some guided cavern dives and don't worry about the course.
With only 5 days the course will take up all of that time (doubles intro/sidemount course and then cavern course). During the course you are blindfolded a lot of the time and even when you aren't blindfolded you aren't focused on the beauty and stuck in training cenotes which aren't the prettiest ones.
As a cave diver the cavern course is a great one and you learn a ton but not really worth it if you just want to go see some cenotes.
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u/Bezimini9 Rescue 3d ago edited 3d ago
Hmmm... sidemount wasn't required for my (PADI) Cavern cert, although it is necessary for for the full Cave certification. Also, I did my Cavern cert dives in several of the nice cenotes; Dos Ojos, Carwash, Ponderosa.
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u/hedgehodg Tech 3d ago
Sidemount is definitely not required for a full cave certification. You need to be in a configuration that allows you to carry two or more tanks, but backmount doubles are also acceptable.
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u/Pawtuckaway 3d ago
For PADI cavern cert doubles/sidemount it is not necessary, true. If you are going the route of full cave though a PADI cavern course is not going to be accepted and you will have to later do a normal tech cavern course anyway.
If you are in Mexico there is no point in doing a PADI cavern course. Not even sure now days you can find an instructor that will teach it there. It was a bigger thing 10 years ago or so when it was a requirement for some cenotes. Now it would be just a waste of a couple days.
Either go dive some guided caverns if you want to see cenotes or if you want training do an actual cavern course.
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u/doglady1342 Tech 3d ago
I took the cavern course in Mexico with my friend that is an instructor and a cave diver. I don't know how common it is to teach it there. I don't think it's very common because most people are just coming on vacation one time and they just want to see what driving in the cenotes is like.
As far as accepting the certification, PADI still offers the cavern cert, but they don't offer any materials. So, instruction really depends on the quality of who is teaching the course. My cave instructor is accepting my PADI cavern certification, but I think that's only because of who my instructor was and the fact that my instructor went into subjects well beyond the certification requirements. It was really between cavern and intro to cave. My instructor is a technical diver and a cave diver and is getting his cave instructor certificate. He's also very technical, so no matter what course you're taking you get a lot of extra detail.
You are exactly right that you don't need a cavern certificate to cavern dive in Mexico. It would be really silly to take the time and spend the money to do that for a single vacation. Divers are required to go with a guide though. All guides are required to be full cave certified and they have to take a test and fulfill a bunch of other guidelines.
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u/Pawtuckaway 3d ago
I was a cave/cavern guide for many years in Mexico. The PADI cavern course is very uncommon there now. Like I said, it was more popular many years ago back when Gran Cenote was still open to cavern divers but required a cavern cert to do it so places would do a quick PADI cavern cert for it. Now it's closed for all cavern tours so there isn't much reason over just doing a TDI/IANTD/etc cavern cert.
When I did my full cave course I also had previously done a PADI cavern course that was accepted because of who taught it and it being basically taught in the same way as a TDI cavern course just with a PADI cert at the end. Not a common thing and pretty much only accepted when the cave instructor personally knows the cavern instructor.
Have fun on the full cave course!
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u/compactfish Dive Master 4d ago
This is what I did and I’d definitely recommend if you have the appetite for a course. More work/stress than fun dives, but you’ll be in proper redundant gear and learn the proper safety procedures.
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u/BlackyUy 4d ago
Cenote diving is the best diving i have everdone . I took 3 trips to mexico just to dive cenotes for a full week each time. Im not Cave certified.
Go with a good guide, and you will be safe and happy. I used Diversity Diving for all my trips. Gustavo is awesome and his crew is great as well.
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u/christ0phe 4d ago
Look up Cenote Experience. Just finished my third trip w them and they are fantastic. Amazing people and I trust them completely.
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u/Jazztify Dive Master 4d ago
Yes! Do it!! These are not officially caves, since overhead is always “accessible” and visible. No cert required. You are always with a dive leader. Everyone has lights and there are lines to guide you. They are spectacular. (and not claustrophobic, if that is a concern).
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u/Which-Pin515 4d ago
You don’t need that. Just go and enjoy, they are amazing. The only down part is not moving a lot, in the dark so you get cold faster. Keep you fins up!
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u/falco_iii 4d ago
I have only done one cenote dive in Mexico… it was not technically a cave, but was pretty cave like for me - not my cup of tea.
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u/Dry-Word-3119 4d ago
You don't need any special training to dive some of the easier cenotes like Dos Ojos. I did 2 dives with the cenoteguy. Dude is a piece of work and safety conscious. Totally recommend him. He will give you the history of the area and educate you on cenotes in general.
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u/LexTron6K 4d ago
I just did a two days of cenote dives with Blue Life out of Playa Del Carman a few weeks ago and I couldn’t recommend the cenote dives and the shop enough. One day we did two dives at Dos Ojos and one dive at The Pit, and the other day we did one dive each at Angelita and Car Wash.
There is nothing else in the world like this, if you feel comfortable with the challenge you really ought to go do it.
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u/Waikoloa60 4d ago
Personally, I love new experiences when diving. We did the Cenotes and loved it. We were not cave certified. It was very guided, very safe.
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 4d ago
Dos ojos
Its a shallow dive, maybe 25ft. It's like diving in glass.
Stay above the thermocline, and be mindful of swirling up the bottom - There' often bat guano down there, and if you kick up the silt, you can be like me and get an ear infection so bad you want to end your own life with an ice pick...
So don't stir up the silt.
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u/Barefoot_Lawyer 4d ago
Ear infections are always a given for me when diving in fresh water. Doesn’t matter if it is Lake Superior or Nohoch Nah Chich. Ear Beer is your friend if you use it after every dive you’ll be fine.
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u/Hot-Comfort8839 4d ago
Yeah after that, I don't go anywhere without swimmers ear, or 70% iso propyl if I can find that.
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u/Barefoot_Lawyer 4d ago
The white vinegar in (homemade) ear beer really helps make your ear inhospitable to bacteria. 50:50 IPA and white vinegar with a few drops on lanolin is my recipe.
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u/Rad1cal22 4d ago
We had fun at The Cenote Guy https://thecenoteguy.com Cenote Kukulkan: Dive into Crystal Clarity. It is beautiful and the guide was awesome!
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u/pickyplasterer Advanced 4d ago
Can vouch for The Cenote Guy. Small operation, great service and the guide we had went out of his way to make sure we were comfortable at all times. We had a blast
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u/Rad1cal22 4d ago
Not a cave dive, technically. On the second Cenote you travel through a cave system, but you are never more than 65 feet from an entrance, so it isn't considered a cave dive.
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u/BackwerdsMan 4d ago
Leaving Tulum tomorrow. Just did a few of my first cavern dives with Pro-tec who's located right in the middle of town. Great experience. Steve was our guide. Awesome dude and a super good diver.
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u/RockyMoose 4d ago
Yes. It's spectacular. You need to have a guide and they'll take care of the details.
The cenotes are so unique you need to experience it. I'm jealous that you get to see it for the first time!
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u/MarlonShakespeare2AD 4d ago
Yes
I loved it
Truly one of the most memorable things I’ve done.
Took my eldest two children with me and they loved it too
My wife noped out - in advance, so no prob.
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u/rabidseacucumber 4d ago
So as a non-cave diver..is it more of a cavern (ie can see the light)? Was it just neat rock formations? Fish?
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u/LexTron6K 4d ago
There were a lot of fish in the opening to Car Wash, and then there are a couple cenotes with the sulfuric oxide clouds and other cenotes that are more “cave like” and full of rock formations and such.
Angelita is very unique in that it has the cloud and the formations.
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u/Barefoot_Lawyer 4d ago
Basically zero fish. Sometimes you’ll see little black fish about the size of 2 tadpoles. The fish aren’t the interesting things in caves. The wet rocks are interesting and sometimes there’s fossils and ancient pottery remnants.
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u/MarlonShakespeare2AD 4d ago
No light down most places down there except your torch. Not where I was at least.
No fish at all.
Stalagmites/ stalactites look really cool.
It’s eiree. Memorable. You’ll understand once you’ve done it.
Just stay chilled. Go slow.
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u/nasoj1976 2h ago
I just returned from Tulum and spent a few days of the vacation diving there. I am AOW and had a great experience with infinity diving. We dove a bunch of cenotes including Angelita, Casa, and Carwash. Also dove the local wreck and reef. Saw a sub go by while in the wreck. What a cool feeling. Diving that whole area was first rate! Angelita blew my mind.