Cenote Diving
Riviera Maya Mexico
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Cenote diving and snorkeling is a new frontier. Cenotes diving evolved
in the mid-1980s when professional explorers began to descend into the many "natural wells" of the Yucatan
Peninsula.
Many underwater caves were discovered and surveyed. To date, it is estimated more than 200
miles of underwater passageways have been explored for cenote diving. This involves hundreds of cenotes
linked to more than 50 cave systems, and the list grows each year. Dense tropical jungle effectively conceals
many cenotes from discovery, so the total number may never be known.
Basically cenotes are freshwater pools connected to submerged limestone caverns. The classic
formation is a round sinkhole, but they come in all shapes and sizes. Often called ponds, springs or lagoons,
they are widespread over most of the Yucatan.
The greatest cenote concentration is found in the Riviera Maya. However they can be found
throughout the Yucatan and Cozumel. The word "cenote" is a Spanish corruption of the Maya term D'zonot,
representing a subterranean cavity containing undying water. Maya civilization considers the cenotes sacred
places. The home of gods and spirits of secular as well as sacred value, they have been on the primary source
of fresh water for people across the peninsula for ages.
Rainwater seeping through the porous limestone quickly enters the aquifer contained in a network of
cavities below. The cavities were formed during the last ice age when fluctuations in the sea level periodically
exposed more land. Thousands of years of rainfall on the soft limestone so close to the surface caused their roofs
to collapse. After the sea rose, ponds formed at the surface.
Many Riviera Maya dive operators (including some who were pioneers of the cenote diving and Yucatan
cave diving) now conduct regular dive and snorkel tours into the cenotes.
Today divers are escorted by van or four-wheel-drive vehicles to entrances monitored by landowners.
Cenote dive stations at the entrance allow guidance of professional cave diving instructors. A small ratio of
divers per instructor as the quest begins.
For the certified scuba divers cenotes offer a truly unique underwater environment. Ask any
diver about their cenote diving experience, and they will reply with words like "magnificent", and
"unforgettable". For first-time visitors, whether snorkeling or diving cenotes are an experience that is
unforgettable.
Cenotes diving is divided into two distinct forms. One is cavern diving, defined as staying
inside the entrance of a cave within the realm of natural sunlight.
The other is cave diving, swimming into a cave beyond the limit of natural light. To safely dive in
the caverns, a scuba diver must be trained and certified as a cavern diver or participate in a cenote dive with the
qualified professional cavern diving guide.
Specialized training agencies include the National Association of Cave Divers (NACD) and the Cave
Diving Section of the National Ecological Society (NSS). For additional information on dive operations on the
Riviera Maya check with the Riviera Maya Association of dive and water sport operators.
Not all of the Riviera Maya dive operators are qualified to the cave diving guides or instructors. Be sure
to check out before heading out!
Aquatic Expedition
 This unique journey takes you into the depths of the earth to
discover the fascinating world of cenotes (sinkholes). These naturally formed wonders are a source of
crystalline waters and amazing rock formations. Combine that with the excitement of snorkeling in a wonderful
natural aquarium—a must for snorkeling lovers.
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