Scuba Diving The Cenotes

Approaching the water filled opening in the rock face, you couldn't help be filled with a little trepidation - afterall diving underground for the first time was a little daunting.

But for the more adventurous divers, the natural wonders of the Mexican Cenotes offer a tantalising glimpse into the hidden underwater world beneath the earth.



Hidden away among the rain forest, the honeycomb of fresh-water caves that zig-zag beneath the Yucatan peninsula were a sacred place for the Mayan people - and the magical, enigmatic and unique systems have become a mecca for cave diving enthusiasts.

In this day and age with most of the world's dive sites having been mapped, explored and photographed, it's hard to find somewhere totally unspoilt. But driving to the site of Chac Mool along a dusty track an hour earlier, it felt like being a dive pioneer.

Quick bit of history - thousands of years ago, the Yucatan peninsula was originally under the ocean. At some point it is believed the sea dropped as much as 100m and the limestone foundation of fossilized coral beds and ocean floor was open to the air. Over time rainwater seeped through the porous rock to form subterranean channels and water filled sinkholes, or Cenotes. As there are no above rivers in this area, all of the ground water sinks through the porous limestone and travels to the sea in underground rivers, gorging through the rock to create magnificent underground caves.

Dropping into the crystal clear turquoise-tinged waters following our guide Julian felt like floating in space. The only visible sign that you were underwater were the bubbles trickling from your regs. The light streaming in from the sinkhole above reflected a brilliant blue and green of the foliage above.

After dancing around the edge of the cavern for a few minutes, we pushed deeper inside the cavern until there was just three metres between the ceiling and the floor. The light from our torches cut through the darkness to reveal the beautiful decorations of fossils, and stalactites and stalagmites that had formed from the mineral deposits slowly trickling there way from above.

As we neared the mouth of the cave, for which we would not penetrate, we were treated to the amazing halocline experience. This is where fresh water and heavier salt water meet. Mixing the two created a bizarre shimmering effect that felt live my mask had been switched for one with frosted glass.

Pushing on, we emerged through back into the daylight zone and towards another cavern with an air pocket. It felt strange ascending into the darkness but we were treated to a awe-inspiring site, a cathedral like dome filled with amazing constellations of rock formations hinting at the amazing formation of the planet as we know it. Roots from the trees on the surface above had forced their way through the rock to sip at the fresh water below.

All too soon, our dives here were over, but the experiences of being underground and the majestic sites will stay with us forever. This is surely one of the most memorable dives in my log book.

video extract of our dive by Robert Moesl Underwater Productions

Best Time to Go - This part of the world is in ‘hurricane alley’ so it is best to avoid later summer when they are prone to strike. We went at the beginning of May and the weather was great.

Best Dive Sites - from what people say, any of the Cenotes will be worth diving. Some are better for beginners than others

What to See - there is little life underwater that we saw but that is not to say your eyes won’t feast on the cathedral-like sights inside. At Chac Mool there were plenty of stalactites and stalagmites and fossils of marine creatures that once filled the ocean.

The second part of the dive we hit the water at 12 noon just in time for an amazing light show. As the sun reached it's zenith, the light shot through a tiny air hole in the rock above penetrating the water with a brilliant blue laser beam.



There is an air dome on the second part of the cavern with tree trunks sticking down through the ceiling to get to the water like some giant elephant’s feet.

Viz - Brilliant the water in gin clear giving the impression that you are flying through mid air. Remember though that some parts of the cavern are in darkness so you are reliant on your torch beam. And if you hit the halocline it can feel like diving with frosted glass on your mask.

Biggest Gripe - I didn’t get to dive more of them. My own fault

What suit to take - Even though this was an overhead environment, the water temperature was an amazing 25C. I stuck with my full 3mm but some dived in a 3mm shortie.

Where to Stay - Anywhere in the Yucatan. We stayed in Cozumel so we could enjoy some brilliant reef diving with Dressel Divers. They also arranged trips to the Cenotes for us with one of their other centres on the mainland. It meant an early start and ferry ride which all adds to the adventure.

I would dive with them again and our guide Julian was extremely experienced having charted a number of new caves himself.

Miscellaneous Diving Info - By the very nature of the Cenotes, they are out in the sticks so don’t expect plush facilities (if any at all). This has the feel of real pioneer diving (even though the sites we dived and guides we went with were perfectly safe) so be prepared to kit up in the forest or dirt car park and wazz behind a tree - but be prepared to be wowed. You may have to walk through the forest so open heeled fins and wetsuit boots are a good investment.

Buoyancy is key to a good dive so make sure you are properly weighted.

Also it can be dark down there. The furthest you are from the surface is 60m (the combined depth and distance penetration into the cavern) but this is an overhead environment so make sure you are prepared mentally for that otherwise it could be an uncomfortable time for you. Also the halocline can be a little unnerving.

Guidebook - Underwater Editions Cenotes dive guide and logbook offers a comprehensive insight into diving the Cenotes as well as some brilliant maps. It’s out of stock at the moment but keep checking the link, it’s an invaluable resource.

Worth Going - hell yes!

Divefest and Basking Sharks

While the research into foreign dive destinations continues to trickle in, we've already got a UK trip planned - and it's going to be a cracker in Cornwall.
DiveFest is a brand-new diving festival (it does exactly what it says on the tin) and is set to be the UK’s biggest diving event of the year.
And Aquasport International are going to make even better.
Around 40 of us staff and customers are already signed up to go and we've got three nice boats booked for the weekend's diving.
With a post-dive beer or two thrown in, it promises to be a party weekend in mid May.
If you don't know what it's about, check out the website for the full run down.
In a nutshell, there's going to be to be diving and diving and diving.
And that’s not all. There’s a party on the beach on the Saturday night, with a band, hog lamb roast, dancing and a bonfire. Famous divers, such as Monty Halls, (that will send my missus' heart a-flutter) will be speaking about their work and there will be films shows.
Diving manufacturers will also be on hand to show their latest products and in some cases give you a chance to dive with their new kit.
Any dive site recommendations would be gratefully received.
A couple of us are also planning to spend the whole week down there and I was hoping for a bit of basking shark watching.
Amazing Cornwall is a good site for spotting the gentle giants of the ocean particularly in late spring and summer when (he's the science part) warm water from the Atlantic pushes into coastal waters on the western coasts of the UK and brings microscopic nutrients to the surface (that's plankton bloom to most of us). These blooms feed other tiny animals which are the basking shark's favourite food.
Results from the Wildlife Trusts' Basking Shark Survey (click for the summary or full report)suggest we might be a little too early in the season.
During the 2006 season, the project recorded 303 sharks, the most ever recorded in a year by the study group. Researchers said one area stood out clearly as a shark hotspot from Lizard Point west to the Runnelstone Buoy. July seemed to be the peak month
The eight year study also highlighted a remarkable change in shark distribution over the study period, with a marked decline in sightings in the South West of England, and an increase off Scotland.
The report identified numerous threats to the species particularly as by-catch in fishermen's nets. Colin Speedie who led the study project said the proposed Marine Conservation Zones proposed by the Government were desperately needed.
“We need to see Marine Conservation Zones set up to help rebuild healthy seas in order that UK waters can truly support the marine life once common off our shores," he added.
The Shark Trust also has also published some interesting studies on basking sharks in conjunction with the Marine Biological Association.

Scuba Diving Dubai, Fujairah and Mussandam

Well the snow put paid to another week's diving. To cheer myself up I flicked through my log book and came across a dozen or so entries for the United Arab Emirates. It's a place that is slowly taking off among tourists heading for Dubai's duty-free shopping but is also starting to prove a pull for scuba divers wanting something different to the Red Sea. Here are my experiences.


Al Aqah beach

Best Time to Go - We went at the end of February. While the air temp was lovely and warm the water temperature was a brrrracing 21C and the viz was poor. In the summer it rises to nice bath water temperatures but then it is stifling with 90-odd per cent humidity on the surface. The trade-off is finding the bit in the middle when both water and air temps are suitable. Unfortunately we didn't.

Where to Dive - Forget the Dubai side. All the construction work on the Palm Island and the other monstrosity out at sea had buggered up the viz. Ex-pat divers said it had also changed the currents and altered the behaviour of marine life. Instead head over to the East Coast of the peninsula and the tiny emirate of Fujairah, which faces onto the Gulf of Oman, and also Musandam. Much better dive spots and much more life.

Best Dive Sites - Quite a few by getting the right conditions is key. In February the viz wasn't fantastic (Dosthill on a warm summer's day) but encounters were great. Martini Rock was a particular fave with plenty of fish, eels, cuttlefish and nudibranchs.


No laughing at the back. It's my first try and I couldn't get my music
off iTunes so Classical it had to be, it's all that was in the sample folder

The wreck of Inchcape One was interesting, if only for the giant resident Honeycomb moray called Fred, and trumpetfish.


Fred on Inchape 1

You must also visit Musandam, in Oman. The scenery is dramatic and while there was only the usual tropical fish around, hit it right and the chance for encounters with everything from whale sharks down is huge. Sadly, we got it wrong and one of the guys on the boat said: "If you want to tell the people of Birmingham what it's like to dive here, tell them to order a bowl of pea soup and stick their face in it."

Don't let that put you off, diving wasn't that bad and it's always better to be under the water than on the surface wish you were under.

What To See - In February, we had everything from moray eels and turtles to cuttlefish, trumpetfish, lion fish, solitary barracuda, lobster and plenty of small tropical fish. The dramatic scenery around Mussandam is equally underwater with some fabulous swim-throughs and overhangs full of life.



Viz - Anywhere from three to 20 metres. All depending on what time of year you go. In February we had about five metres until our last dive when it was about one.

Biggest gripe(s) - Picking the wrong time of year to go. Also, the harbour masters are a bit militant. Twice they refused to let boats out of the harbour because of the weather when a sneeze would have whipped up more of a swell. And the ships out at sea that occasionally dump oil which gets washed up on the beach. Also forget Dibba Island unless they can promise some depth. The deepest I got was 4.2 metres (I've had deeper snorkeling trips). That said, we did have a wonderful encounter with a giant turtle there.



What suit to take - In Feb, a 5mm at least, possibly even a 7mm or five mil with a Fourth Element Thermocline underneath. In the summer, water gets to 30C so whatever makes you comfortable.

Where to Stay - on Fujairah side, there are two hotels on the Al Aqah Beach. First is the Meridien, a giant Western-style hotel towerblock completely out of keeping with the rest of the area. That said, the reviews are fantastic and that is where the PADI 5 Star Al Boom Dive centre is based. They are great to dive with. I much preferred the Iberotel Miramar Al Aqah Beach Resort next door. A beautiful resort hotel with stunning food and a wonderful ambiance that is rapidly becoming popular among the more discerning traveller. Unfortunately no dive centre as yet. It's a place I dream of going back to.


Miramar Al Aqah Beach

Miscellaneous Diving Info - It's all boat diving, no shore diving. When diving anywhere near Al Aqah beach we met at Al Boom and padded over the beach and through the surf to board the sizable boat. Once we left from the harbour a short dive away. Diving Musandam is a 30 minute drive north. You have to cross the border into Oman so will need your passport. Boat trip to dive sites is a further 30-40 mins north of the harbour. Also pack light, Emirates are being stingy at the moment and have cancelled luggage allowance for extra dive gear.

Guidebook - UAE Underwater (3rd edition) by Carole Harris and Tony Schroder, two experienced divers with expert knowledge of the area.

Worth Going - Yes. Just pick a better time than we did. Happy diving.

Scuba Diving St Lucia

If you're thinking about a dive trip to St Lucia, these are my top tips after a week underwater there in December.

Best time to go - December through to May is the dry season. We went in December and had a great time with only a few rain showers that mainly came down first thing in the morning or last thing at night. The island is covered in lush rainforest so you can't complain about a bit of rain

Where to dive - Anywhere in the south of the island is the best. There are dive sites up north but my first experience was diving Pigeon Island (or Pigeon s£*t as my log book noted) - a drift with five metres viz and one dead fish.

The next day we couldn't find a site clear enough or calm enough to warrant getting wet. Looking out to the horizon from the Rendezvous hotel near Castries you could see a line separating dirty water and poor viz with the clearer stuff.

However, anywhere south from Anse Cochon and Anse Le Raye to Superman's Flight at the base of the Pitons in the south was fine, with fantastic viz and abundant marine life.

The north maybe better in the summer months.

Best dive sites - Superman's Flight at the base of the majestic Petit Piton and Lesleen M wreck were the two that stuck in my mind.

The pitons are the signature landmark of the island. Having flown around them and gazed up at them, it was great to dive beneath them as you followed the pinnacles plunging down into the deep ocean. The reef was covered in plenty of colourful soft coral and there was a lot of profusion of small fish and it was worth looking up from +20m deep to see the mountain tower above you and break the surface. One of my favourite all time dives.

There is often a current on this site (but not when we were there) and the guides talk of whale shark and humpback whale being observed passing by. No such luck for us!

The165-foot freighter Lesleen M, near Anse Cochon area, was sunk in October 1986 as an artificial reef. It is covered with hard and soft corals and provides an ideal habitat for many juvenile fish such as Queen and French angel fish.

The wreck sits on an even keel on the sand meaning orientation is easy. It is about 12 metres to the top deck, and 20 metres at the deepest point so you should have plenty of time to explore the wreck from top to bottom.

What's to see - The reefs were teeming with life but it was lots of little stuff. There was nothing very big in the way of marine life here, only the only solitary turtle all week (over the Lesleen M wreck), one barracuda and a school of batfish.

Some reefs were packed with so many juvenile fish it looked like an aquatic nursery, and more trumpetfish than I have ever seen in one go (still couldn't get a decent pic though). Plenty of crabs, lobsters and shrimp and the black and white fish endemic to the region (which I forgot to the name of). Also octopus out hunting in the day and the below flamingo tongue. There was also plenty of vibrant coral.

Viz - on the southern dives 10-15metres. Up north, I've had better in Dosthill (if you've dived the quarry in the summer, you'll know what I mean. If not drop me a line and I'll post a pic).

Biggest gripe - dive centre insisted dives only lasted 40 minutes no matter how much air you had. As nothing was very deep you could easily squeeze another 20 minutes out of the tank.

What suit to take - Water temperature was 27-28C so 3mm was fine.

Where to stay - As south as possible if you want cheap and easy access to the best sites. We stayed near Castries and paid $75 dollars for two dives in the south but it meant a 30-45 minute boat ride each way. The resort did free local dives but from what we saw, it wasn't worth it. Maybe later in the season it is. That said, the centre staff from Rendezvous resort were fantastic fun and a good laugh to be around. The boat was fast, some days there were five or six on board, other days it was a little cramped, but it all made for fun trips. I would happily recommend them.

Miscellaneous diving info - We boarded from the beach so be prepared to get a little wet and have any valuables protected from the water. A couple of times, because of the surf, we we picked up from the harbour so wet suit boots were needed to protect feet.

Guidebook - Couldn't find a decent one.

Worth going - Yes, the diving is good but the island itself is an absolutely beautiful paradise to be. There is plenty to do on land as well, including mountain biking and hiking the rainforest.