Deep Horizon Blog

PROFESSIONAL SCUBA ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL
PSAI

This technical diving association (PSA) owned and organized by the legendary HAL WATTS of Orlando, Florida for the past three decades. Based at the FORTY FATHOM GROTTO near Ocala, Florida, Hal’s Professional Scuba Association has been offering technical and deep diving courses. HAL has been involved in the diving industry for over 40 years in many capacities. He was one of the co-founders of the National Association for Cave Diving (NACD), owned a professional dive store(s) in Orlando for over thirty years; he has been a sales representative for several diving manufacturers/companies and well known for teaching deep diving courses with himself and many former students setting records through the years particularly in the 1960’s. His beautiful daughter – Scarlet – set a free-diving record several years ago. I could go on for several more paragraphs on Hal’s prestigious history.

My first time personally meeting HAL was in 1980 when I was a partner with Paul Heinerth at Scuba West in Hudson, Florida. Hal walked into our store on Highway 19 with an associate and was selling a top-line wetsuit manufactured in England. Hal was good as I bought a dozen suits. The expensive purchase really pissed off Paul, ha, ha.

From 1980 through 2001 I attended the DEMA Trade Shows usually running the NACD booth (the only year I missed DEMA was in 1985). I do not attend DEMA anymore as I cannot handle the mean spirited egotistical driven asinine attitudes of many individuals who now make up some of the technical diving industry. I call it Hitler’s Youth Corps. Every year I would see HAL and he was always been very friendly, courteous and gracious towards me. Hal is a true professional.

During 2005, the IANTD Training Association and program suffered a tremendous public relations fiasco when the sale of IANTD to an individual in Canada miserably failed. As a loyal Instructor #66 and Trainer #99 for Tom & Patti Mount, Dick Rutkowski and Captain Billy Deans since 1992 this action and several lacks of actions have totally discouraged me with the IANTD future. The message is very obvious, for 67 year old Tom, he wants to retire and get out graciously. This failed business transaction was not deserved by the well respected ICON Tom Mount.

Several months ago, Hal Watts acquired a tremendous asset to his training association – PSA. His name is GARY TAYLOR who lives in Sandy Point, Michigan. Gary is a former cave diving student (1986) of mine. Gary has been involved in the diving industry for over 30 years. When I first met him, he owned and operated a very successful diving business in the Kansas City, Missouri area. Gary teaches both technical and cave diving courses and was a very loyal and actively involved in the IANTD Training program. He helped Tom mold several of the programs and standards for IANTD. Gary was a regular contributor to the IANTD Eanx magazine. When IANTD was sold to the individual in Canada, Gary offered his services but was politely told he was not needed. This opened the door wide open for Hal Watts. In a very short time, Gary and Hal have re-invented PSA into PSA International. Gary is a doer. He does NOT talk the talk, he walks the talk.

Gary recently invited me to CROSSOVER to PSAI. In the past, I really had no interest in PSA as I do not teach deep diving and I was well represented with my associations with the NACD, NAUI, IANTD and TDI. PSA was not known for cave diving training and, basically, that is what I enjoy and mainly do – I teach safe cave diving. After a personal email from Hal Watts explaining a few questions I had, I have decided to CROSSOVER to PSAI. My paperwork has been submitted, accepted and my dues paid through 2007. As a BIG bonus and very pleasant surprise, I was presented a low number as Instructor Trainer #39 (same my NACD #39) and I placed on the Advisory Board of PSAI and I was invited to help write the new PSAI Cavern & Cave Diving Training Manual. That I will do as there is a desperate need for an up-to-date (2006 and the future) cave diving training texts and materials. Therefore, I am excited and my “fire” is rekindled.

My NACD Cavern book – CAVERN DIVING – SAFE & FUN – was completed two years ago but it hit the political NACD Board of Director snags and bull shit. I am still praying that will it get published. I am very discouraged with the non-profit democratic process because you are constantly fighting personalities and not functional processes such as just getting things DONE! TDI has never approached me to help write a book or any training materials and their Cavern & Cave Diving work books are very inadequate, truly a disappointment.

I am confident that GARY TAYLOR as a work horse, warrior and just “get her done” no nonsense approach with the PSAI program will succeed. Hal Watts is very lucky to get such a person on his team!

THE LEFT POST?

by Steve Gerrard

The word “style” means a distinctive or characteristic manner. The word “preference” means a special liking for one thing over another. The word “safe” means free from harm or risk. The word “smart” means knowing, quick-witted, intelligent, brainy or sharp. The word “common sense” means ordinary good sense and judgement If you apply all these words and meanings into your cave equipment configuration and application, you probably will have one hell of a safe, efficient, and well equipment configuarated cave diver. At least that should be the goal. Right?

For the past twenty-five years I been practicing and certainly teaching the procedure of breathing from the long hose. Your choices are simple. Breath either the long or short hose. Both methods have their arguments which has been a definititive discussion amongst all cave divers who use the traditional and recreational style of double tanks with a permanent dual outlet manifold. This argument has been going on for a long time and probably will continue into the next millenium.

Best reasons for breathing off the long hose and designating it as the give-away are:

1. Easy accessibility.
2. Quick exchange.
3. Dependable and reliable when you need it to work.

(Prime example: Swimming through restrictions with lots of organic debris and silt.)

How can anyone argue that simple concept of logic? The high majority of today’s safe and smart cave divers are breathing off the long hose. Take a consensus as the outcome will reinforce that foundation. Some cave divers will argue that breathing off the short hose at extreme depths is preferred in case of “passing out”. If you think you are going to pass out then maybe you shouldn’t be diving that deep. Particularly if you are on air, get off it and use mix gas. Clear head, less problems!

THE VALVE ROLL OFF.

Today’s most popular manifolds for cave diving is the “mirror image” dual outlet D.I.N. valvesystem that are being distributed through DiveRite, OMS, Halcyon, ScubaPro and others. That means the turn knobs, handles, or hand wheels are on the external sides of the tank/manifold system. Which means these grips are exposed to the cave geological environment. For the hand wheel located on your right shoulder, the knob must turn counter clockwise, lefty loosy…..or…..with the direction of force that strikes the object. Which means the outlet valve will constantly remain open allowing a clear and constant flow of air/gas to the regulator. Great! No problems! No obstruction of flow of air/gas.

For the hand wheel located on your left shoulder, the knob has the opposite affect. For when it is striked by an object such as a ceiling of a bedding plane or other low laying formations, the outlet valve will eventually be closed or shut down. This simply means …….stoppage, blockage or cessation of the air/gas supply. Bad news! Not good. How do you deal with this nuisance or nagging problem? Simple. Place your primary regulator on that “left post”. You….. breathing constantly on your long hose from the first stage attached to the left side of the maniflod on your back, you have created the “alarm”, the safety device in catching this potential, critical problem. When it becomes closed, you calmly reach back with your left hand and turn the valve back on and reopen the flow of air/gas. This problem only evolves into an uncommon, annoying situation. Anytime, everytime this happens, you are aware of it and quickly, efficiently you correct the vexation. Personally, this perplexed flaw of mechanics has occurred to me about fifty times in 31 years/7000+ cave dives.. Not enough times to condemn the design or engineering of the mechanical device but enough times to merit a distinct course of action in a consistent fashion ….. breathe off that “left post”?

When I moved to Mexico in December, 1992 I left Florida knowing the “style” or “preference” among many of the top cave divers was breathing off the long hose with first stage attached to that “left post”. Reasons for it reinforced what I just described – The Valve Roll Off.

During the past 12 years or so, the preferred first choice with the location of the primary regulator located on the manifold is the RIGHT VALVE POST. My primary long hose reulator is off the valve right post. The reason is this; if “sharing air” through a restriction with the long hose attached to the “left post” and a “roll off” occurs you just created a more stressful predicament with the the “out-of- air” diver. A very bad situation. To answer the question yes or no, I agree that a worse circumstance exists in that particular emergency. But I challenge the obvious based simply on the “odds”. First, what are the chances you will be sharing air with a truly “out-of-air diver”? Probably very slim. Never in the history of cave diving has their been a fatality involving a suddenly “out-of- air” cave diver and, particularly, while sharing air out of an underwater cave. (An accident in 1975 at “Hole In The Wall” cave system in Jackson County, Florida involved a certified cave diver taking a non-cave diver into the cave. The non-cave diver did not wear a wetsuit thus causing rapid air consumption going in because of hypothermia thus causing both to share air and eventually both run out of air in their haste to exit.) How often to you ever hear of a sudden “out-of-air” emergency in cave diving? Unlikely. Then, on top of that, what are the odds of you sharing air through a minor restriction? The “odds” drop much more. Then, having a complete roll off which results in stopping the low air/gas? Come on! The odds of this problem occurring is like ……………….uhhhh………………. the Suwannee River drying up. It ain’t going to happen folks! By the way, practicing sharing air emergencies through minor restrictons (Devil’s Ear to Devil’s Eye – prime example) in cave courses does not count.

If you ask 50 “active” cave divers the question if they have ever experienced a “roll off” on their left post. I say that at least thirty would say “yes”. Basing this arguement strictly on “odds” of what is a worse situation, the consensus would have to agree that the “left post roll off” is greatly in favor of occurring during your routine cave diving compared to an emergency sharing air going through a minor restriction. Judging by this comparison, then it would be common sense to constantly breath off the “left post”. YES ?

Another arguement is this. When breathing off the “right post”, with every breath, minute and restriction you must continually monitor your left valve/regulator for terminating of air/gas. Should a diver require air/gas and you give away your long hose from the “right post” then you must hope that your left post/regulator is on. If not, then you must turn it on …..after…..giving away your working regulator. Does that make sense?

If sharing air/gas with the long hose, left post through a minor restriction occurs, the diver with air must ensure that the left post remains open at all times. A ceiling rub would require the doner diver to recheck the left post. Pretty simple, you are sharing air. Make sure the valves stay open! This is only neccessary in a sharing air/gas through a minor restriction emergency. All other times (99.99999%) it just takes care of itself.

Some cave divers will argue that with the long hose on the right post is longer and easier to work with. What are we talking about? Come on, six inches? If that kinda of length is critical to your survival, then maybe that reflects a more personal concern or problem with you. Get a longer hose if that that will help you.

Concerning pressure gauge and inflator hoses. The preferred first choice is the pressure gauge off the left valve post. This allows you to monitor your air/gas supply.

Whether you split the hoses between the two first stages or both on one regulator probably is dictated by the style of first stage and length of the hoses. So many options to consider and decisions to make. Another debate, another day!

The intent of this article is simply discussing a choice of right post versus left post.

•                JEB SCHNEIDER
  

        SUBMERGE DPV COURSE

      During the week of July 5 – 11, 2006 I taught my SUBMERGE DPV course for Jeb Schneider of Houston, Texas.  In the past, I was incorporating DPV, Stage cylinders and an Introduction to Surveying into a six-day Advanced Cave Diving course involving six DPV dives, one orientation dive and four survey dives.  Every time I teach my Advanced Cave courses, I constantly rethink and evolve the courses into, I hope, better and safer courses.   With Jeb’s course, these were the changes I made.
 

     I eliminated the Introduction to Surveying dives as I felt that there was really no gain or benefit into them.  I could not see any positive value from the dives with my previous students.  I truly believe SURVEY PROJECTS are the better way to learn underwater cave surveying and techniques within a given or chosen cave system.  I also eliminated the Orientation dive that begins the course on the first day.
 

     Instead, I added five more DPV dives into the course strictly making it a SUBMERGE DPV course and the use of stage cylinders.   With Jeb’s course, we began the first day with a three-hour session at Cenote Manatee (the exit point for Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich) practicing in OPEN WATER the control and buoyancy of the machines, using stage bottles, towing techniques, sharing air/gas, runaway DPV problems, and towing a second DPV per diver. That is correct, I added a second DPV for the last three days of the training course involving my longer range DPV dives at Cenote Dos Ojos to the beautiful LSD area, Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich to the Blue Abyss and Cenote Mayan Blue. 
    
     The 300 meter spring run through the mangrove swamp at this interesting dive site is perfect for practicing in OW with the SUBMERGE DPV’s before using them in the cave environment.  Our week’s schedule included 13 DPV dives involving Cenote Chac Mool, Centote Taj Mahal, Cenote Chickin Ha into the PonDerosa cave system, Cenote Mayan Blue, Cenote Dos Ojos to the LSD area and Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich  to the BLUE ABYSS room.
 

My future SUBMERGE DPV courses will be the following.
 

DAY #1 -   The first session is at Cenote Manatee – an Open Water orientation and skills. The second session at Cenote Chac Mool with one dive upstream to Cenote Pikal and a shorter dive downstream to the Monster Room.
 

DAY #2 - The first session at Cenote Taj Mahal diving the Jumna River to Cenote Buena Vista and the second dive using the cavern lines practicing emergency techniques.  The second session is at Cenote Chickin Ha diving downstream into the Sistema PonDeRosa using a stage bottle practicing emergency skills.
 

DAY #3 – The first session is at Cenote Camillo using a stage bottle.  The second session is at Cenote Dos Ojos diving the main line using stage bottles.
 

DAY #4 -  The One session is beginning using tandem DPV’s for a redundant system and stage bottles either at Cenote Mayan Blue or Cenote Jailhouse (now that you can drive right up to it).
 

DAY #5 -  The One session is at Cenote Dos Ojos to the outstanding LSD area using two stage bottles and two SUBMERGE DPV’s per diver.
 

DAY #6 -  One session at Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich using two stage bottles and two DPV’s per diver to the beautiful Blue Abyss. 
 

It is a MINIMUM eleven DPV dives.
 

     I have added a share air/touch-contact drill following a guideline in zero visibility and towing the DPV.    In addition, I have rigged two of my old aluminum back plates using a longer CAM STRAP to carry the DPV’s down to the water on my back. My two-wheel truck was impractical at most dive sites and carrying the DPV on my shoulder was just plain killing me.  My new cam strap with the back plate harness works like a charm. It is no different than a set of Steel 104’s.   Why I had not thought of this earlier betrays me.
 

     I am continuing listening and rethinking how to teach this type of advanced cave diving skills safe and more practical.   I am approaching the NACD Training Committee to rethink their DPV Specialty course of one weekend and three DPV dives.  These popular long range DPV’s makes it impractical to teach a DPV Specialty course in two days, in my opinion.

Wednesday Night, September 27th, 2006

Greetings from Puerto Aventuras, Q. Roo, Mexico!

PLEASE CONSIDER SIGNING MY GUEST-SIGN IN on my website! Thank you.

Saturday, September 23rd I had an interesting dive at SISTEMA TUHS XUBAXA AKTUN or known as the “Playground Cave”. This is the cave system that Gunnar Wagner and Robbie Schmittner first explored in 1999, which has (or had) the Mastodon Skeleton. It featured the skull and jaw with teeth of this ancient & extinct wooly giant elephant. Photos of these bones were published in the Germany & Mexico editions of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC magazine in 2001. The cave system was basically inaccessible because it was a good 25 minute hike from the closest place you could park a vehicle. Gunnar had built a base camp at the cenote that he had permission from the land owner to use for his customers when he owned the AKTUN DIVE CENTER (now sold to ALLTOURNATIVE Outdoor Adventures and Gunnar lives in Mexico City). This cave system is six kilometers west of Chemuyil. The base camp has two palapas used for sleeping and the equipment along with a kitchen palapa and a wooden deck platform. During 2000 – 2001 I had the opportunity to dive this cave system with Gunnar though he never showed me the bones of the Mastodon he had discovered. From the base camp cenote it required a stage and double 80’s to swim and reach this bone site.

Now there is a jungle road constructed that is within 80 meters of the cenote making it more easily accessible. Saturday, September 23rd and the previous Tuesday, September 19th (with Dan Hartman of Cozumel) I performed dives in this beautiful cave system. Saturday’s dive we used our SUBMERGE DPVs while diving with Dennis Weeks of Palmu. Three years ago the word was that Octavio Del Rio and INAH (Mexico’s Archeological Federal Organization) had found and removed the bones through access from another cenote. So it is completely understood, I consider this cave system to be an outstanding & gorgeous underwater cave that easily ranks with the Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich, Sistema Chan Hol, Sistema Mundo Escondido and the upstream portions of the Grant Cenote in Sistema Sac Aktun. It has huge power size passages and decorations of numerous and immense proportions.

Dennis and I found the bone site and confirmed, unfortunately, that most of the bones including all the teeth and jaw had been removed. At the site we found seven of these triangular pyramid markers weighted with lead and labeled with the letters INAH that “marked” the locations of the bones. There were some bones remaining at the site including a huge vertebrate section, part of the leg bones attached to the hip and others. What bones were left was still an impressive sight. We were both disappointed that we had not the opportunity to see the entire bone collection. To my understanding, the bones were removed from the underwater cave for two reasons. To keep cave divers from tampering or taking the bones and to further study the bones in Mexico City. I disagree that cave divers would remove any bones. Though we have had incidents at other bone sites where cave divers have touched or tampered. A classic example were the human bones and skull found in the SOUTHWEST SAC BE passage of the Cenote Naharon (Cristal) in Sistema Naranjal where these bones were touched and moved including the breakage of the skull. Those bones were also removed by INAH three years ago too. My vision of where these Mastodon bones are now is sitting in a box on a shelf rotting away. What a shame!

Dennis and I found the cenote where the INAH divers had entered the cave system, which is 20 foot shaft as remains of their polypropylene rope ladder and gear lowering/lifting rope still remained but rotted. We checked out several passages and found another cenote where local MAYA workers were using for a water source. It was a great, fun and rewarding dive.

Oh, on Tuesday’s dive, September 19th, with DAN HARTMAN while driving the very remote road in the jungle to the dive site we saw a beautiful OSCELOT wild cat jump across the road in front of my truck. It was the first time in my life to see such a stunning cat in the wild instead of being in a cage or zoo. The color and patterns of the cat’s fur was exquisite. He was about the same size as my dog – Joe T. Cocker. That sighting alone made my day!

On Wednesday, September 20th I dived CENOTE REGINA with Dan Hartman. It is located about ½ kilometer south of Cenote Cristal (Naharon) on the west side of Highway 307 at Rancho Herencia. This was my second dive in this cave system. I had permission from Regina a Maya lady who lives in Tulum. It is a very interesting cave and outstanding beautiful in some sections. The only thing that sucks as the cenote entrance contains this putrid, stagnant green water. It is a dive site where you better wash out your ears and your regulators afterward.

On Monday, September 25th I began an EIGHT day complete cave diving course with three students from England staying at VILLAS DEROSA in Aventuras Akumal. They are Michelle – age 34 and Steve Roddock – age 39 of York. In addition, I have Robert Nelson – age 27 of Hull, Yorkshire, England. Today´s dives were at Cenote Carwash and Sistema Taj Mahal.

During September 8 – 12 I taught a CAVE 1 (Introduction to Cave Diving) course for SIMO KALLA, originally from Finland who lives in Philadelphia, Pa and completing his Ph.d in Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and CAROL CHEN of Brooklyn, New York who is studying to be a Master Chef. SIMO and CAROL stayed in a hotel on 4th Street in Playa Del Carmen. We completed 13 cave dives.

During September 12 – 15 I taught a FULL CAVE Course for GEOFF SUTTON of Seattle, Washington who is a TDI Instructor Trainer, IANTD and PADI Instructor. Goeff had taken his NSS/CDS Cavern course from Jarrod Jablonski and the NSS/CDS Introduction to Cave Course from Bill Dooley both at GINNIE SPRINGS near High Springs, Florida several years ago. Geoff is a WEST POINT ACADEMY graduate who about a year ago completed a two month tour in IRAQ with the State of Washington National Guard. Geoff stayed in the Condo Suite in my La COSTA building in Puerto Aventuras. We completed nine cave dives. I really appreciated the kind words GEOFF wrote on my GUEST SIGN-IN on my website. Thank you good sir!

During August 24 – 30th I taught a complete cave diving course for PAUL CLARKE of Stafford, England. Paul is a Sergeant of the City of Stafford Police Force who stayed at the CATALONIA RIVIERIA MAYA RESORT here in Puerto Aventuras with his wife and son. Paul logged 18 cave dives and 1100 minutes of bottom time diving 11 different cave systems. I really appreciated the kind words PAUL wrote on my GUEST SIGN-IN on my website. Thank you very much!

Fantastic News! You can now drive a CAR to the CENOTE THE PIT. This is a very deep cenote (390 feet in one part) that is part of SISTEMA DOS OJOS. There was a rugged trail to the cenote but it required a durable and tuff 4-wheel drive vehicle and it was overgrown the past few years. The EJIDO JACINTO PAT cleared (bulldozed) a new road through the jungle and laid SASCAB (crushed, soft limestone & dirt) to allow any vehicles access to this remote (was) region of the jungle. This eliminates the need to use DPV’s from CENOTE DOS OJOS 10,000 feet away.

A week ago (finally) I received an email from TRANSOCEAN of Houston, Texas saying I was now on the “waiting list” for a Dynamic Position Operator (DPO) Trainee position. We shall see where that goes.

I trust ALL is going good for you!

Maintain and BE SAFE.

STEVE
stevegerrard@cavediver.com
www.steve-gerrard.com
www.cenotesoftheRivieraMaya.com
CELL PHONE – (011 – 52) 044 984 127 1550
HOME PHONE – (011 – 52) 984 87 35037
with Answering Machine.

Welcome to Steve’s new blog. The old blog stopped working and we couldn’t get the hosting company to fix it, so we’ve moved the blog to our own website, so we have better control.

This past Wednesday, August 30th was Graduation Day with PAUL CLARKE of Stafford, England with his cave diving course. We dived SISTEMA SAC AKTN entering the the GRAND CENOTE. We used a stage bottle and got to the end of the LOS CAMILLOS line beyond the CUZAN NAH area. 122 minutes bottom time and EIGHT jumps/reels. Paul loved the dive!

Tuesday we dived Cenote Calimba doing a photo shoot with my Nikon digital camera system. The 104 minute dive created about 80 photos with 40 of them acceptable to my standards. This afternoon we dived Sistema Minotauro performing two share air/ touch-contact through three minor restrictions and three jumps.

Monday, August 28th we dived Sistema Carwash to the “Room of Tears” and beyond into the basement. Our second dive was at Sistema Tortuga.

Sunday morning, August 27th we dived Cenote Mayan Blue diving the “B’ line to the “E” line to the “F” line. We discovered that the GOLD LINE has been changed. It is now a continuous guideline from the “B’ line into the “E” line almost reaching the “F” line. At first, I was pissed because I was expecting the traditional jump from “B” to “E” line. However, it makes perfect sense to have a continuous line laid out through the most popular passages of the cave. I am really impressed with the Quintana Roo Safety Committee performing this positive task. The word I get from two sources is they are making these very positive changes.

This afternoon we dived Cenote CRISTAL (Naharon) diving the “main line” up to CHAC’s ROOM. There is now a new “white” line that is continuous going into CHAC’s ROOM. I was impressed again. It made perfect sense to have a continuous line all the way into CHAC’s ROOM and beyond. The Quintana Roo Safety Committee must be really doing some positive things for the safety and common sense of guide lines for the cave systems of Quintana Roo.

Cenote AKTUN KOH is closed with a lock on the gate. I talked with the guys who work for the MAYAN WORLD snorkeling company and they say their company worked out a “deal” for an exclusive use of the cenote with “DON” WILBUR the land owner. However, the real deal from a few sources is that the cenote downstream where the human skeleton is (next to the OVERPASS CENOTE); is being enlarged and expanded with heavy equipment to add another snorkeling/swimming site for the tourist customers. Stupid as it is, it makes sense to create an EDGE to make money over from your competition. However the inspirations may be, they will only “screw up” another cenote for nothing. YOU cannot change what GOD (Mother Nature) gives you. (Note: Cenote VACA HA and TORTUGA by the late “Don Camilo”.)

I finally got a response from TRANSOCEAN DEEPWATER DRILLING in Houston, Texas. I am now on a “waiting” list for my goal to get a DYNAMIC POSITION OPERATOR position on a drilling ship or vessel. The wait could be up to six – eight months. Therefore, I have decided to make myself available FULL TIME from now – August 27, 2006 to JUNE 1st, 2007. I am getting TOO many inquiries about training courses and my all-inclusive trips with Villas DeRosa/Aquatech to not squander or “blow it” with offering my services. Therefore, I am ATTACHING my FULL TIME schedule for the fall of 2006 and the first FIVE months of 2007. As of June 1st, 2007, I hope and should be working in my MARINER DPO career.

Last week I dived CENOTE REGINA with NACD Cave Instructor ALEX ALVAREZ. It is located ½ kilometer south of Cenote CRISTAL (NAHARON) on the west side at RANCHO HERENCIA on highway 307 south of Tulum. The cenote, unfortunately, has been altered (enlarged). Because of ducks, chickens and pigs running about, the water In the cenote is green with algae and not the cleanest place in the world. However, this cave dive is PRIME TIME. The further you swim back, the bigger certain “parts” of your body will grow. I was super impressed. I give this underwater cave a nine out of ten rating. The permanent line begins at the surface, you descend 15 feet and duck under a low limestone ledge. Expect mucho organic silt! I give a BIG applause for Robbie Schmittner for discovering and initially exploring this impressive cave system. Dr. Harry Hicks has installed 2000 feet of line too. It is a “MUST” for your “TO DO” list when diving the beautiful cave systems of the Riviera Maya. They charge 60 pesos.

The AKTUN DIVE CENTER and the Riviera Maya’s BEST pollo fajitas – NO MAS! The giant OFF TRACK Adventure Company – ALL TOURNATIVE bought the land, hotel and the diving business. They are converting the business and location into a “HUB” location for their vehicles and customers to all their adventure sites. In addition, they are offering CENOTE dives at CENOTE CHICKIN HA and CENOTE NOHOCH NAH CHICH. These are the same cenotes they offer their snorkeling, zip lines, and other outdoor activities. Yes, this is absolutely correct, CENOTE diving at Cenote NOHOCH NAH CHICH, sad as it is. They are nearing completion of a renovated dive center at the location at the corner of Highway 307 and the COBA Road.

A few months ago, the “word” was that the people from the GIANT tourist attraction in the RIVIERA MAYA – X’CERET were negotiating an exclusive control of CENOTES DOS OJOS. This mega giant wanted and offered big money for the sole rights to this popular cenote for snorkeling, cenote dives, cave diving, swimming, ATV tours, etc. It appeared the deal may have come true, however, the word I get the negotiations fell apart with the EJIDO JACINTO PAT. If the EJIDO JACINTO PAT ever gives up this incredible and very valuable piece of property, it would be the biggest mistake within their MAYAN family and political structure.

CENOTE NAVAL, one of the largest cenotes in the RIVIERA MAYA and part of the SISTEMA SAC AKTUN cave system is now becoming an OUTDOOR ADVENTURE PARK. This cenote was once a very remote cenote to get to and very special for cave diving. Last week I was a “guest” of “DON” PORTILLO – the land owner and the owner of the GRAND CENOTE and CENOTE ESQUELETO (Calavera) or known as the TEMPLE of DOOM. I drove out with ALEX ALVEREZ on the road that was built a few years ago. They have a ZIP line installed crossing the cenote from a tower platform, they have 25 canoes & kayaks to rent, professional bathrooms and dressing rooms, a platform to swim and snorkel from at the furthest upstream location and they have enlarged a smaller cenote, which is 150 feet further upstream in the hopes to offer a CAVERN TOUR dive. In addition, they are building a replicate MAYAN ancient village. Wow! Things change so fast in the Riviera Maya, it is becoming very difficult to keep up with.

Beginning September 8th, I will be teaching a CAVERN/INTRO to CAVE course with MILO KALLA and his girlfriend CAROL. Beginning September 13th I will be teaching a FULL CAVE course for GEOFF SUTTON of Seattle, Washington who will be completing his FULL CAVE COURSE training.

From September 25th – October 2nd I will be teaching a COMPLETE CAVE DIVING course with two students for NANCY DEROSA at AQUATECH/VILLAS DEROSA. This will be my first time teaching for VILLAS DEROSA since January, 2001. I am excited.

Either September 18 – 23 or in early October I will be teaching a SUBMERGE DPV course for KEN ASHER of Louisville, Kentucky.

October 15 – 22 I will be teaching a COMPLETE CAVE DIVING COURSE for ANDERS & PETER KNUDSEN of England.

I am getting mucho inquiries about cave diving training and guiding trips. This is GOOD and driving me happy.

Maintain and be safe.