Deep Horizon Blog

SAFE CENOTE DIVING

The ASOCIACION DE PRESTADORES DE SERVICIOS ACUATICOS DE LA RIVIERA MAYA A.C. (A.P.S.A.) is very concerned about the use of the popular local cenotes used for scuba diving activities. The 60+ members of the association also share these same concerns. They are:

1. Open water training being conducted in the cenotes involving the
overhead environment.

2. Cavern diving tours being conducted by unqualified cenote guides
and/or not performing the duties and responsibilities within the
standards established.

3. Respect for the environment of the cenote and a thorough
understanding of the history, conservation, and geology of the
cave. (i.e. “Tour only on the existing gold cavern guidelines,
graffiti and defacing on the walls and silt floors, exceeding the
limits of a safe cavern dive.”)

WHAT IS A SAFE CENOTE DIVE?

Any scuba diver who plans or intends to dive a cenote should understand the difference between a safe cavern dive and an open water dive. Open water simply means any body of water using SCUBA which allows a direct ascent to the surface. A cavern dive in a cenote means going diving into an overhead
environment which does not allow a direct ascent to the surface. To safely dive the cavern zone the scuba diver must either be trained or certified as a cavern diver to be qualified or participate in a cenote dive with a qualified professional cavern diving guide.

The international scuba diving training agencies such as PADI, NAUI, SSI, NASDS, YMCA, PDIC, etc. asserts specifically in their training standards that no open water instructor may take a student into any type of overhead environment. One alarming problem that exists are open water instructors using the local cenotes (i.e. Cenote Eden, Grand Cenote and Cenote Carwash) and taking their open water students into the overhead environment. This is a serious and direct violation of the international certification agency’s training standards.

Another intolerable dilemma developing in the cenotes of the Riviera Maya are open water divers not trained and certified in cavern or cave diving and bringing underwater lights with them and diving the cavern and cave zones of the cenote. This unsafe conduct can lead to drowning accidents.

During 1998 we have one drowning accident involving an open water diver from Veracruz, Mexico that took place at the Grand Cenote on April 11th. The unqualified open water diver broke several of the cardinal rules for safe cenote diving that the international open water, cave and technical training agencies abide by known as ACCIDENT ANALYSIS. These five sacred rules for safe cavern and cave diving are:

1. TRAINING. Before pursuing cavern or cave diving, please seek proper
training and know your limitations.

2. GUIDELINE. Always use a single continuous guideline from outside the
Cave and throughout the cavern or cave system.

3. AIR/GAS. Always use at least 2/3′rds of your beginning air/gas to EXIT
the cavern or cave.

4. DEPTH. Do NOT dive DEEPER than the limits of your training and
experience.

5. LIGHTS. Always use a minimum of THREE LIGHTS per diver. For
cavern diving, the sun and at least two battery powered
lights.

In the state of Florida of the United States, sinkhole and spring diving is very popular in north Florida. One solution to the problem of unqualified divers going into the caverns and caves is the:

“THE NO LIGHT RULE”

All of the state parks, national forests, private camp grounds and several land owners who have underwater caves on their property apply this very successful rule of diving in the overhead environment. If the diver is not certified in cavern or cave diving, they are not allowed in the water with a light. When the diver arrives at these dive sites, posted signs and/or written waiver forms carefully explain this policy. Divers are asked to show their certification qualifications. If
qualified, then they are allowed to take lights into the caverns or caves. This simple rule has made a tremendous difference in reducing accidents and saving lives during the past twenty years. It is a huge success!

THE CAVERN DIVING COURSE

What is involved in the cavern diving course? The cavern diving course is a minimum of two days of training developing the minimum skills and knowledge for safe cavern diving. The course describes the dangers involved with cave diving. It also covers planning, the environment, procedures, techniques, problem solving and other specialized needs.

Problem solving covers buoyancy control, body positioning, emergency procedures, guide line following, and swimming techniques. Specific importance on this particular environment includes silting, entanglement, disorientation, and equipment modifications.

Classroom instruction cover the contents of safe policies of cavern diving, the environment, accident analysis, psychological aspects, equipment, techniques, body control and emergency procedures. During the course both land and open water drills will involve the use of guidelines, following the guideline as a navigational tool, following the line with no visibility, and emergency procedures including sharing air.

A minimum of four cavern dives will be conducted using a minimum of three different caverns.

During these dives the following will be performed:

a. Safety drill (practice sharing air and equipment check on each dive).

b. Demonstrate proper buoyancy control and body positioning with
minimum weighting and distribution.

c. Demonstrate good propulsion techniques.

d. Guideline awareness and the use of the reel and line.

e. Enjoy and explore the cavern gaining confidence and being
comfortable.

The safe limits of a cavern are:

a. Natural daylight.

b. 200 feet/60 meters linear distance.

c. 100 feet/ 21 meters maximum depth

d. 40 feet/12 meters minimum visibility.

e. No decompression diving.

f. No restrictions.

Certified cavern divers must use all necessary equipment considered appropriate for open water diving but also include two battery powered lights and a reel and guideline. The snorkel is considered not necessary.

THE PROFESSIONAL CENOTE GUIDE

If an open water diver participates in a cavern dive with a professional cenote guide, the guide must meet these minimum qualifications: Cavern tours are offered by qualified certified full cave diver who holds a rating of open water instructor or certified divemaster minimum.

PROCEDURES:

1. Detailed briefing before each dive

2. Explanation and review of rules for cavern diving

3. It is not necessary to go through extensive equipment modifications for
the cavern tour because it is considered a controlled experience. Minor
changes may be necessary, such as the addition of alternate air source,
removal of snorkel, and proper weighting.

4. Use of the guideline is essential to ensure a safe dive and demonstrate
proficient skills. It is recommended that the guide demonstrate proper
overhead protocol at all times.

5. No diver participation is mandated

6. Definitions:

a. speleogenesis and hydrology

b. cavern/cave environment (unique and fragile)

c. accident analysis

d. problems

7. Techniques

Brief review of:

a. buoyancy control

b. finning techniques

c. light use and signals

8. Review of basic communications

a. “OK”

b. “Stop or Hold”

c. “Dive is over, exit”

d. “Out of air”

e. Instructor’s choice for additional hand signals

9. Dive Plan

10. Complete post dive review:

A Guide should stress that divers on a tour are under supervision and in a controlled experience Urge the divers to participate in a cavern course if they wish to pursue cavern diving.

1. Equipment:

Equipment is the same as for a cavern course. Standard open water scuba equipment with two battery powered lights.

The popularity of the cenotes has transformed THE RIVIERA MAYA into a major destination for divers from all around the world. As more and more divers hear about and discover the tranquil beauty of these pristine “windows” to the underwater world, the number of divers will increase the pressure and impact on these precious and fragile ecosystems. Safety and awareness of the environment are paramount in educating both the cenote guide and the visiting divers.

WHY THESE RECOMMENDATIONS

Safety is always the first issue for anyone who recreationally participates in a “high risk” environment. If there is no understanding or control of the risk then accidents will become frequent and the danger of closing or denying access to the cenotes becomes very real.

Responsibility and image also play a very important role in maintaining safety and protecting these environmental wonders. If accidents occur or the cenotes become trashed or permanently damage, then people will stop diving, snorkeling or visiting.

Any diver who takes other divers into an “overhead environment” must be TRAINED and QUALIFIED with a minimum amount of experience. Several deaths have been reported with unqualified guides.

Following the recommendations for qualified guides makes sense. It is not only for safety but for integrity and moral responsibility. Any compromise is not acceptable. Those who wish to dive the cenotes on their own should seek training and become a certified cavern or cave diver. Another approach is not to take a light with you on the dive. THE NO LIGHT RULE in Florida, USA has made a major difference in minimizing accidents or close calls.

The land owner has a major responsibility to safety and protecting their fragile cenotes. Only the land owner can enforce the rules and regulations for safe cenote diving. Only the land owner can provide the access and use to the cenote which allows safe entry into the water and minimal impact on the cenote environment. During the past year, the land owners have stepped forward to declare their concerns for SAFETY and PROTECTING the cenotes. Several of the land owners have have posted signs expressing their desires. The land owners do care and understand the important responsibilities for safety and the environment of the cenotes.

STEVE’s 2010 WINTER SCHDULE

During the months of January, February, March and April, 2010 I will be available to teach safe cave diving, side mount, DPV or guide cave diver’s to the best underwater cave sites. If you are planning a trip to the RIVIERIA MAYA during these months and desire professional Instruction or guiding, please email
At:

stevegerrard@cavediver.com

JANUARY 2010

Week of December 27 – January 5, 2010

Guiding Stefan Dreesbach

Week of January 3 – 9, 2010

Full Cave Course with Mark Walter.

Week of January 10 – 16, 2010

Side Mount Training Courses with Mia & Mike Interrante

Week of January 17 – 23, 2010

Week of January 24 – 30, 2010

FEBRUARY 2010

Week of January 31 – February 6, 2010

Week of February 7 – 13, 2010

Week of February 14 – 20, 2010

Week of February 21 – 27, 2010

MARCH 2010

Week of February 28 – March 6, 2010

Week of March 7 – 13, 2010

Week of March 14 – 20, 2010

Week of March 29 – April 3, 2010

APRIL 2010

Week of April 4 – 10, 2010

Week of April 11 – 17, 2010

Week of April 18 – 24, 2010

Week of April 25 – May 1st, 2010

stevegerrard@cavediver.com

NITROX

Nitrox refers to any gas mixture composed (excluding trace gases) of nitrogen and oxygen; this includes normal air which is approximately 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen, with around 1% inert gases, primarily argon. However, in SCUBA diving, nitrox is normally differentiated and handled differently from air. The most common use of nitrox mixtures containing higher than normal levels of oxygen is in SCUBA, where the reduced percentage of nitrogen is advantageous in reducing nitrogen take up in the body’s tissues and so extending the possible dive time, and/or reducing the risk of decompression sickness (also known as the bends).

Nitrox cylinder marking
Nitrox is mainly used in scuba diving to reduce the proportion of nitrogen in the breathing gas mixture. Reducing the proportion of nitrogen by increasing the proportion of oxygen reduces the risk of decompression sickness, allowing extended dive times without increasing the need for decompression stops. Nitrox is not a safer gas than compressed air in all respects: although its use reduces the risk of decompression sickness, it increases the risk of oxygen toxicity and fire, which are further discussed below.
Breathing nitrox is not thought to reduce the effects of nitrogen narcosis, as oxygen seems to have equally narcotic properties under pressure; thus one should not expect a reduction in narcotic effects due only to the use of nitrox. For a reduction in narcotic effects trimix gases which also contain helium are generally used.
There is anecdotal evidence that the use of nitrox reduces post-dive fatigue, particularly in older and or obese divers; however the only known double-blind study to test this found no statistically significant reduction in reported fatigu. There has, however, been some suggestion that post dive fatigue is due to sub-clinical decompression sickness (DCS) (i.e. micro bubbles in the blood insufficient to cause symptoms of DCS); the fact that the study mentioned was conducted in a dry chamber with an ideal decompression profile may have been sufficient to reduce sub-clinical DCS and prevent fatigue in both nitrox and air divers.
Further studies with a number of different dive profiles, and also different levels of exertion, would be necessary to fully investigate this issue. For example, there is much better scientific evidence that breathing high-oxygen gases increase exercise tolerance, during aerobic exertion. Though even moderate exertion while breathing from the regulator is a relatively uncommon occurrence in scuba, as divers usually try to minimize it in order to conserve gas, episodes of exertion while regulator-breathing do occasionally occur in sport diving. Examples are surface-swimming a distance to a boat or beach after surfacing, where residual “safety” cylinder gas is often used freely, since the remainder will be wasted anyway when the dive is completed. It is possible that these so-far un-studied situations have contributed to some of the positive reputation of nitrox.
Naming
Nitrox is known by many names: Enhanced Air Nitrox, Oxygen Enriched Air, Nitrox, EANx or Safe Air. The name “nitrox” is sometimes capitalized in English; in this article the uncapitalized convention will be used except when specific mixtures are referred to (such as Nitrox68) – Nitrox68 contains 68% Nitrogen, 32% Oxygen. When one figure is stated, it refers to the nitrogen percentage, not the oxygen percentage. The original convention, Nitrox68/32 became shortened as the second figure is redundant.
In its early days of introduction to non-technical divers, nitrox has occasionally also been known by detractors by less complimentary terms, such as “devil gas” or “voodoo gas” (a term now sometimes used with pride).
Although “nitrox” usually refers to a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen with more than 21% oxygen, it can refer to mixtures that are leaner in oxygen than air. “Enriched Air Nitrox”, “Enriched Air” or “EAN” are used to emphasise richer than air mixtures. In “EANx”, the “x” indicates the percentage of oxygen in the mix and is dropped when the percentage is known; for example a 32% EANx mix is called EAN32. The two most popular blends are EAN32 and EAN36 (also named Nitrox I and Nitrox II, respectively, or Nitrox68/32 and Nitrox64/36).
These percentages are what the gas blender aims for in partial-pressure blending, but the final actual mix in such cases will be unique, and so a small flow of gas from the cylinder must be measured with a handheld oxygen analyzer, before the diver breathes from the cylinder underwater.
Richness of mix
The two most common recreational diving nitrox mixes contain 32% and 36% oxygen, which have maximum operating depths (MODs) of 34 metres (110 ft) and 29 metres (95 ft) respectively when limited to a maximum partial pressure of oxygen of 1.4 bar (140 kPa). EAN32 is common because it is the mixture with the maximum concentration of oxygen that allows the diver to go to the full depth of recreational diving’s “No Decompression Limit” for all divers. Divers may calculate an equivalent air depth to determine their decompression requirements or may use nitrox tables or a nitrox-capable dive computer.
Nitrox with more than 40% oxygen is uncommon within recreational diving. There are two main reasons for this: the first is that all pieces of diving equipment that come into contact with mixes containing higher proportions of oxygen, particularly at high pressure, need special cleaning and servicing to reduce the risk of fire. The second reason is that richer mixes extend the time the diver can stay underwater without needing decompression stops far further than the duration of typical diving cylinders. For example, based on the PADI nitrox recommendations, the maximum operating depth for EAN45 would be 21 metres (69 ft) and the maximum dive time available at this depth even with EAN36 is nearly 1 hour 15 minutes: a diver with a breathing rate of 20 litres per minute using twin 10 litre, 230 bar (about double 85 cu. ft.) cylinders would have completely emptied the cylinders after 1 hour 14 minutes at this depth.
Nitrox containing 50% to 100% oxygen is common in technical diving as a decompression gas, which eliminates inert gases such as nitrogen and helium from the tissues more quickly than leaner oxygen mixtures.
In deep open circuit technical diving, where hypoxic gases are breathed during the bottom portion of the dive, a Nitrox mix with 50% or less oxygen called a “travel mix” is sometimes breathed during the beginning of the descent in order to avoid hypoxia. Normally, however, the most oxygen-lean of the diver’s decompression gases would be used for this purpose, since descent time spent reaching a depth where bottom mix is no longer hypoxic is normally small, and the distance between this depth and the MOD of any nitrox decompression gas is likely to be very short, if it occurs at all.
Cylinder markings
Any cylinder containing any blend of gas other than the standard air content is required by most diving training organizations to be clearly marked. Some organisations, e.g. GUE, argue that it does not make sense to have a permanent marking on a gas tank that can be filled with any gas.
The standard nitrox cylinder is yellow in color and marked with a green band around the shoulder of the tank, with “Nitrox” or “Enriched air” marked in white or yellow letters inside. Tanks of any other color are generally marked with six inch band around the shoulder, with a one inch yellow band on the top and bottom, with four inches of green in the middle. This green band will also have the designation of “NITROX” or something similar inside, in yellow or white letters.
Every nitrox cylinder should also have a sticker stating whether or not the cylinder is oxygen clean and suitable for partial pressure blending. Any oxygen clean cylinder may have any mix up to 100% oxygen inside. If by some accident an oxygen clean cylinder is filled at a station which does not supply gas to oxygen-clean standards it is then considered contaminated and must be re-cleaned before a gas containing more than 40% oxygen may again be added. Cylinders marked as not-oxygen clean may only be filled with enriched oxygen mixtures from membrane or stick blending systems where the gas is mixed before being added to the cylinder.
Finally, all nitrox cylinders should have a tag that, at minimum, states the oxygen content of the cylinder, the date it was blended, the gas blender’s name, and the maximum operating depth along with the partial pressure this depth was calculated with. Other requirements may be made as to what is marked on the cylinder, but these markings are considered standard and safe by the diving community, and any cylinders lacking these markings should be considered possibly unsafe. Training for nitrox certification suggests this tag be verified by the diver himself by using an oxygen analyzer.
Dangers
Oxygen toxicity
Diving and handling nitrox raises a number of potentially fatal dangers due to the high partial pressure of oxygen (ppO2). Nitrox is not a deep-diving gas mixture owing to the increased proportion of oxygen, which becomes toxic when breathed at high pressure. For example, the maximum operating depth of nitrox with 36% oxygen, a popular recreational diving mix, is 29 metres (95 ft) to ensure a maximum ppO2 of no more than 1.4 bar (140 kPa). The exact value of the maximum allowed ppO2 and maximum operating depth varies depending on factors such as the training agency, the type of dive, the breathing equipment and the level of surface support, with professional divers sometimes being allowed to breath higher ppO2 than those recommended to recreational divers.
To dive safely with nitrox, the diver must learn good buoyancy control, a vital part of scuba diving in its own right, and a disciplined approach to preparing, planning and executing a dive to ensure that the ppO2 is known, and the maximum operating depth is not exceeded. Reputable dive operators and gas blenders insist on the diver having recognised nitrox training (which appears as an extra notation on a certification card) before selling nitrox to divers.
Some training agencies teach the use of two depth limits to protect against oxygen toxicity. The shallower depth is called the “maximum operating depth” and is reached when the partial pressure of oxygen in the breathing gas reaches 1.4 bar (140 kPa). The second deeper depth, called the “contingency depth”, is reached when the partial pressure reaches 1.6 bar (160 kPa). Diving at or beyond this level exposes the diver to the risk of central nervous system (CNS) oxygen toxicity. This can be extremely dangerous since its onset is often without warning and can lead to drowning, as the regulator may be spat out during convulsions which occur in conjunction with sudden unconsciousness (general seizure induced by oxygen toxicity).
Precautionary procedures at the fill station
Many training agencies such as PADI, CMAS, SSI and NAUI train their divers to personally check the oxygen percentage content of each nitrox cylinder before every dive. If the oxygen percentage deviates by more than 1% from the value written on the cylinder by the gas blender, the scuba diver must either recalculate his or her bottom times with the new mix, or else abort the dive to remain safe and avoid oxygen toxicity or decompression sickness. Under IANTD and ANDI rules for use of nitrox, which are followed by most dive resorts around the world, filled nitrox cylinders are signed out personally in a gas blender log book, which contains, for each cylinder and fill, the cylinder number, the measured oxygen percent composition, the signature of the receiving diver (who should have personally measured the oxygen percent with an instrument at the fill-shop), and finally a calculation of the maximum operating depth for that fill/cylinder. All of these steps minimize danger but increase complexity of operations (for example, personalized cylinders for each diver must generally be kept track of on dive boats with nitrox, which is not the case with generic compressed air cylinders).
Fire and toxic cylinder contamination from oxygen reactions
Diving cylinders are usually filled with nitrox by a gas blending technique such as partial pressure blending or premix decanting (in which a nitrox mix is supplied to the filler in pressurized larger cylinders). A few facilities have begun to fill cylinders with air which has been enriched with oxygen by a pre-mixing process, so that it is pressurized as nitrox for the first time in the diving cylinder. The pre-mixing is accomplished either by a membrane system which removes nitrogen from the air during compression or by a ’stick’ blending technique where pure oxygen is mixed with air in a baffled chamber attached to the compressor intake.
With the use of pure oxygen during “partial pressure blending” (where pure oxygen is added from a large oxygen cylinder to the nearly empty dive cylinder until it reaches 300–500 psi (21–34 bar) before air is added by compressor) there is an especially increased risk of fire. Partial blending using pure oxygen is often used to provide nitrox for multiple dives on live-aboard dive boats, but it is also used in some smaller diver shops.
However, any gas which contains a significantly larger percentage of oxygen than air is a fire hazard. Furthermore, such gases can also react with hydrocarbons or incorrect lubricants inside a dive cylinder to produce carbon monoxide, even if a recognized fire does not happen. At present, there is some discussion over whether or not mixtures of gas which contain less than 40% oxygen may sometimes be exempt from oxygen clean standards. Some of the controversy comes from a single U.S. regulation intended for commercial divers (not recreational divers) years ago.[3] However, the U.S. Compressed Gas Association (CGA) and two international nitrox teaching agencies (IANTD and ANDI) now support the standard that any gas containing more than 23.5% oxygen should be treated as nitrox (which is to say, no differently from pure oxygen) for purposes of oxygen cleanliness and oxygen compatibility (i.e., oxygen “servicability”). However, the largest training agency – PADI – is still teaching that pre-mixed nitrox (i.e. nitrox which is mixed before being put into the cylinder) below 40% oxygen does not require a specially cleaned cylinder or other equipment. Most nitrox fill stations which supply pre-mixed nitrox will fill non-oxygen clean cylinders with mixtures below 40%. For a history of this controversy see Luxfer cylinders.
History
During the 1920s or 1930’s Draeger of Germany made a nitrox backpack independent air supply for a standard diving suit.
During World War II or soon after, British commando frogmen and work divers started sometimes diving with oxygen rebreathers adapted for semi-closed-circuit nitrox (which they called “mixture”) diving by fitting larger cylinders and carefully setting the gas flow rate using a flow meter. These developments were kept secret until independently duplicated by civilians in the 1960s.
In the 1950s the United States Navy (USN) documented enriched oxygen gas procedures for military use of what we today call nitrox, in the USN Diving Manual.
In 1970, Dr. Morgan Wells, who was the first director of the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Diving Center, began instituting diving procedures for oxygen-enriched air. He also developed a process for mixing oxygen and air which he called a continuous blending system. For many years Dr. Wells’ invention was the only practical alternative to partial pressure blending. In 1979 NOAA published Wells’ procedures for the scientific use of nitrox in the NOAA Diving Manual.
In 1985 Dick Rutkowski, a former NOAA diving safety officer, formed IAND (International Association of Nitrox Divers) and began teaching nitrox use for recreational diving. This was considered dangerous by some, and met with heavy skepticism by the diving community. In 1992 the name was changed to the International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers (IANTD), the T being added when the European Association of Technical Divers (EATD) merged with IAND. In the early 1990s, the agencies teaching nitrox were not the main scuba agencies. New organizations, including Ed Betts’ American Nitrox Divers International (ANDI) – which invented the term “Safe Air” for marketing purposes – and Bret Gilliam’s Technical Diving International (TDI) gave scientific credence to nitrox.
Meanwhile, diving stores were finding a purely economic reason to offer nitrox: not only was an entire new course and certification needed to use it, but instead of cheap or free tank fills with compressed air, dive shops found they could charge premium amounts of money for custom-gas blending of nitrox to their ordinary moderately experienced divers. With the new dive computers which could be programmed to allow for the longer bottom-times and shorter residual nitrogen times which nitrox gave, the incentive for the sport diver to use the gas increased. An intersection of economics and scientific validity had occurred.
In 1996, the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) announced full educational support for nitrox. While other main line scuba organizations had announced their support of nitrox earlier, it was PADI’s endorsement that put nitrox over the top as a standard sport diving “option.”[14]
Nitrox in nature
Sometimes in the geologic past the Earth’s atmosphere contained much more than 20% oxygen: e.g. up to 35% in the Upper Carboniferous. This let animals absorb oxygen more easily and influenced evolution.

CENOTE NOHOCH NAH CHICH
Sistema Sac Aktun

By STEVE GERRARD

Once internationally known as the world’s longest underwater cave system, Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich (the Giant Birdhouse) stands out as one of the most beautiful underwater cave areas in the Riviera Maya. First explored and surveyed during the summer of 1988, it annually grew in size from the efforts of the CEDAM exploration teams directed by Mike Madden. Each year from 1989 – 1996, Madden organized a group of cave divers to gather together for periods of two weeks to a month exploring and surveying the cave passages. As each year passed underwater cave maps were produced beginning with the basic line maps and the final two beautiful cartography maps were produced by the talented Eric Huchenson. The final illustration was in 1994 representing over 126,000 feet/38,182 meters of underwater cave passages. The culmination of this map evolved from the first time use of underwater video footage assisting with the drawing. The cave grew to over 200,000 feet/60,606 meters in explored and surveyed passages before being connected into the immense Sac Aktun cave system during February, 2006. In addition, Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich was the focal point of an Italian film cave diving documentary during 1994 and the USA television series called Explorers narrated and participated by Ken Curtis in 1995. From an underwater cave photographer’s viewpoint, this cenote cave region offers some of the most stunning features to capture as images. Probably considered as some the best underwater cave photography ever taken, the partnership of Mike Madden and Ron Winiker using the technique of painting with a strobe flash with a Nikonos V camera with a wide-angle 15 mm lenses anchored on a tripod was an outstanding success of underwater cave photography.

Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich is located on Rancho San Felipe two kilometers west from Highway 307. If driving south from the Akumal area you pass the entrance for Xel Ha Laguna Park on the east side and the entrance roadway to Cenote Dos Ojos on the west side. Continue driving further south on Highway 307 for two kilometers. From Tulum, drive six kilometers north on Highway 307. You are looking for the banner and the Information Center for the Labna Ha Eco Park/Cenote Caracol. Turn into the parking lot and drive to the rear to the one lane dirt road. It will merge into the sascab road heading west into the jungle. Drive for 1.5 kilometers and look for the blue gate on the right side with the sign Rancho San Felipe. Follow the road for 200 meters and enter into a parking area. For cave divers, it is asked to park as far back left of the main palapas.

The dive site fee is 150 pesos per diver. There are two ways to get your equipment down to the wooden platforms. One is to lower the gear by rope by the near-side edge of the cenote rim as a rope and pulley is provided. Or you can carry your equipment all the way around the left side to the backside of the cenote and use the wooden stairs. Most cave divers assemble their equipment at their vehicle. Once in the water swim to the right where there is a huge overhang into a half-filled with water and half air area. Swim on the surface for about 100 feet/30 meters and submerge swimming at 10:00 o’clock facing in. The permanent guideline is located approximately 75 feet/23 meters on the far side of a huge flat rock. There is air above you the entire distance to the permanent guideline.

During November, 2006 The National Association for Cave Diving (NACD) paid and installed a #45 gold braided line in 2006 with permission of the land owner Don Pedro Rodriquez to designate the main permanent guide line from all the confusion of the many offshoot guidelines. Unfortunately, the GUE divers of the Zero Gravity dive store led by Daniel Riordan ripped the gold line out of the cave and replaced it with #18 twisted guideline convincing the eldest son this was the proper thing to do. Afterward, sadly, Don Pedro passed away from a cancer illness before the situation could be rectified.

The first 2500 feet/757 meters of the upstream area is a huge delta area of offshoot passages. There is Charlie’s line, Ron’s (Ron Winiker) line, the Bill Carlson line, JJ’s (Juan Jose Tucat) loop line, Joanie’s (Joan Patrick) line, Parker’s (Parker Turner) line and Alberto’s (Alberto Rodriquez) line. Swim upstream on the main line 800 feet/240 meters and there is an air dome with a wooden deck platform (installed in 1994 for an Italian film company production) with a ladder to the surface. Today this site is used for the snorkel tours too. Swim another 100 feet/30 meters and you will swim between two massive and impressive formations appropriately named Heaven’s Gate. The next 300 feet/90 meters is known as Disneyland. All of the offshoot passageways are beautiful and inspiring. My favorite passage is Ron’s line that has several formations of halactites. These are spurs pointing upward formed by blowing wind through the cave when it was once dry during the last ice age. The entire cave area is a fabulous place for underwater photography and videography.

The Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich is primarily used by the giant Alltournative Adventure Company as they bring a continuous flow of tourists from all the All-Inclusive resorts along the Riviera Maya coast for snorkeling tours. The adventure tour starts with a ride in a 4×4 all-terrain vehicle that takes you to the Rancho San Felipe. The tourist snorkelers take part in an snorkeling adventure into the fresh waters of this underground river, swimming deep inside the cavern where they will observe stunning stalactite and stalagmite formations above and below this crystal-clear water.
Afterward a walk through the jungle is offered to view the animal prints from the species that live there, the cenotes, and the variety of flora and fauna. Arriving at Cenote Yax Muul, a beautiful natural underground swimming pool for more outstanding snorkeling is available. A traditional Maya lunch is prepared by the women of this community that awaits you back at San Felipe Ranch. After lunch you will have the opportunity to visit the ranch and its inhabitants, a small Maya family that have lived in this remote jungle location for the past 30 years.
Cenote Noch Nah Chich represents one of the best cave diving and snorkeling experiences of the Riviera Maya. It offers shallow depths of 30 feet/9 meters or less, crystal clear water and an incredible amount of decorations to observe, enjoy and record with still or video cameras. It is an underwater experience you will not forget.

SAFETY IS ALWAYS #1!

The definition for safety is to free or minimize something from danger or risk. It is a natural act that we all do each day. When you drive a car safely you follow the proper speeds, wear a safety belt and perform the necessary maintenance in order for the vehicle to operate in a safe manner such as tires, brakes and basic mechanical functions. The same thing is true with cave diving. To minimize the risk or danger we acquire training, follow a set of basic rules, learn to properly use and take care of the equipment necessary to execute the dive to see and enjoy the cave and use a few tools for the most important aspect of safe cave diving – navigation. That means always be sure of your exit out of the cave. That makes the guideline the highest priority for safety. It is used as a visual aid and only in emergencies – lack of visibility – necessary to become a physical tool to find your way out of a cave.

During the past ten years Mexico’s Riviera Maya has dramatically changed from a very remote and secluded jungle area into a modern and bustling international tourist destination with a rapidly growing population. The cave dive sites that were once impossible or difficult to visit are now becoming easily accessible. One of the problems is a cave that was once only a few have visited or explored are now available for everyone. Another problem is change. The few explorer cave divers who made the time and effort to explore and survey a cave are seeing their little world change. It is tough to let go of something you possessed and now have to share with the many. The act of tradition and the excuse of a string having some type of historical value have no place for the benefit for safety. It happened in Florida and the transition is happening in the Riviera Maya.

The following are suggestions whose aim is to make unsafe situations safer and better for cave diving. There is no right or wrong, only ideas to put forward for consideration. Because is it not every cave diver’s responsibility to make cave diving safer?

CENOTE CALIMBA

This very popular cave dive site is a small, windy passage that has a few minor restrictions along the route to the Paso De Lagarto line of the Grand Cenote. The line is frayed and beat up in many places, broken and repaired in one particular location. If any line needs to be replaced, this cave passage should be a high priority.

CENOTE CARWASH

Why does the permanent gold line upstream begin over 350 feet/ meters from outside the cave? During the past twenty years there has been countless number of complaints and frustrations from visiting cave divers trying to find the permanent upstream guideline. There are arguments such as tradition and a few local cave Instructors desiring the need for students practicing running the primary reel. So when does the needs of a few outweigh the needs of the many? Why can’t the permanent guideline begin closer?

The offshoot guideline known as the Madden/Turner passage leading to the Room of Tears was replaced in 2003 with a knotted #36 braided white nylon guideline.

CENOTE CRISTAL – NAHARON

During 1995, Jim Coke (before moving back to Texas) replaced the stained #18 twisted upstream main line with a larger braided white line all the way to Chac’s Room. He did this because the guideline had become dangerously stained dark brown and very difficult to visually follow. You can say that Jim really cared for safety. During the next eight years that guideline gradually became stained dark brown again. During 2003 the dark stained guideline to Chac’s Room was replaced again and another 800 feet/ meters added further. Two years ago the #45 guideline was ripped out and replaced with a #18 twisted line. Why?

It is recommended that the #18 twisted line be replaced (again) with a safer #45 guideline. It is also suggested that the jump from the main line to the Halocline Room line be eliminated and that the main line be one continuous guideline into Chac’s Room. There is no need for a jump at this location as it regarded as the main line.

CENOTE DOS OJOS

The upstream passage beyond the cavern zone is known as the IMAX passage. It passes by Cenote Tak Be Ha and reaches a very shallow water air dome before continuing further to several other outstanding areas of this cave system. The line is a #18 twisted string. This cave passage is a very popular dive for cave divers. A #45 gold or white guideline installed all the way to the air dome would be the proper solution in making this dive safer.

CENOTE EDEN

The upstream passage past Cenote Zacil on its way to Cenote Repair Shop is a section of cave that is small and consists of worn & damaged #18 twisted string. It is a popular route to traverse to Cenote Chickin Ha or reverse. This line should be replaced with safer and more dependable guideline.

SISTEMA DOS PISOS at CENOTE PIG

This cave is located 7 kilometers south of Tulum on Highway 307 on Rancho Campesino. The land owner is Roberto Canche Camara. A year ago a road was constructed all the way to this cenote making the accessibility much easier and convenient.

The beginning 300 feet/90 meters is a very low and silty (clay) passage that is #18 twisted line. It is frayed and worn in several places and repaired in one location. The configuration of the cave passage forces cave divers to have physical contact. As this cave continues to become popular, it is recommended that this unsafe line be replaced with a safer and more dependable #45 braided white or gold nylon guideline.

THE GRAND CENOTE

The upstream main line from the Grand Cenote to Cenote Ho Tul ends. There is a 60 foot/18 meter gap to the next line, which goes to the Cuzan Nah area. In the past, Cenote Ho Tul was accessible and a viable entry point into the cave system. During early 2008 an 8 foot/2.7 meter high green chain link fence was installed blocking all access to the cenote. Therefore, why is there need for a long gap? It is recommended that a continuous guideline be established eliminating the need for using a reel or spool to fill in the gap.

The jump from the main line to the Paso de Lagarto passage has been a long 70 feet/21 meter distance since 1990. Why is there such a need for a long distance in a big and wide-open area? This junction area has been the center for controversy for many years. Because of the tremendous popularity of this underwater cave, why have a long distance jump?

It is recommended that a short distance of 21 feet/7meters or less be established for a jump or better yet, make this junction area into a permanent intersection properly marked with directional arrows making this area safer and easier for all visiting cave divers.

During early November, 1990 Jim Coke replaced the exploration #18 line with a white braided #45 guideline between the Grand Cenote and the Cenote Ho Tul. In addition, he eliminated the jump between the two cenotes and made it into a jump to the Paso De Lagarto passage.

CENOTE JAILHOUSE “The Muknal Siphon Area”

This cenote was once very difficult to reach requiring a 6 – 8 minute hike to carry your equipment to the water. Not many cave divers had dive this site as it was not very well known, challenging and hard to find. Today, the land owner has made the cenote easily accessible with a very short distance to walk to the water and plenty of parking for vehicles and now very popular for cave diving.

The downstream passage leads the cave diver to some of the most gorgeous power saltwater cave passages in the Riviera Maya. To swim to these areas the cave passages are located in the shallow fresh water zone. The entire Naranjal cave system is fed by a huge swamp drainage area located ten kilometers further inland, thus a continuous feed of tannic acid. After so many years, the once white guidelines become permanently stained dark brown. Because the fresh water cave passages are also stained a dark brown to black colors, this makes following the guidelines visually very difficult. It is suggested that periodically the stained #18 twisted lines be replaced with fresh white #45 or #36 guidelines in making the navigation safer.

CENOTE NOHOCH NAH CHICH

From 1988 – 2004 this cenote was only accessible by hiking 40 minutes from Highway 307 with all equipment carried by horse or burro for cave divers to enjoy the cave. It was established as a business for the benefit of the Don Pedro Rodriquez Maya family and a dive store business in Puerto Aventuras. All cave divers who chose to dive Cenote Nohoch Nan Chich were always under a guide system program provided by the dive store business. The dive store business was sold and a huge Outdoor Adventure company based in Playa Del Carmen obtained the concession to Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich to organize and conduct snorkel group tours for tourists from a long list of hotel resorts under contract. Because of the volume of people to use the cenote an agreement was made with the Rodriquez family and the Ejido Jacinto Pat to make the trail into a drivable road financed by the Outdoor Adventure Company. Once that road was completed, Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich was easily available for all cave divers to dive and enjoy.

The physical characteristics of the cave system are similar to a huge river only underground. As the water drainage approaches Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich the cave passages spread into a huge delta area, thus a vast network of exploration lines. There have been a countless number of comments of frustration and confusion from cave divers in trying to determine where was the main line.

During the summer of 2006 the National Association for Cave Diving graciously donated $500.00 worth of braided #45 gold guideline to be installed into Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich as has been previously done is several other cave systems in the Riviera Maya. Due to a few logistical problems with delivery the gold line was finally installed with the blessing of the land owner Don Pedro Rodriquez in early November, 2006. A month later the gold guideline was ripped out by a local dive store business and replaced with #18 twisted strings.

The cenote continues to one of the more popular cave dives in the Riviera Maya and establishing a safe guideline designating it is the main line would be the right thing to do for safety.

CENOTE MINOTAURO

The upstream cave section begins as a very shallow and small passage with a few minor restrictions and was consisting of a worn and frayed #18 twisted line. Twice during the past two years the unsafe line was replaced with a #45 braided guide line with approval of the land owner. As of March, 2008 the second generation #45 braided white guideline was still in place.

CENOTE PET CEMETERY

This cenote was entirely inaccessible since being first explored during 1993 and 1994. During the past three years, the land owner has invested thousands of dollars in making this cenote accessible. His goal is to develop the site into a popular snorkeling and outdoor eco area for tourists and locals to use and enjoy at a modest admission fee. The plus side for cave diving is gaining access to more beautiful underwater cave. What is quickly developing and will become one of the premier cave dives in the Riviera Maya swimming to the incredible Blue Abyss Room. This dive is a 45+ minute swim that requires negotiating three jumps and two minor restrictions from Cenote Pet Cemetery.

The permanent line to the Blue Abyss Room was a cheap #18 twisted string. It has been broken and repaired in several places. As of May 2008 the entire route to the Blue Abyss Room was replaced with a #45 braided white nylon guideline. Their have been threats to rip out the safer guideline and put back in place a twisted #18 line.

Luis Leal – co-owner and operator of the Aqua Caves Dive Center located at the Dos Ojos road entrance has been put in charge of the cave management of Cenote Pet Cemetery and many other cenote cave dive sites. He fully supports safer guidelines for the popular cave passages.

CENOTE REGINA

This cenote is located 4.5 kilometers south of Tulum at Rancho La Herrencia. The basin to this cenote is a nasty algae and extremely silty area. The permanent guideline begins at the surface tied to a tree stump. It leads vertically down to a ledge and mid-size opening at 15 feet/4.5 meters depth. The silt conditions are horrible while exiting. It is recommended that a #45 braided guideline be installed the first 200 feet/60 meters to make entries and exits for cave divers safer.

CENOTE TAJ MAHAL

The cave passage beyond the cavern zone leading to the jump to the Chinese Garden room areas was a worn and frayed #18 twisted exploration string. This passage meanders all the way to a feature known as the “water fall”. The passage is very white and in the middle of a halocline in some areas. The passage leading into the two rooms known as the Chinese Garden area begins with a minor restriction, craggily limestone and some halocline. Twice safer #45 guidelines replaced the old #18 twisted lines; these two locations are now returned back to #18 twisted strings. A safer and more dependable guideline would be the safe solution.

The downstream passage to the Room of Cheers is used by many Cave Instructors for many training drills and the line is a worn and frayed #18 string. This cave passage could benefit with a safer and dependable guideline.

CENOTE XUNAAN HA

This cave dive site is located behind the village of Chemuyil near the power lines. This cenote offers easy accessibility and is a great site for cave diving training. The upstream line consists of a #18 twisted line. Beyond 700 feet/225 meters the passage becomes very small. It is recommended that this unsafe line be replaced with a safer #45 white or gold guideline.

THE GOLD LINES PROGRAM

The gold line program was initiated by the National Speleological Society – Cave Diving Section during the fall of 1988 after the drowning accident of a certified Basic Cave Diver on September 6, 1988 at Orange Grove Sink part of the Peacock Springs Cave System. The purpose of the gold Kerman tile guidelines and years later changed to a braided #45 gold guideline is to designate the main line of the cave system that leads straight out of the cave with a larger size and/or different color. The intent of this program is to help navigate inexperience cave divers or cave divers not familiar with the cave to better understand what is considered the direct way in and out of the cave system. Within a few years all the popular underwater caves of North Florida had gold lines installed. Years later the demand for gold guidelines for caves in the Bahamas, Missouri and Mexico followed. During the late 1990’s the National Association for Cave Diving jumped on the band wagon with their Safety Officer program supplying requests from cave divers who desired gold lines for underwater caves.

The following caves of the Riviera Maya have gold lines installed designating the main line of the cave system.

1. Cenote Aktun Koh. The main line completing the circuit through the Cenote
Bear’s Den. This cave is no longer available for cave diving.
2. Cenote Calavera (Temple of Doom) –The Madonna Passage, the Coliseum
Room and through the Hall of Giants Room.
3. Cenote Caracol (Labna Ha Eco Park) – the main line.
4. Cenote Carwash – upstream to Adrianna’s Room.
5. Cenote Chac Mool – upstream mainline 1500 feet/454 meters. Down stream to
the Monster Room and past 150 feet/45 meters.
6. Cenote Dos Ojos – The downstream traverse to Cenote Dos Palmas to Cenote
High Voltage to Cenote Tapir’s End to Cenote Monolito.
7. Cenote Eden. The River Run Circuit back through Cenote Zacil and Cenote
Little Joe. The downstream passage to the Chapel Room air dome.
8. Cenote Mayan Blue – The “A’ tunnel 400 feet/121 meters past the Battleship
Room. The entire “B” tunnel.
9. Cenote Taj Mahal – The Jumna River passage and towards Cenote Buena
Vista.

The following cavern zones have gold lines installed:

1. Cenote Chac Mool.
2. Cenote Dos Ojos including the Bat Cave.
3. Cenote Eden.
4. Grand Cenote.
5. Cenote Taj Mahal.

This is a great program that has proven itself in making cavern and cave diving safer and better for everyone. The NSS-CDS performed a magnificent job of initiating this safety program and establishing safe guidelines in the underwater cave systems. The NACD followed up with their contributions. However, both organizations have become weary and frustrated with the bickering and fighting in Mexico along with their own problems in the State of Florida, USA. Several members of both organizations have stated why Mexico cannot take care of its own problems. I totally agree.

THE MONEY TO OBTAIN SAFE GUIDE LINES

Nothing comes free. Luis Leal has asked me many times if I could obtain the safe gold #45 guide line for the Dos Ojos cave system and a few other locations. That is easier said than done, as this braided nylon safe guideline is not cheap.

I will recruit the necessary money. I can pledge a minimum $5,000.00 as many friends and supporters have informed me they are willing to donate to the worthy cause of making the underwater caves of the Riviera Maya safer. I personally pledge $500.00 to start this fund. As my friend Dan Orr – CEO and President of DIVERS ALERT NETWORK wrote me stating he would be very willing to donate money in the cause for safe cave diving. Because the majority of cave divers are from out-of-country, it would be appropriate if cave divers help make the cave safer. If you wish to help fund this worthy cause contact me at:

stevegerrard@cavediver.com

If you already know that you wish to donate$10.00, $25.00 or $50.00 to this GOLD SAFETY LINE for making cave diving safer in the Riviera Maya please send a check to:

STEVE GERRARD
2828 South McCall Road Suite 32
PMB 33
Englewood, Florida 34224

I will be sending out emails and letters asking for help. An accountant will certify all monies donated and all expenditures will be verified. A certificate will be issued to each person acknowledging his or her contribution.

Because is it not every cave diver’s responsibility to make cave diving safer?

SISTEMA DOS PISOS

“THE TWO FLOORS CAVE”

by STEVE GERRARD

Several years ago I met Don Roberto Canche Camara who owns the Rancho El Campesino as I was seeking permission to dive a cave system located on his land. I was given the consent, however diving the cave system was very challenging as there was no road to the main cenote. This required a 50 minute hike on a narrow path three kilometers into the dense jungle from the ranch house. However, there was a closer cenote half the distance named Cenote Pig. It got this name as diving it necessitated entering into a shallow and muddy pool of water and swimming a very low and silty passage for the first 250 feet/75 meters.

I was first told about this cave by Gunnar Wagner who explored and surveyed the cave during 1999 – 2002. At that time Gunnar owned and operated the Aktun Dive Center in Tulum, Mexico. He was trying to establish a few cave systems that were too far away for easy access, but offer an expedition adventure style set-up where equipment had to be moved to the cenote site by sharpas and everyone had to hike into the jungle to the main cenote.

This worked for some cave divers seeking an exciting activity. However for most cave divers they preferred easy access that required little time and short distances and there were far too many other cenotes and cave systems for them to dive that gave them an easy access. This proved not to be the lucrative business for Gunnar’s dive store had hoped for. The exploration was fantastic and a huge feather and an amazing accomplishment for him. Attracting cave divers on a consistent basis to dive this cave was not to be.

This cave system is very shallow and highly decorated. The majority of the cave passages are twenty feet or less. There is one passage that drops down to eighty feet/24.4 meters, thus the name Two Floors – Dos Pisos. Gunnar encouraged me to dive this cave several times. My opportunity to dive it during those first few years was not available as my schedule was quite busy with teaching and guiding plus I took up a new job working offshore in the Gulf of Mexico in the oil industry.

During the past two years dramatic changes have taken place at Rancho El Campesino. The ranch forman (guia) is Carlos Sandres who is from the Maya town of Carrillo Jose Puerto. The once dormant ranch is being transformed into a productive diversity of produce beginning with a commercial fish farm. The fish being grown for market is called the “mojarra tilapia” or a species of fresh water bass. Grown from hatchlings, the fish are moved from tank to tank during the early stages of growth as the fish mature each month in an amazing rate of development. The fish are ready for market after five months. The amount of fish produced vary from 1000 – 1500 each month. The water is changed every five days to maintain healthy conditions and a daily source of viable food is fed on a daily basis. In addition, a stable supply of turkey, chickens, geese are being grown with plans to add rabbit and squirrel for market. A small drove of brahma (cesus) cattle and horses are included into the mix. That is not all as preparations are focused on growing lemon, papaya, orange and coconut trees for an annual fruit harvest.

Because of the huge tourism business from the Riviera Maya the ranch is in the expansion stages of building a unique waterway system of spring fed water from the underground cave for swimming and fishing. Also included is the intent to offer bird watching and horseback riding along with the cave diving for the Sistema Dos Pisos.

There is no doubt this is one of the prettiest cave systems in the Riviera Maya! To find it drive south of Tulum on Highway 307 about six kilometers in distance. You are looking for a small sign on the right side that says Rancho El Campe at kilometer marker 220. This will be opposite of a giant land quarry on the left side. Drive in on the sascab road until you reach the ranch house. The road veers to the right (watch out for little dogs tied to trees) and stop past the corral and stalls for cattle. Pay the dive site fee of 150 pesos per diver. Proceed further past one gate, the road turns to the right and past several fish farm circular tanks. You will negotiate another crude barb wire gate (to hold cattle back) as the young workers will help you with the gates. Proceed onward past a third gate then you will encounter an intersection. Turn left and continue on into the jungle on the newly laid sascab road. Another intersection will appear and veer to the left. Finally you will reach the end of the road at a clearing in the jungle called a milpa. Park your vehicle and find the sascab path to the right. Follow it for 30 meters/100 feet as it splits in two and turn right. Follow the path down into the dry cenote. You will see where cave divers are entering the water at the edge of a limestone rock overhang. Walk into the water and make your way to the left. Look for the permanent guideline that begins at the surface in four feet of water.

As of June, 2009 the total amount of cave passages explored and surveyed stands at 27,524 feet/ 8,404 meters. A total of five cenotes are part of the cave system with a maximum depth of 80 feet/24.4 meters. The first 250 feet/75 meters of the cave passage is low and silty. In two places you will probably have to belly rub along the cave floor. There are parts of the cave bottom that is clay silt so expect bad visibility for the #3 or more team members. Do not worry as there is a flow of water and it clears up in a few minutes. The further you swim upstream the bigger the cave becomes. Be gentle as this is a fragile cave, very white and 22 feet/7 meters maximum depth in this area of the cave system. Be assured as you swim further into this cave you will pea your wetsuit/dry suit from the sheer beauty. For those with good air consumption, you can traverse all the way to Cenote Dos Pisos located nearly 3,700 feet/1,121 meters upstream on a set of double 80 cubic feet tanks. Really! You will thoroughly enjoy this dive and there are several offshoot lines to explore. It is a magical experience.

Wednesday, September 2nd, 2009

Hola

Greetings from the Country of South Korea at the coastal city of Busan. This is my second visit to this beautiful city. It is the 5th largest and busiest shipping port in the world. The N SEALS told us yesterday we will be staying here until September 7th. Really cool. I am going to do some sight seeing on my off time. Yippe Kai Yeah!

Today on my offtime I visited the International Shopping area of Busan and viewed the city from an incredible view on a observation tower. Photos on my FACEBOOK.

We arrived Monday afternoon after a seven-day voyage from GUAM.

My week in GUAM was good as I was able to do five open water dives.

They were GAB GAB Beach #2 reef located about 200 meters offshore from GAB GAB Beach. This reef is used by a tourist shallow water submarine as there is a school of seven trevelly (jacks) fish averaging about 25 lbs each, two nice size snapper, two turtles and a huge variety of reef fish to view.

A Thursday night dive at Gun Beach located on the north side of Tamron Bay diving with John Schubert and Jonathan Duboise. The first minute we had a huge Manta ray swim underneath us. It was an enjoyable 80 minute dive and afterward a great chicken & ribs at the Jamaican Grille in Hagatna.

A late Friday afternoon beach dive at Dadi Beach located on the south side of the Navy base. I shot over 125 images on that dive.

On Saturday I took a two dive boat trip on the MDA (Micronesia Diving Association) dive store diving in the ARPA Harbor (because of bad weather on the outer reefs). We dived the Hidden Reef located near the Ammunitions Pier and the Navy Seebee junk pile containing three bulldozers, a few trucks, pipes and other debris from the 1940’s. In truth, it was a very interesting dive and for the day I shot over 200 images.

I was quite satisfied with the five dives I was able to do.

On January 9th, 2009 I sent to the United States Coast Guard National Maritime Center located at Martinsburg, West Virginia my Third Mate Unlimited license application along with my Doctor’s signed physical exam and drug testing papers. No word for three months. I called the NMC and they had no record of my application and my 70 assessment papers. Frustrated, I had a bad feeling that my application and assessment papers were lost. That was a sick feeling as I spent two years getting all the assessment papers signed off and, as a dummy, I did not make copies (I usually do). While I was in Japan at the Naval Base of Yukosaka during June I faxed a letter the NMC with a copy of my original letter asking again if they could find my application and the assessment papers. I was pretty much resigned to the fact that I would have to start all over with the assessment papers. Very depressing.

When I returned to GUAM on Saturday night, August 15th the Captain had mail for me from Hawaii. Sure enough I had three letters from the USCG NMC dated June 30th, 2009 and the letters acknowledged that USCG NMC did receive my application and my assessment papers. I tell you…that was some of the best news I have received in a long time. Six months of total frustration now gone.

Anyway, there were eleven more assessments they wanted me to have signed off. There particular assessments should have been signed off from my ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Assessment) course that I took in Ft. Lauderdale in June, 2006. I have written a letter to the Maritime Professional Training School requesting that these assessments be signed off and be sent to the NMC. Hopefully and soon…I will finally have everything checked off to be approved to take my exams and earn the Third Mate Unlimited tonnage Officer license.

I am beginning to see little bit of “daylight” at the end of a long tunnel pursuing this goal. This process has involved over 21 courses ($20,000+ including hotels, rental cars, etc), 81 assessments and six years of fortitude.

In regards with the continuing saga of “SAFE” lines for cave diving in the Rivieria Maya I was informed that my article … “SAFETY IS ALWAYS #1” … had somewhat of an effect. Several people tended to agree with my points and suggestions. Though Steve Bogearts still insists that a #18 twisted guideline was better and safer most folks like the #45 lines and/or the gold lines. It seems that a compromise was agreed upon using a #24 braided line. What will be implimented remains to be seen. I do know and always have (35 years of cave diver egos teaches you this) that getting everyone on the same page cannot happen in cave diving.

I do know this. At Cenote Pet Cemetary (Mystic River) to the “Blue Abyss” Room the #45 line was not compromise and the land owner – Arturo Vargas – wants it to stay that way. At Cenote Taj Mahal the line to the “Waterfall” and the Chinese Garden area remains being the #45 line though I am told there are a few people who want to change it to a colored line. At Cenote Minotauro the #45 line was replaced with a #18 twisted line for the third time for the upstream circuit dive. With the help of Tommy Harden on one dive I changed it all back to a braided #45 line. Yes, I am stubborn but I am making a point for safety. At Cenote Cristal (Naharon) I changed the #18 twisted line back to braided #45 (for the second time) all the way to Chac’s Room and 400 feet beyond. Cenote Jailhouse I replaced the #18 twisted line with #45 braided at the two shortcut passsages to the downstream saltwater power passage for the third time.

I will be sending out my second SAFETY article in a few days. The contributors for GOLD LINE at this time are the following:

Doug Chappell $10.00 Darryl Harris $ 50.00
Steve Gerrard $500.00 Dan Hartman $200.00
Jim Horvaka $50.00 Dr. Harry Marinakis $100.00
Dan Orr $50.00 Richard Yost $100.00
John Delaney $50.00 Michael Menduno $ 50.00

TOTAL so far is: $1,110.00

I thought I was getting donations from three other inviduals but nothing has been received yet. I am hopeful they will come through. I am still asking for donations as the GOLD LINE is expensive.

PLEASE SEND TO; 2828 South McCall Road – Suite 32 PMB 33, Englewood, Florida 34224.

I have ordered the first boxes of GOLD LINE spools from the E. L. Wood Braiding Company (same company the NACD orders their gold line). I will receive them in October. The first requests for GOLD line is Cenote Mystic River (Pet Cemetary) and Cenote Dreamgate.

Oh, I now have my very own STICKER. Bogearts and little Robbie Schmittner made up an eight sided STOP sign with the same message as the T-shirt. The money spent on this is incredible. I have only seen three stickers and I autographed two of them and placed a heart on it. No one is wearing the T-shirts. When Larry & Debra Green were visiting and conducting the NACD IEC the first week of August I gave them one T-shirt and they got two T-shirts from Robbie. The publicity from this is priceless from a marketing viewpoint. My FACEBOOK friend list spiked and several local folks have expressed taking specialty courses from me or diving with me. Man…I LOVE IT!

I return to Puerto Aventuras, Mexico around October 8th. I am teaching a cave diving course with a student from Finland during the week of October 10th. I will be diving with Bob Thorpe and Ken Bosko of Traverse City, Michigan during the week of October 25th.

I have asked to take one hitch off from my vessel for this coming winter of 2010. I was granted permission from my coordinator. Therefore, I will have FOUR months available to teach and/or guide cave divers. I have set up THREE DAY specialty cave diving courses – with SIDE MOUNT and DPV. JANUARY – MAY 2nd, 2010. These specialty courses may get several folks interested in coming down to the Riviera Maya for the winter of 2010. Let me know ASAP if you know of anyone who may have an interest.

I hope all is going great!

Be safe,

STEVE

stevegerrard@cavediver.com

LA COSTA #103
PUERTO AVENTURAS, Q. ROO
77750 MEXICO

sg

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

Good day from Puerto Aventuras, Mexico.

This is the beginning of my 5th week home as I certainly kept myself quite busy. Tomorrow, August 14th I will be flying back to Guam to return to my vessel stationed at the Guam Naval Base Station.

I arrived home on Wednesday, July 8th after spending one day in Englewood, Florida picking up packages, my mail and visiting my brother Jeff in Miami. For the first few days I just relaxed and did various chores as the jet lag takes awhile to get my body clock back to normal. The mosquitoes were very “active” and – surprisingly – very little rain and very hot for the month of July. In addition, because of the Swine Flu scare of April & May along with our current economic problems, the Riviera Maya was definitely quite slow if not dead.

On Saturday morning, July 11th I had a great ocean dive with Gonzalo Vaccaluzzo diving in front of Puerto Aventuras using my SUBMERGE DPV ponies. We covered a lot of underwater territory and used a great beach entrance near the Chacalal caleta.

On Monday, July 13th I picked up my two students – Karen Parry (45) and her husband Jimmy (49) who are from South Shields, England who work for the Shell Oil Company in Qatar. (Qatar is an Arab emirate in the Middle East, occupying the small Qatar Peninsula on the northeasterly coast of the larger Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the south; otherwise the Persian Gulf surrounds the state. An oil-rich nation, Qatar has the second highest GDP per capita in the world. It was ruled by the al-Thani family since the mid-1800s, Qatar transformed itself from a poor British protectorate noted mainly for pearling into an independent state with significant oil and natural gas revenues. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Qatari economy was crippled by a continuous siphoning off of petroleum revenues by the Amir, who had ruled the country since 1972. His son, the current Amir HAMAD bin Khalifa al-Thani, overthrew him in a bloodless coup in 1995. In 2001, Qatar resolved its longstanding border disputes with both Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. As of 2007, oil and natural gas revenues had enabled Qatar to attain the second-highest per capita income in the world.) They stayed for two weeks so we decided to spread their complete cave diving training course out during their time. They completed 17 cave dives and over 1140 minutes of bottom time. We dived Cenote Carwash, Cenote Dos Ojos, Cenote Dos Palmas, Cenote Chac Mool, Cenote Mayan Blue, Cenote Calimba, Cenote Taj Mahal, Cenote Caracol and the Grand Cenote two different days with their graduation dive involving underwater photography using their camera. They thoroughly enjoyed their cave dives and they morphed superbly with their bouyancy, trim and hovering skills. The “pass the mask” hovering skill was Karen’s favorite drill ! It was a great pleasure diving with Karen and Jimmy and there is no doubt they learned much. They want to return in the future and gain more experience enjoying the beautiful cave systems of the Riviera Maya.

On Saturday, July 25th I picked up Brett Sunderland (54) of Cumming, Georgia and Marty Reid (54) of Kingsland, Georgia. This was Brett and Marty’s fourth visit diving with me as their previous visit was three years ago that included Wayne Kinard who owns the Amigoes Dive Center of Ft. White, Florida. We started diving on Sunday, July 26th with dives at Cenote Dos Palmas and Cenote Dreamgate. On Monday, I expressed interest in diving two new places – Cenote Mike’s Hunch and Cenote Sueno. Cenote Mike’s Hunch was basically too small and very silty for a three-person team and Cenote Sueno was – in my opinion – a shithole. I felt so bad about the day that I did not charge anything. On Tuesday, July 27th we started their DPV training course using my SUBMERGE DPV ponies out in the Caribbean Sea in front of Paalmu that is located 3 kilometers north of Puerto Aventuras. That afternoon we dived Cenote Taj Mahal to a feature named the “Waterfall” and the “Deep Bone Room”. For Wedenesday, July 28th we dived Cenote Cristal (Naharon) using stage bottles to swim way beyond Chac’s Room and Sistema Dos Pisos entering at Cenote Pig. This dive was giving Brett an opportunity to use his Nikonis V Underwater camera and my slave strobes. On Thursday, July 29th we used the SUBMERGE DPV ponies at Cenote Pet Cemetary. The land owner – Arturo Vargas – is changing the name to Cenote Mystic River as he has developed the property into a future tourist snorkeling site. We scootered to the jump for the Blue Abyss offshoot line in 18 minutes and made it it into the room in 25 minutes. It usually takes 45 minutes plus to swim to the Blue Abyss Room. Brett and Marty loved the Blue Abyss Room as that is an easy sell. We also scootered to Cenote I-Hop and the Dark Side of the Moon. Afterward, we had a great X-large Leo’s Pizza in Chemuyil along with refreshments. For our final day on July 30th and Marty’s big Birthday dive we tried to dive Cenote Aktun Hu as this cave system offers the Riviera Maya’s biggest power cave passages. However, our attempt to get my truck to the Cenote was a huge failure as I nearly destroyed my truck with the many trees on the narrow roadway. Therefore, we had to abort that plan and we returned to Cenote Pet Cemetary and scootered the Pablo Diaz line, the X-line and the main Nohoch line trying to reached Cenote Far Station. I plan the dives with one DPV per cave diver on 40 minutes in and 40 minutes out to safely managed the burn time on the ponies. The last time I was at Cenote Far Station was in September, 1992. We ended up being about 300 feet short of reaching Cenote Far Station after further review of the Nohoch map after the dive. But that was OK as Marty and Brett experienced incredible cave passages to motor with the SUBMERGE DPV ponies. It was a great six days of cave diving with only Monday being a dissappointment. For the weekend, Marty and Brett traveled to Isla Holbox with the Editor of Shark Diver Magazine – Eli Martinez to snorkel with the Whale Sharks.

On Friday night, July 30th I picked up at the Cancun International Airport Michael Mendno (57) who lives in Cathedral City, California. I certified Michael as a cave diver in 1992 when he had his exceptional magazine called AQUACORPS that he started in 1990. This publication brought cave diving “out-of-the-closet” and brought Technical Diving onto the diving industry stage. Many people today owe their careers and businesses in Technical Diving because of Michael. Sadly, the magazine ended its tenure in 1996 due to the financial struggles of operating and maintaining it. I invited Mike to come to Mexico as my guest as his last visit was in 1996. I warned him that the Cancun to Tulum area had changed dramatically. He was in shock in how much it had. The idea was for Mike to become reacquainted with cave diving and the Rivieria Maya and see if any good articles could be created. On Saturday, August 1st I completely outfitted Michael with all the necessary cave diving equipment and we made one dive our first cave dive upstream Cenote Chac Mool. Mike did really good just as if he was relearning how to ride a bicycle. On Sunday, August 2nd we made two cave dives at the Grand Cenote with young Tommy Harden (24) being our third team member. We dived the Cuzan Nah area and beyond for our first dive and the Paso De Lagarto line and the Mulch’s Maze area for our second dive. The dives were great! For Monday, August 3rd we dived in the Caribbean Sea in front of Paalmu using my SUBMERGE DPV ponies. Because we were motoring with the machines we were able to see much of the reefs in the Paalmu area. We were planning to do a cave dive in the afternoon, however Mike informed me that his right ear was sore and he thought it would be best to take the afternoon off. I agreed. On Tuesday morning, August 4th I met Mike at 7:30 A.M. for his fourth day of diving. Sadly, Mike’s right ear became much worse during the night. I took him to a pharmacy in Puerto Aventuras for the proper ear medicine. However, the pain and lack of sleep knock Michael down and out for the count in regards with diving. A total disappointment for Michael, but know one said life would be fair. Therefore, I had unplanned “free time”. On Wednesday, August 5th I dropped Michael off at the Tulum ruins (I have toured the Tulum ruins so many times in the past that I am completely burned out) while I delivered an underwater cave photo collage to the landowner of Cenote Sac Be Ha. For Wednesday night I had Michael. Larry & Debra Green (NACD Training Director & NACD Operations Manager) along with Jeff Bauer (NACD President) and his wife Jackie over to my place for BBQ cheeseburgers & chicken along with great refreshments. Everyone had a fantastic time and they all loved my newly remodeled kitchen and bathrooms. On Thursday, August 6th I took Michael, Debra Green and Jackie Bauer to Playa Del Carmen to tour 5th Avenue, shopping and a great lunch. We drove around the west side of Playa and I was in total shock how big Playa Del Carmen is growing …FAST! It is incredible and scary. That night we all had dinner together at Gringo Dave’s Restaurant in Puerto Aventuras. Friday morning, August 7th I drove Michael to the Cancun International Airport for his return flight home to California. Despite Mike not being able to dive the last three days, I am confident he had a good time, learned much from his week in the Riviera Maya and I think he got the “bug” to get back into cave diving. There is a good chance he may attend the NACD Seminar on November 17th in Gainesville, Florida. I hope there is enough information & material for some articles to be created!

On Saturday night, August 1st I picked up at the Cancun International Airport Larry & Debra Green and Jeff & Jackie Bauer. They were to arrive at 7:20 P.M., however the American Airlines flight from Miami was delayed as mechanical problems forced a changed for a different airplane. Therefore, they arrived at 10:15 P.M.. I drove them to Aventuras Akumal as they were spending their week at Villas DeRosa. Larry & Jeff were conducting the NACD Instructor Evaluation on Monday, August 3rd & Tuesday, August 4th for the Intro To Cave Instructor status for Lukas Teitz and Kim Davidsson. The lectures and presentations were at the Aquanuats Dive Store in Puerto Aventuras. Both Lukas and Kim succeeded with their evaluations. On Wednesday, August 5th and Thursday, August 6th the IEC for Rogelio Mier, Dennis Weeks and Martin Van Baal successfully participated in the Full Cave Instructor status. CONGRATULATIONS to all five new NACD Instructors.

On Friday Night, August 7th the NACD Social Party was held at the Beach Bar at Villas DeRosa in Aventuras Akumal. Harry Gust, Dennis Weeks & wife Lee Ann, Rogelio Mier, Alex Alverez, Tommy Harden, Nancy DeRosa, Larry & Debra Green, Jackie & Jeff Bauer, Emanuela Bertoni, Adam Korytko (Cave Haven), among others partcipated. It was a great time of fun and socializing.
Plans are in the works for another potential NACD IEC for January, 2010.

On Sunday, August 9th myself and Nan drove south of Tulum to the Maya ruins Muyil and hired a ponga boat with guide to tour the SIAN KAAN BIOSPHERE lakes and the 350-year old Maya canal connecting the lakes. We floated on life preservers down another natural canal with flow and really enjoyed a fun & relaxing day. We had BBQ lunch at the Casa Cenote Beach Restaurant at Tankah Beach and we visited with Lucy who owns a ranch west of Akumal out in the jungle and her 31 rescue dogs. It was a great day!

Oh, I am almost finished with my next article concerning safe guidelines and safety with the cavern and cave diving in the Riviera Maya.

I will be returning to Puerto Aventuras around the first week of October as I have a cave course to teach beginning October 9th. In addition, I will be diving with Bob Thorpe and Ken Bosko probably the last week of October.

Have a great day!

Be safe.

STEVE

stevegerrard@cavediver.com

Tuesday, Cinco de Mayo, 2009

Good morning from Puerto Aventuras!

This past Saturday was graduation day for Michael Mannerstrom of Finland and Tommy Harden of Branford, Florida who now lives in Aventuras Akumal working at Villas DeRosa. We dived Cenote Tuhs Kapaxa located nine kilometers west of Chemuyil. Friday we dived Cenote Pet Cemetary to the Blue Abyss Room and the Dark Side of The Room. Their performance was excellent! Sunday I started my next cave diving training course with my two students Bob and Joe from Williamsburg, Virginia. We dived Cenote Dos Ojos. Yesterday we dived Cenote Dos Palmas and Cenote Chac Mool.

I have not checked out the Internet DECO STOP thread and will not for quite awhile. I will wait until everyone has vented on me or supported me. Then I will see who are my foes and those who were my true friends. Last night I got an email from David Orozco of Cancun who admitted he started the thread on the T-shirts and sincerely apologized to me. I wrote back saying not to worry about it as I was expecting this to happen one way or another. I explained to David how HATE brings out the worse in a person or people.

However, there is no point from me or anyone to respond to this nonsense and it is a waste of time and energy with nothing to gain. As the saying goes, don’t lie down in the mud with the pigs. I will be the better man and say nothing. This situation will die and go away in short time. The best way to handle this is to ignore it.

This past Saturday I spoke with my good friend – Dennis Weeks – who owns the Aquanauts Dive Store. He said he saw Steve Bogearts walking around Puerto Aventuras wearing my T-shirt. Apparently, this was the third straight day he was wearing the shirt. Dennis asked for two shirts and got them – FREE (I already gave him one of mine two days earlier). Dennis said all Steve could do for ten minutes is rant and whine about me. I am truly amazed the emotions I can bring out of a few individuals, particularly when I have done nothing wrong. Dennis supports me 100%. Dennis also feels that Bogearts has completely lost it. Sadly, he is the Safety Officer for the NSS-CDS and is really making that organization look bad.

Personally, I really think all of this hilarious as hell. Nothing is going to change with me as I will continue to replace unsafe lines with safer guidelines. In fact, it has truly inspired me as you will see in a few months. You think you have seen it all with the stunts pulled to hurt me during the past several years. I think these guys are really getting frustrated and desperate.

The thread has definitely proven what I have been trying to say for the past thirteen years. Ego self-gratification has no place over SAFETY. If you want to make a name for yourself, be a part of history and/or share your knowledge with those who participate and enjoy safe cave diving; write books, make and publish maps, get involved with the cave diving associations such as the NACD or the NSS-CDS, contribute articles for Journals, newsletters and other periodicals, anything that has some credible form of documentation for the future where people can learn from your experience and make cave diving safer and better.. The best example is SHECK EXLEY.

Scribbling your initials or nickname with a sharpie pen on a piece of plastic is not historic documentation. It is only stroking your own weak self-esteem.

I have received many emails and messages on my FACE BOOK page from friends and people who I do not know expressing their praise and support for me. Two examples are DAN ORR – CEO and President of DIVERS ALERT NETWORK who wrote: Hey Steve! Sad isn’t it that because of some personal issues, these folks are willing to put people at risk. If you ever create a “T” shirt “Steve Gerrard . . . the World’s Best Cave Diving Instructor”, I will be the first to put my money down! Also, in your just and noble quest to replace cave line, if you start a fund to pay for the replacement line, I’d be happy to donate! Keep up the good work my friend! There are more people on your side than against you! Dan

Bernie Chowdhury – Author of the book – THE LAST DIVE wrote: “Great men have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds” (Einstein). Do what is right and you will always be at peace knowing that you have led the good, just life. Keep up the good work!

In a few weeks I will post on my web site blogger all the folks who have responded in support of me. It is impressive.

You can bet I am truly inspired! Thank you for your support. Please join me up on the bleachers with your own bag of popcorn and enjoy watching the cave circus continue to perform.

Maintain & Be Safe!

STEVE

stevegerrard@cavediver.com

www.steve-gerrard.com

La Costa #103
Puerto Aventuras, Q. Roo
77780 MEXICO

CELL PHONE: (011-52) 044 984 127 1550

“IF YOU DON’T GO, YOU WON’T KNOW”

MY VERY OWN T – SHIRT!

Monday, April 27th, 2009

How many people in the world can claim to have a T-shirt produced with your name on it? As my college professor – Dr. Charles Nation at Florida State University’s prestigious Business School – taught me the basic rules of business marketing, always be sure they spell your name correctly. It is so true as in this very competitive world, name recognition is one of the “key” components to establish in the path to maintain success.

Having spent the past two months on the Island of Guam at the Guam Naval Base being part of a of a vessel with a crew of nine assisting Navy Seals with special warfare training, I get to meet and work with a wide variety of incredible people dedicated to serve and protect a “free” society from a continually growing threat of terrorism and stupidity. The bonus I get when I come home to Puerto Aventuras, Mexico is sharing my enthusiasm with teaching safe cave diving and guiding trained and certified cave divers to all my favorite cave dive sites. This year is my 35th year of safe cave diving. The sad thing is many people are very disappointed that my available time to teach and guide is limited. Sorry!

This past Sunday, April 26th I was at Cenote Dos Ojos teaching my student – Mikael Mannerstrom of Finland various underwater skills. As usual, when I arrived at the parking lot many people from various dive stores in the Riviera Maya who know me come over to say “Hi” where I have parked my truck or when I walk down to the water with my equipment. It is always a nice, warm and fuzzy feeling. I feel so lucky to be in this position. One such person is a young man who lives in Tulum named Lukas Teitz who now has his own air/gas filling station
and is working hard to become a cave diving Instructor. Lukas walked over to greet me and to reaffirm that I would pick him up Tuesday morning from several email exchanges as he would be assisting my cave diving course. Lukas has lived in Tulum for past several years and is originally from Czechoslovakia.

Lukas asked me if I was serious about my email I sent him the night before. I said yes. I want to buy six T-shirts. Though I have been home only six days several friends had informed me earlier in the week that Steve Bogearts and little Robbie Schmittner had produced and was distributing a T-shirt with my name on it to a few of their cave diving friends. When I heard this, you can believe a big smile grew on my face. I asked Lukas if he had seen the T-shirt and he said yes. I asked him to describe it. Lukas said it was a depiction of the NACD STOP warning sign with the wording:

“PLEASE STOP STEVE GERRARD REPLACING UNSAFE LINES WITH SAFER GUIDELINES. WE CARE!”

I was both puzzled and flattered with the recognition. However, why would Steve and Robbie want me to stop doing something that is SAFE for cave diving and cave divers? Lukas said there was more written on the T-shirt it but he could not remember what it said.

For the past ten years, at my own expense, whenever I see a ratty old, twisted #18 guideline in a cave passage that has become popular for the many cave diver visitors I will replace it with a beautiful white braided nylon #45 guide line. Particularly in smaller passageways with restrictions where the old twisted #18 has been broken and/or worn or discolored by tannic acid. I usually ask and get permission from the landowner of the cave dive site to do the safe deed. A good example is the upstream guideline of Cenote Minotauro.

Now I do realize that the explorer cave diver has their own unique “my cave” attitude. The introverted mind set is once a cave diver has explored and laid their own exploration guideline, the cave then becomes their internal mind shrine of achievement and self-esteem. It is a horrible disease that has possessed a few people who become a certified cave diver and then have the lucky opportunity to explore and lay line in an underwater cave. This is an incredible phenomenon witnessing a normal person evolve into a freakish animal of ego and lack of self-esteem. The physical transformation of a huge embossed letter “S” emerging from their chest as if it were an alien creature is a sickening site to see. Sadly, I have witnessed this event several times in the Riviera Maya.

I will never understand why SAFETY is compromised for the sake of ego self gratification or the greed to make money. I still shake my head in bewilderment when I had the permission of Don Pedro Rodriquez – owner of Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich (sadly, he died in February, 2008 of cancer) and $500.00 worth of donated braided, nylon gold line from the National Association for Cave Diving to replace the old twisted #18 main line. It was installed in November, 2006. Four weeks later little Daniel Riordan and two of his fascist thugs rip out the gold line and replaced it with twisted #18 line. The NACD BOD is still upset about that.

The ultimate insult and humiliation for the respect for SAFETY for cave diving is the deaths of Geoff Kalefant of Florence, South Carolina and Paulio Clement of Montreal, Canada from toxic air in their scuba tanks. Both men rented tanks and then passed out during their separate cave dives the morning of February 6th, 2004. To this day, no report or any form of accountability has come from that senseless tragedy. I guess the inflated salaries and monies paid to film the theatrical movie underwater scenes for the “THE CAVE” the summer of 2004 had more precedence.

Therefore, nothing surprises me anymore with our local cave diving circus of the Riviera Maya. I will climb up onto the bleachers with my bag of buttery popcorn and quietly watch the clowns perform their continuous show. At least I know now I have my very own T-shirt!