OCTOBER/NOVEMBER REPORT – 2009
Good morning from the Island of GUAM at the U.S. Naval Base.
I arrived from Cancun on Sunday morning, November 15th at 2:30 A.M. with stops in Dallas/Ft. Worth and Tokyo, Japan. Sunday late afternoon we went out into the Pacific Ocean for night time special OPS.
I was supposed to arrive home from GUAM in Puerto Aventuras on October 8th; however TYPHOON MELOR that hit the Philippines and closed the Navy Base just as we had arrived from Korea. Therefore, our crew change was delayed until October 15th. That delay caused a problem as I had a complete cave diving course scheduled for that week for ESA VUOPPOLA of Finland. Luckily, Dennis Weeks covered me and taught the course. I was able to dive with both ESA and HEIKKI TEPPO of Finland their last three days and take them to the Room Of Tears in CENOTE CARWASH, CENOTE CHAN HOL, the Blue Abyss Room at CENOTE PET CEMETARY along with CENOTE TUHS KAPAXA. Their ten days of diving a big success and – man – I am relieved it all worked out good.
On Tuesday, October 20th I guided RON FOSTER of Edmonton, Canada as we dived SISTEMA DOS OJOS at CENOTE TIC NE HA (High Voltage). It was a great day of cave diving for Ron.
On Thursday, October 22nd I took the newly wed couple JOSH & ALEXA GAY of Pensacola, Florida diving at CENOTE DOS OJOS. One cavern dive for Alexa and one cave dive for Josh as he is Full Cave trained & certified.
They were staying at the Catalonia Resort in Puerto Aventuras. Josh is manager of the MBT Dive Surf Store in Pensacola and is a FELLOW mighty SEMINOLE. Go NOLES!
On Friday, October 23rd I picked up my buddies BOB THORPE and KEN BOSKO of Traverse City, Michigan. Beginning Saturday, October 24th for eight days we were cave diving. Saturday we motored with the SUBMERGE PONIES in SISTEMA DOS OJOS. Saturday night we had a great BBQ dinner at my home with Bob, Ken, Harry Gust and his girlfriend Erika along with Dennis Weeks, Sunday we scootered with the SUBMERGE PONIES in SISTEMA NARANJAL at CENOTE JAILHOUSE. Monday we swam the traverse from CENOTE TUHS KAPAXA to CENOTE SAC XQUIN enjoying the huge power passages. Afterward, we met at Leo’s Pizza with Dennis Week’s cave diving group from Edmonton, Canada. Tuesday we went back to SISTEMA DOS OJOS to scooter to CENOTE KENTUCKY CASTLE. Wednesday morning, October 28th we dived CENOTE SAC BE HA shooting photos with my Nikon camera system. In the afternoon we dived at CENOTE TOH HA. Thursday we did a DPV dive at CENOTE MAYAN BLUE traversing to CENOTE CRISTAL, which is part of the NARANJAL cave system. Friday we went diving with the SUBMERGE DPVs in the massive CENOTE AKTUN HU (Cave Iguana) system. In my opinion, these passages are the biggest in size in the Riviera Maya. We found the room known as the “BLACK HOLE” that goes to 185 feet in depth. It shaped as a circular pit and appears very dark looking down. On Saturday we dived at CENOTE REGINA doing a photo shoot for INAH with Jeronimo Aviles of Puerto Morelos taking images of an ancient animal bone site – a camel. On Sunday Bob and I returned to CENOTE OUTLAND and we scootered to the BLACK HOLE in 18 minutes. The immense tunnels size was mind boggling. Some of the BEST DPV cave diving I’ve seen yet in 35 years of cave diving. We dived to the bottom of the BLACK HOLE as the line ends at 156 feet with three arrows placed by Beto, Alex and Franco. The maximum depth is 186 feet approximate.
NOTE: As of Thursday, November 12th CENOTE OUTLAND is now blocked off with fence, gate and lock. No cave diving allowed. It will open once the GUE Elite finish their exploration.
Bob & Ken had a wonderful time cave diving and using the SUBMERGE DPV ponies as we really experienced some awesome cave diving.
During Monday, November 2nd and Tuesday November 3rd, I was diving with JF HUARD of OAK HILL, VIRGINIA as we finished up his Full Cave training and then continued with more cave diving for him to gain experience. We dived CENOTE DOS PALMAS, CENOTE of the SUN and CENOTE CALIMBA. Wednesday we dived CENOTE CHAC MOOL swimming downstream to CENOTE MOJARRA and in the afternoon we dived at CENOTE CRISTALINO swimming to the “CHAPEL ROOM’ in SISTEMA PONDEROSA.
Thursday, November 5th we took the morning off and then we dived at CENOTE OUTLAND swimming to the BLACK HOLE Room in 45 minutes and twenty minutes further. Spectacular caves passages everywhere!
Friday we dived the GRAND CENOTE and almost made it to CENOTE PABILANNY, which is way beyond the Trap Door. Our second dive was a photo shoot in the CUZAN NAH Loop area.
On Saturday, November 8th we dived at the CENOTE PET CEMETARY swimming to the fabulous BLUE ABYSS Room.
JF HUARD really enjoyed his week of cave diving as I spoiled him royally. He deserved it as his skills and gas consumption were superb! You do a good job with your swimming and buoyancy and I WILL reward you.
On Tuesday, November 11th, I taught an INTRO TO CAVE Course for RICK SMITH who owns the TOUCAN DIVE STORE in Lake Villa, Illinois. We dived CENOTE CHAC MOOL. Wednesday we dived CENOTE DOS PALMAS and CENOTE CALAVERA. We had a great time talking football as Rick played outside linebacker at Cal State University in 1972 along with Pete Carroll who is now the head coach for the University of Southern California. Rick will return this spring to finish up his Full Cave training.
I was home 28 days and dived 23 days. No bad, heh?
On November 24th, we will begin a 14 day journey back to Pearl Harbor at Oahu, Hawaii.
I will be getting off the vessel on December 26th and flying to Austin, Texas to visit my sister Mary and her family and then returning to Puerto Aventuras, Mexico on December 28th.
I will staying home ALL WINTER teaching and guiding until May 15th, 2010.
Well, I hope all is going great with you!
Be safe.
Maintain,
STEVE
stevegerrard@cavediver.com
www.steve-gerrard.com
2828 South McCall Road
PMB 33
Englewood, Florida 34224
La Costa Condominiums #103
Xel Ha Avenue
Puerto Aventuras, Q. Roo
77750 MEXICO
USA PHONE: 941 – 380 – 0455
MEXICAN CELL #: (011-52) 984 127 1550
sg