Deep Horizon Blog

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!

VIDEO/PHOTO SHOOT AT THE CENOTE CARWASH

On Sunday, February 22nd I assisted Jeronimo Aviles of Puerto Morelos and Eugenio Acevez Nunez of Puerto Aventuras with a video and photo documentation of ancient human bones located on the back side of the cavern zone of Cenote Carwash. The maximum depth was 81 feet. I ran a primary guideline from outside (open water) the cavern zone past the NACD STOP warning sign and we dropped down to depths of 70 feet and more. It took awhile, but I finally found the bone debris area. Not as much as I remember from the first time locating these bones in May, 1986 with Parker Turner. A few years ago I returned to see how much I could find again.

All information is being documented for future studies by INAH – Mexico’s National Archeological organization. The underwater archeological division of INAH has proven to me and several other cave divers in the Riviera Maya that they are performing a professional and thorough job with documenting and publishing information on all archeological sites of the underwater caves and cenotes. I will do my best to help INAH find, document and publish information for all to learn and enjoy.

UNDERWATER CAVE PHOTO SHOOT AT CENOTE TUHS (TUX) KUPAXA

On Tuesday, January 13th I asked my friend Jeronimo Aviles of Puerto Morelos to be the photographer with myself and Natalie Gibb to be the models. It is rare for me to have the opportunity to have images taken of me as usually I am the one doing the shooting of photos.

The objective was to use a wide variety of formations in this incredible highly decorated underwater cave. Natalie and I use stage bottles as our final destination was for Jeronimo to take photos of a big animal bone site suspected to be an ancient sloth. Our mission was accomplished as Jeronimo captured over 150 images in total. The results were fantastic as Natalie was ecstatic with the variety of angles of her being recorded on pixels. The day was much fun and successful topped off with great pizza and refreshments at Pizza Leo’s in Chemuyil. It was great to be home, getting wet and doing what I love to do – safe cave diving.

HARRY GUST & TOMMIE HARDEN

On Wednesday, May 13th Harry Gust of Playa Del Carmen met me at my Chac Mool bodega as we packed all of our diving gear into my truck. We traveled south on Highway 307 to Aventuras Akumal to pick up Tommie Harden. Our planned dive for the day was Cenote Tuhs (Tux) Kapaxa. Harry had not dived this particular cenote before though we have dived many other ones in the general area during the past few years. For Tommie, this would his third dive at this cave, but as a newbie he is always hungry to cave dive.
I wanted to “time” the swimming to the Mastodon bones using a new shortcut found by the C Speleological Survey team. Normally it takes about 42 – 45 minutes swimming, but with this new shortcut it cut the time down to 28 minutes. The shortcut is about swimming 19 minutes in on the main line and jump left at the first 90 degree turn to the right. Our second goal was to swim the connect passage to the Cenote Sac Xquin area.
Overall, our dive was a big success and everyone learned much from the dive. Afterward, we dropped Tommie off in Aventuras Akumal and Harry and I had a late lunch at The Pub Restaurant in Puerto Aventuras. This was my last dive before flying back to the Island of Guam

JUUSO METTALA & ILKKA HASSINEN of FINLAND

During the week of April 19th I guided cave divers Juuso Mettala and Ilkka Hassinen of Finland who arrived on Saturday, April 18th. Because of a schedule conflict, my arrival from Guam was delayed until the 19th. Luckily, Natalie Gibb of the Aquanuats Dive Store covered me for Sunday as they dived at Cenote Eden for two cave dives. For Monday we dived Cenote Chac Mool and Cenote Taj Mahal. As the week continued we dived Cenote Chan Hol, Cenote Carwash, Cenote Tuhs (Tux) Kapaxa, Cenote Tres Estrellas, Cenote Pet Cemetery and Cenote Calimba. During their week Juuso and Ilkka stayed at the Green Eyes Condo Suite and thoroughly enjoyed the condo and the outstanding view of the Puerto Aventuras Marina. It was a great five days of cave diving as this was their second visit diving the beautiful cave systems of the Riviera Maya. We had a lot of fun. On Friday afternoon I help them move up to Playa Del Carmen as they wanted to experience the night life and do some ocean diving with Yucatek Divers.

MIKAEL MANNERSTROM, TOMMIE HARDEN & LUKAS TEITZ

During the week of April 26th – May 2nd I taught a complete cave diving training course for Mikael Mannerstrom (34) of Finland. Nan and I picked up Mikael at the Cancun International Airport on Saturday evening, April 25th. Mikael is a Mariner as I and works as a pilot on a big passenger ferry boat in Finland. He had plenty of experience using double tanks and wreck diving at his home as it positively showed with his buoyancy control and trim. I was very impressed with his diving skills. Upon his arrival on Saturday night, we completed the orientation, different styles and philosophies for teaching safe cave diving and what problems to avoid during his 10 day visit. Our first three days we dived Cenote Dos Ojos, Cenote Chac Mool, Cenote Taj Mahal, Cenote Carwash and the Grand Cenote. Joining us for Day #3 was Lukas Teitz of Tulum assisting with the training course. Lukas is working his way up the ladder to teach cavern and cave diving courses. He also owns and operates with two friends an air station pumping air and nitrox for many of the divers and spear fishermen who live in the Tulum area. At the beginning of the day I gave a 45- minute presentation on jumps, gaps, permanent intersections, protocols and related topics. Lukas paid close attention as I wanted him to do the same presentation the next day as Tommie Harden of Aventuras Akumal (his home town is the Branford, Florida area) would be joining us as he was completing his cave diving training. For our fourth day we went out to the Labna Ha Eco Park owned and operated by Sergio Grannuci and Pep Linares. Tommie has worked for the Extreme Exposure Dive Store in High Springs, Florida and for Ginnie Springs Campground. Surprisingly, despite all his exposure to cave divers he was not a trained and certified cave diver. Tommie is a natural with his diving skills and matching up with Mikael was like peas & carrots as they blended superbly together as a team. Lukas gave his presentation for the benefit of Tommie and we performed two great dives in the Caracol cave system along with an awesome BBQ lunch presented by the Labna Ha crew. For Thursday morning, April 30th we dived in Cenote Muchachos, which is part of Sistema Camilo located on the Santa Cruz Ranch. For our afternoon dive we dived at Cenote Calimba with the goal to traverse to Cenote Bosh Chen. With our gas management, we ended up 400 feet/120 meters short, but the goal was met in negotiating minor restrictions, a “T” intersection and two jumps using all the proper tools for protocol and communication. For Friday, May 1st, we dived at Cenote Pet Cemetary diving to the Blue Abyss Room and our second dive to the Dark Side of the Moon area. For Saturday, May 2nd we dived at Cenote Tuhs (Tux) Kapaxa swimming to the sloth skeleton bone site and back. I was super pleased with the skills and safe attitude demonstrated by Mikael and Tommie.

Mikael stayed at the Green Eyes Condo Suite owned by Nan Armstrong and thoroughly enjoyed it. Because I had three more people renting the condo beginning on Friday, May 1st, Nan put Mikael in a condo at Half Moon Bay in Akumal for free. Mikael loved staying in Akumal as he spent his last three days diving in the Caribbean with the Akumal Dive Shop and the Akumal Dive Center. The funny thing is when Mikael flew home he had to spend a week in quarantine before going back to work. Therefore, he spent a week at his beautiful cabin on a lake and getting paid by his company.

Remember…SAFETY IS ALWAYS FIRST! Self-gratification ego needs to go.

LEO CARLIN, TOM FORWOOD and HARRY MARINAKIS

Beginning on Saturday, February 1st I had the great pleasure to teach Dr. Leo Carlin and Tom Forward of London, England along with Dr. Harry Marinakis of Clarksburg, West Virginia. We performed 18 cave dives at the following cenote dive sites at: Cenote Dos Ojos, Cenote Dos Palmas, Cenote Chac Mool, Cenote Calavera (Temple of Doom), Cenote Caracol, Cenote Carwash, Cenote Xanuun Ha, Cenote Pet Cemetary and the Grand Cenote. We finished our training course on Sunday, February 8th.

Their buoyancy and trim skills were excellent with the proper attitudes for safety and the environment was more than one could ask for. Our crowning moment of the training course was diving to the Blue Abyss Room and an outstanding photo session using the Cenote I-Hop passage and the Dark Side of the Room passages. Thanks to Harry’s astute knowledge using the Adobe Photoshop program, he made several of our photos into magnificent images. All three men stayed extra days for more experience making more dives at the Grand Cenote and at Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich. You cannot beat that for superb cave diving! I was super pleased with each diver’s skill level and their total respect for the cave environment. This is a shining example of students coming to the Riviera Maya fully prepared and the Master of the BCD. When you do good, I will REWARD you!

GREEN EYES CONDO SUITE

The Green Eyes Condo Suite is available for short term rentals at the LA COSTA Condominium Building located on the secluded Xel Ha Avenue of the PUERTO AVENTURAS Marina resort. This completely furnished condominium suite offers the following:

• Completely furnished kitchen with gas oven, stainless steel refrigerator, microwave oven, coffee machine and toaster.
• Central air conditioning.
• Three comfortable beds. One Queen and two single beds offer any combination of sleeping arrangements.
• Vaulted ceiling with loft bedroom area.
• The condo can sleep three comfortably, four maximum.
• TV with DVD player and plenty of movies.
• WiFi Internet Service.
• Incredible 4th story view of the Puerto Aventuras marina.
• Swimming pool with lawn grass.
• Ten minute walk within the central marina offering eleven restaurants, mini-super grocery stores, gift shops, and the Puerto Aventuras dolphins, manatees and harbor seals.
• One block from the Dreams Spa Resort.

The Green Eyes Condo Suite rents for $125.00 per night including the 10% Mexican I.V.A. tax.

CONTACT:

STEVE GERRARD stevegerrard@cavediver.com
USA 941 – 380 – 0455
Mexican Cell (011-52) 1 – 984 – 127 – 1550

NAN ARMSTRONG nanarmstrong@yahoo.com
Mexican Cell: (01152) 1- 984 – 127 – 2370