We dived the Dos Ojos (2 Eyes) and Nicte-Ha Cenotes which are part of a flooded cave system located north of Tulum, on the Caribbean coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, in the state of Quintana Roo, Mexico. A Cenote refers to an underground chamber or cave which contains permanent water. In other words, it is a natural sinkhole where the ceiling of the cave has collapsed. The word Cenote, which is pronounced as “seh-no-tay”, is a Spanish conversion of the Yucatec Maya word “D’zonot” or “Ts’onot”and means a Well.
Nicte-Ha was a mesmerising with its water lilies and natural light streams whereas the Barbie line at Dos Ojos was breathtaking with its immense stalactite and stalagmite formations. Requirements are to have very good buoyancy and be an open water certified diver.
The Yucatan peninsula is basically a flat piece of limestone, which used to be a gigantic reef millions of years ago until the sea level dropped and revealed what we now know as the Yucatan Peninsula. The land mass is scattered with caves and sinkholes (cenotes), this vast network of fractures drains the rainwater from the surface into many vast underground river systems. It’s very difficult to know the exact number of how many cenotes are out there in the Mexican jungle but there are over 7,000 cenotes, over 2,200 have been registered. And at least 900 of these are considered to be a part of the ‘Ring of Cenotes’ located near the city of Merida.
Fact: The same water drops that fall from the tip of a stalactite deposit more calcite on the floor below, eventually resulting in a rounded or cone-shaped stalagmite. Unlike stalactites, stalagmites never start out as hollow "soda straws". Given enough time, these formations can meet and fuse to create a speleothem of calcium carbonate known as a pillar, column, or stalagnate.
Thanks to Pro Dive International and guide Filippe and to our Dutch buddies who provided the Nicte Ha footage.
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