Freediving in underground rivers of Cancun (Yukatan, Mexico)

[designkarma]

Hi there. I'm a freediver living in Cancun. Russian-Canadian. Thinking of exploring underground rivers network of Quintana Roo at the Yucatan peninsula surrounding Cancun area.

Let me know if you have any experience or interested in participation.

 

[cdavis]

Not familiar with Yucatan, but we do a fair amount of diving in Florida caverns and caves. Beautiful stuff, but it can be quite dangerous, not a place to push things, even a little bit. I would expect that you will find a good many places where a cavern(with light) grades into a cave (no light) with little warning. When you have a light on, you cannot tell when there is no longer any natural light. It is very very easy to go too far past the lighted area and get confused when you turn around and there is no light behind you.

If you dive in places like the above, take multiple lights with you and proceed very slowly, only a few feet farther with each dive. Memorize what the way out looks like. It looks a lot different going out than it did coming in.

Trick to finding the entrance to a cave on the way out: shine your light behind you. It is much easier to see the dim light of the entrance if it is not competing with your light.

Connor

 

[designkarma]

Thanks Connor, valuable information. Do you use any specialized equipment, such as portable air tanks and etc.?

 

[designkarma]

Btw, in case you are interested the underground river network in Yucatan is one of the biggest in the world. One of the explored (so far) underground rivers, goes for 160km.

 

[cdavis]

Equipment.

Sometimes we use a line. On penetration dives that enter big dark rooms, we put light sticks on the line. It would not do to wander off the line in a big room and then not be able to find it again.

As far as spare air supplies, I would not. It just allows too much chance of overconfidence.

Can't stress safety enough. If it is getting dark, it can be very damn dangerous. Be careful. Finding an cave/cavern experienced buddy should be a requirement

Connor.

 

[designkarma]

Thanks buddy.