Cenotes are captivating natural formations that can elicit a range of emotions. Deep blue pools surrounded by lush greenery and wild-ropy-tangled vines exude a feeling of magic & mystery. But rough walls and ominous patches of darkness that linger in the shadowed areas create a sense of foreboding wrapped up with the beauty that is deeply intriguing.
As noted in a cross-post in the Art tab, there is painting that I discovered in the Davis Museum at Wellesley College that fueled my interest in cenotes. It is called Cenote (Natural Sinkhole), painted in 1947 by Gunther Gerzso from Mexico City. The more I stared at this painting the more I was drawn into the center of it. I felt as if I was falling through the canvas, diving into the intricate geometric pieces of jade and gold, looking for some intangible, unidentified object. The shadowing around the edges of the hole kept me swimming towards the center and towards the light, hoping to find an answer at the end of the tunnel...
The Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico is known for its beautiful cenotes that are scattered all around the region. A long time ago, the Peninsula was a coral reef completely submerged in seawater. A variety of environmental changes caused the ocean level to rise and fall, first exposing the reef to open air then submerging it again. The reef hardened into limestone when the sea level first dropped. Carbonic acid (H2CO3) formed from rainwater and atmospheric CO2 began dissolving the limestone, forming a vast labyrinth of meandering tunnels and interesting cave formations such as stalactites and stalagmites.
When sea levels rose again due to melting ice, these cave systems filled with water. The caves that were higher than sea level were only partially flooded; some of these caves collapsed inward when their ceilings couldn’t support their weight, creating sink holes that acted as natural windows and allowed access into the underground water system. The sinkholes collected fresh rain water and became important sources of water for the Mayan people, who called them “dznots” or sacred wells. Humans need water to live; naturally, these wells were considered sacred givers of life. The Mayans believed that cenotes were gateways into the afterlife, the underworld where spirits and gods live together. They became important to ancient rites- golden sacrificial artifacts have been discovered in some cenotes as well as evidence of human sacrifice.
When sea levels rose again due to melting ice, these cave systems filled with water. The caves that were higher than sea level were only partially flooded; some of these caves collapsed inward when their ceilings couldn’t support their weight, creating sink holes that acted as natural windows and allowed access into the underground water system. The sinkholes collected fresh rain water and became important sources of water for the Mayan people, who called them “dznots” or sacred wells. Humans need water to live; naturally, these wells were considered sacred givers of life. The Mayans believed that cenotes were gateways into the afterlife, the underworld where spirits and gods live together. They became important to ancient rites- golden sacrificial artifacts have been discovered in some cenotes as well as evidence of human sacrifice.
Monkey pendants discovered in the Cenote of Sacrifice near Chichen Itza
Because cenotes are filled with freshwater, there is excellent visibility along with dazzling light effects seen when sunlight slices through the water. However, while freshwater is found near the top of the cenote, saltwater from the ocean can be found pushing upwards from the bottom of the cenote. There is a layer of something called ‘halocline’, which occurs when fresh water mixes with sea water. Visibility in the halocline is blurry and unsettling, adding to the strange mysticism of these underwater caverns.
At the end of 2015, I spontaneously booked a trip to Mexico to go scuba diving. I could not wait to use my PADI open-water scuba certification for my first recreational ocean dive! I’ve heard wonderful things about the marine life and the unique type of diving that exists in that region (drift diving- I’ll write about this in a future post). Still, the chance to dive a cenote was my driving factor for choosing Mexico.
I did a little research to choose a reputable company for cenote diving. FYI, in order to go cave diving, you need to be cave dive-certified; cenote diving is classified as “cavern diving”, where you get the experience of cave diving but must be a maximum of 200 ft from the surface at all times. You can go cavern diving with an open-water scuba certification. I picked Cenote Xperience for its fantastic reviews and well-designed website. The company was founded by two Argentinean brothers, Nicolás and Martin Casella, who have reputations for being fun and experienced divers who really love what they do. Reserving a spot was incredibly easy- I contacted the owners through their form on the website, asked for information and a possible reservation, and was confirmed within the short time period of less than 24 hours! All I had to do was send a $30 deposit through PayPal to reserve my spot; the rest I would pay on arrival. The price for 2 shallow cenote dives was $120, which included transportation, cenote entrance fees, food and drinks, tanks, weights, dive lights, and a cave-certified diver as a guide. Rental dive gear was an extra $10 and included a BCD, regulator, 2 wetsuits, fins, and a mask. I paid for the whole package, since I was not going to be bringing any dive gear with me.
The day of the dive, I took the earliest ferry from Cozumel (where I was staying) over to Playa del Carmen where the cenote dives would take place. I met Martin at the dock around 7:45 AM and he transported me and another couple to the dive shop where we signed papers, completed payments, and picked up our dive gear. Martin was going to take us to the Dos Ojos Cenote, an extremely popular attraction known for beautiful light displays. However, Dos Ojos is a cenote that allows snorkelers—when we discovered this fact, we were a little dismayed. It would be nice to dive a cenote that wouldn’t be overcrowded with both snorkelers and divers. We also didn’t want to look upwards toward the light and see kicking legs and floating bodies. Martin was very receptive to changing our destination, and we joined a larger group of divers that were going to the Chac-Mool cave system. Chac-Mool means “great paw” in Maya, and it commonly associated with jaguars. However, chac-mool also refers to a particular type of stone sculptures found in Mayan civilizations such as Chichen Itza. We would be diving through 2 water entries: Kukulkan and Little Brother.
I did a little research to choose a reputable company for cenote diving. FYI, in order to go cave diving, you need to be cave dive-certified; cenote diving is classified as “cavern diving”, where you get the experience of cave diving but must be a maximum of 200 ft from the surface at all times. You can go cavern diving with an open-water scuba certification. I picked Cenote Xperience for its fantastic reviews and well-designed website. The company was founded by two Argentinean brothers, Nicolás and Martin Casella, who have reputations for being fun and experienced divers who really love what they do. Reserving a spot was incredibly easy- I contacted the owners through their form on the website, asked for information and a possible reservation, and was confirmed within the short time period of less than 24 hours! All I had to do was send a $30 deposit through PayPal to reserve my spot; the rest I would pay on arrival. The price for 2 shallow cenote dives was $120, which included transportation, cenote entrance fees, food and drinks, tanks, weights, dive lights, and a cave-certified diver as a guide. Rental dive gear was an extra $10 and included a BCD, regulator, 2 wetsuits, fins, and a mask. I paid for the whole package, since I was not going to be bringing any dive gear with me.
The day of the dive, I took the earliest ferry from Cozumel (where I was staying) over to Playa del Carmen where the cenote dives would take place. I met Martin at the dock around 7:45 AM and he transported me and another couple to the dive shop where we signed papers, completed payments, and picked up our dive gear. Martin was going to take us to the Dos Ojos Cenote, an extremely popular attraction known for beautiful light displays. However, Dos Ojos is a cenote that allows snorkelers—when we discovered this fact, we were a little dismayed. It would be nice to dive a cenote that wouldn’t be overcrowded with both snorkelers and divers. We also didn’t want to look upwards toward the light and see kicking legs and floating bodies. Martin was very receptive to changing our destination, and we joined a larger group of divers that were going to the Chac-Mool cave system. Chac-Mool means “great paw” in Maya, and it commonly associated with jaguars. However, chac-mool also refers to a particular type of stone sculptures found in Mayan civilizations such as Chichen Itza. We would be diving through 2 water entries: Kukulkan and Little Brother.
Before suiting up, the Casella brothers gave us a comprehensive overview of the safety instructions- follow the yellow safety line, stay in one line with enough space between the diver in front of you and behind, try not to kick hard because that will stir up the silt and restrict visibility (we were to frog kick instead), and so on. They assured us that there was enough room in the caves that we wouldn’t be squeezing through any tight spaces, and gave us instructions on what to do if you felt uncomfortable or nervous or needed to head to the surface. Our dive lights would be used to signal our well-being; slowly moving the light in a circle meant that you were okay. If you wanted to catch the guide's attention, flash your light at him. We also needed to be prepared for the difference of diving in freshwater vs. diving in salt water. Since freshwater is less dense than salt water, you need fewer weights and need to adjust to diving lighter. It may take more time to adjust to using your breath to control your position in the water. Also, the combination of freshwater and cavern diving makes it easier to get colder faster because you are moving and kicking less in a confined space.
Finally, it was time to put on our suits and our gear. I’ve never dived with a long wetsuit before, let alone double-layered wetsuits. Nicolás provided a 3 mm long wetsuit and a 4 mm shorty to pull on top. Since I haven’t dived with this type of suiting before, I cannot be sure whether there really was a problem or not—but I had the most horrible time with these wetsuits. I know that wetsuits are supposed to be tight, but my wetsuits constricted my body and were so tight that I couldn’t move my arms above a certain level. I could breathe, but I felt incredibly uncomfortable. By the end of the day, I had very deep marks in my skin where the wetsuits were extremely tight. The wetsuit situation was the only thing that dampened my overall dive experience- but that is something that can easily be remedied with customized wetsuits! Honestly, I love the freedom of swimming through open water, so maybe I just couldn’t handle that constricting feeling.
The first entrance we used to enter the Chac-Mool system is called Kukulkan, or“feathered serpent”. Kukulkan was the Mayan god of creation (resurrection, reincarnation) and all four elements. The famous Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza is dedicated to this god, and thousands gather during the spring equinox to “watch the shadow of the serpent god slither down the pyramid”. The entrance is a ways from the parking area where we had put on our gear; we had to strap on our heavy tanks, put on our flip flops, and carefully navigate the slippery steps down to the water. The entrance was a large pool that glistened in the light. I saw a small turtle calmly poking his head out of the water before slipping underneath the surface. Vegetation clambered over the rock faces, giving off a jungle vibe. Placing my flip flops off to the side, I continued down the steps into the pool. The water was cold and seeped through my wetsuits, instantly adding weight and pulling me down. Now floating in the fresh water, I took a deep breath and looked around. This was amazing! Quickly, I washed my mask and pulled it over my head, peering under the water curiously. I could see the rocks below me disappear into inky blackness beyond. Once the whole group was in the water, Martin gave us our dive lights and did last minute checks. We lined up in order of experience level- I was the least experienced of the group so I was first in line behind Martin. Then, we all deflated our BCDs and descended down into a whole new world.
The first entrance we used to enter the Chac-Mool system is called Kukulkan, or“feathered serpent”. Kukulkan was the Mayan god of creation (resurrection, reincarnation) and all four elements. The famous Temple of Kukulkan at Chichen Itza is dedicated to this god, and thousands gather during the spring equinox to “watch the shadow of the serpent god slither down the pyramid”. The entrance is a ways from the parking area where we had put on our gear; we had to strap on our heavy tanks, put on our flip flops, and carefully navigate the slippery steps down to the water. The entrance was a large pool that glistened in the light. I saw a small turtle calmly poking his head out of the water before slipping underneath the surface. Vegetation clambered over the rock faces, giving off a jungle vibe. Placing my flip flops off to the side, I continued down the steps into the pool. The water was cold and seeped through my wetsuits, instantly adding weight and pulling me down. Now floating in the fresh water, I took a deep breath and looked around. This was amazing! Quickly, I washed my mask and pulled it over my head, peering under the water curiously. I could see the rocks below me disappear into inky blackness beyond. Once the whole group was in the water, Martin gave us our dive lights and did last minute checks. We lined up in order of experience level- I was the least experienced of the group so I was first in line behind Martin. Then, we all deflated our BCDs and descended down into a whole new world.
The chilly water kept me active and alert. I kept equalizing my ears as I swam down, eyes firmly locked on Martin's white fins in front of me. When he stopped abruptly, I almost swam straight into him. He motioned for the group to look up towards the opening of the cenote. Wow! Rays of sunlight pierced the water in a fan formation, creating a stunning heavenly halo effect. It was such a magical and unique sight that completely surpassed my expectations. Photographs cannot do it justice. Physically floating in that cenote, suspended in a body of clean freshwater, I could not help but be starstruck by the beauty of nature.
We continued to drift down deeper into the cave system. The clear and stunningly blue waters shifted to an eerie green the further down we went. I felt the chill in my bones, and felt a little apprehensive. It was soon dark enough that I couldn't see without my dive light. Every so often, Martin would pause and look back towards me, swinging his flashlight lazily in a large circle. I would perform the same 'O' motion back to him, and he would turn around and be on his way. A few times, I excitedly turned on my new action camera to try and capture this new experience, letting my dive light swing free on my wrist. It swirled around in its own circles, prompting Martin to look at me with a question in his eyes. Each time I nodded quickly, embarrassed that I was making him worry for no reason.
It actually took me a while to get used to freshwater diving. Scuba divers can use their breathing to control their body in the water without wasting energy. conserving air in the process. When you inhale, you will rise upwards, and when you exhale, you will descend. It took me several tries to be able to find the right counts for my breathing that would allow me to stay at a stable position. Since the cavern was a much tighter space than open ocean, I had to take smaller breaths. In the beginning, I breathed in too much, causing me to float upwards too high and hit the ceiling. The clink of my tank against the rock terrified me, and I immediately exhaled a stream of bubbles to distance myself from the ceiling. Looking down, I noticed that I was about to thud against the floor, which was bad because that stirred up silt and obscured the vision of the divers behind me. Trying to avoid this, I instinctively broke out of the small, slow, frog-circle kicks we were supposed to do and flutter-kicked upwards, pushing my body off the floor. I felt like a ping-pong ball, bouncing up and down inside the limits of the cave floors and ceiling...it didn't help that we were still going deeper into the cave, so I couldn't stabilize myself that easily. I found out later that the others were also having trouble at first. None of us had ever dived in fresh water or in caves before! Still, I managed to get the hang of it after a while.
I loosened up once I felt comfortable in the space and started really enjoying the dive. I was surprised to see shiny silver fish glimmering around, totally unafraid and unfazed by my presence. I would illuminate the fish with my dive light, coming very close to it, and it would just stare back at me and fishily swim away. Martin pointed out cool rock formations, fossils, and stalactites that jutted out sharply in the water. Bubbles from other divers floated towards me constantly...bulbous, clear shapes erupting upwards in a storm. We swam through a circular archway, coming out the other side. Kukulkan has a maximum depth of 50 feet. At around 40 feet, we encountered the halocline layer. This is where fresh water and sea water mixed, causing the water to look oily. Martin warned us that our vision would become blurry- we were not to try and clear out our goggles, because it wasn't because water had entered our goggles. It was weird to swim through this oozy, thick layer. I couldn't see Martin in front of me sometimes, and could barely see too far in front of my face. Of course, it was extremely dark so that limited my vision as well. It was immediately apparent when we left the halocline because the water became so much clearer. We had been diving for about 40 minutes, and our time was almost up. I slowly followed the others up towards the entrance, reveling in the unique experience we just had. :)
It actually took me a while to get used to freshwater diving. Scuba divers can use their breathing to control their body in the water without wasting energy. conserving air in the process. When you inhale, you will rise upwards, and when you exhale, you will descend. It took me several tries to be able to find the right counts for my breathing that would allow me to stay at a stable position. Since the cavern was a much tighter space than open ocean, I had to take smaller breaths. In the beginning, I breathed in too much, causing me to float upwards too high and hit the ceiling. The clink of my tank against the rock terrified me, and I immediately exhaled a stream of bubbles to distance myself from the ceiling. Looking down, I noticed that I was about to thud against the floor, which was bad because that stirred up silt and obscured the vision of the divers behind me. Trying to avoid this, I instinctively broke out of the small, slow, frog-circle kicks we were supposed to do and flutter-kicked upwards, pushing my body off the floor. I felt like a ping-pong ball, bouncing up and down inside the limits of the cave floors and ceiling...it didn't help that we were still going deeper into the cave, so I couldn't stabilize myself that easily. I found out later that the others were also having trouble at first. None of us had ever dived in fresh water or in caves before! Still, I managed to get the hang of it after a while.
I loosened up once I felt comfortable in the space and started really enjoying the dive. I was surprised to see shiny silver fish glimmering around, totally unafraid and unfazed by my presence. I would illuminate the fish with my dive light, coming very close to it, and it would just stare back at me and fishily swim away. Martin pointed out cool rock formations, fossils, and stalactites that jutted out sharply in the water. Bubbles from other divers floated towards me constantly...bulbous, clear shapes erupting upwards in a storm. We swam through a circular archway, coming out the other side. Kukulkan has a maximum depth of 50 feet. At around 40 feet, we encountered the halocline layer. This is where fresh water and sea water mixed, causing the water to look oily. Martin warned us that our vision would become blurry- we were not to try and clear out our goggles, because it wasn't because water had entered our goggles. It was weird to swim through this oozy, thick layer. I couldn't see Martin in front of me sometimes, and could barely see too far in front of my face. Of course, it was extremely dark so that limited my vision as well. It was immediately apparent when we left the halocline because the water became so much clearer. We had been diving for about 40 minutes, and our time was almost up. I slowly followed the others up towards the entrance, reveling in the unique experience we just had. :)
There's the yellow safety line in this photo right above!
Surfacing from the dive, I was exhilarated. It was such an amazing experience that completely surpassed my expectations for cenote diving! Since we had to wait some time before we could dive again, we went back to the truck, unzipped the top half of our wetsuits, and snacked on sandwiches, fruits, cookies, water, soda, and juice. The assortment of refreshments was perfect. I was actually pretty cold by the end of the first dive, so I sat in the sun and soaked up the heat, trying to warm up in time for our second dive.
For our second dive, we were entering the cave system through the Little Brother entrance. I could immediately tell that this cenote was going to be much darker than Kukulkan. Yes, it was later in the day, but also the entrance was more secluded than the other, and sunlight didn't reach it. A large rock overhang extended over the dark green water, casting it in shadow. The pool wasn't even that big- it didn't look like there was anything there. However, when I submerged my head to look around, I could see that we would be going pretty much straight down. This was definitely going to be more of a cave experience- I felt like I was in a cave in Kukulkan, but there was enough open space and beautiful sunlight to make it feel nice. Still, I am not claustrophobic, so I wasn't worried about Little Brother...
I floated in the entryway, checking my regulator and waiting for the others to come in. Martin supplied us with our dive lights and adjusted our weights. I wrapped the light twice around my wrist- wouldn't want to lose it in a cenote this dark. We deflated our BCDs and were on our way. I was immediately creeped out by the eeriness. Everything was an emerald green- it was like looking through night-vision goggles (not that I have ever done that before) which made me feel like I was in a movie. It was incredibly dark...my little dive light was barely pushing the darkness away. It looked smaller in this cenote, a thin beam that illuminated only the white parts of Martin's fins. We continued downward.
Honestly, I'm not sure what happened to me next. I started calmly freaking out. I know that is an oxymoron, so let me explain...I started to feel really nervous and uncomfortable. I am a apparently an underbreather- I always have more air than anyone else left over after a dive, which I think is interesting because I think I am breathing quite normally. Anyway, I began to breathe much more quickly, sucking in air and exhaling all the bubbles. I felt a little panicked, like I was running out of air, or I was using it too quickly, but I couldn't stop. I tried to focus on Martin's white fins, but distinctly remember looking to my left and seeing silhouetted forms drifting past giant rocks through intensely glowing green waters. It was otherworldly. I thought, "oh my god, mermaids" and "this is where they live, wow who knew" and "what the hell is going on!" I talked to myself in my head: Jessica, you're fine. You're being stupid, just relax. You were fine in the last dive. What the hell is wrong with you. You can't signal to go up even though you are considering it. That's so embarrassing. Come on, fix yourself. I kept wondering how much time had passed, how much longer this dive was, when we would stop going down, why were we still going deeper? There was nothing down there, it was pitch black!
I floated in the entryway, checking my regulator and waiting for the others to come in. Martin supplied us with our dive lights and adjusted our weights. I wrapped the light twice around my wrist- wouldn't want to lose it in a cenote this dark. We deflated our BCDs and were on our way. I was immediately creeped out by the eeriness. Everything was an emerald green- it was like looking through night-vision goggles (not that I have ever done that before) which made me feel like I was in a movie. It was incredibly dark...my little dive light was barely pushing the darkness away. It looked smaller in this cenote, a thin beam that illuminated only the white parts of Martin's fins. We continued downward.
Honestly, I'm not sure what happened to me next. I started calmly freaking out. I know that is an oxymoron, so let me explain...I started to feel really nervous and uncomfortable. I am a apparently an underbreather- I always have more air than anyone else left over after a dive, which I think is interesting because I think I am breathing quite normally. Anyway, I began to breathe much more quickly, sucking in air and exhaling all the bubbles. I felt a little panicked, like I was running out of air, or I was using it too quickly, but I couldn't stop. I tried to focus on Martin's white fins, but distinctly remember looking to my left and seeing silhouetted forms drifting past giant rocks through intensely glowing green waters. It was otherworldly. I thought, "oh my god, mermaids" and "this is where they live, wow who knew" and "what the hell is going on!" I talked to myself in my head: Jessica, you're fine. You're being stupid, just relax. You were fine in the last dive. What the hell is wrong with you. You can't signal to go up even though you are considering it. That's so embarrassing. Come on, fix yourself. I kept wondering how much time had passed, how much longer this dive was, when we would stop going down, why were we still going deeper? There was nothing down there, it was pitch black!
I saw a wooden boat lying on the rocks below. What was it doing there? Everything seemed so desolate and lonely. I didn't see any fish in this cenote. This Chac-Mool cenote, which we entered through Little Brother, has a maximum depth of 40 feet. That's less than Kukulkan! But it seemed so much deeper because of the inkiness of the water. I really didn't like this.
The turning point came as we reached the massive boulder at the bottom of the cenote and started heading up. As I ascended, ears popping, I noticed we were heading towards a glimmer of light. I was shocked when my head broke the surface of the water, and I popped out into a cavern- yet we were still inside the cenote! This was a 'dome room' with an air pocket created when there was a collapse. Stalactites large and small extended downwards, little droplets of water dripping from their tips. I spit out my regulator and pushed my mask to the top of my head, thanking the lord silently as I drew in a fresh breath. This air pocket has access to air from outside, and it tasted so so good. We spent some time in that room looking around, flashing our lights at fossils, giant tree roots cracking the limestone, and incredible cave formations. It was a really cool space, and a perfect break. I was happy to hear the others' voices. I saw twisted vines crawling across the ceiling, and ginormous, disgusting centipedes snaking along the walls. It was wild- we were intruders exploring this whole new world that many do not get to see!
The turning point came as we reached the massive boulder at the bottom of the cenote and started heading up. As I ascended, ears popping, I noticed we were heading towards a glimmer of light. I was shocked when my head broke the surface of the water, and I popped out into a cavern- yet we were still inside the cenote! This was a 'dome room' with an air pocket created when there was a collapse. Stalactites large and small extended downwards, little droplets of water dripping from their tips. I spit out my regulator and pushed my mask to the top of my head, thanking the lord silently as I drew in a fresh breath. This air pocket has access to air from outside, and it tasted so so good. We spent some time in that room looking around, flashing our lights at fossils, giant tree roots cracking the limestone, and incredible cave formations. It was a really cool space, and a perfect break. I was happy to hear the others' voices. I saw twisted vines crawling across the ceiling, and ginormous, disgusting centipedes snaking along the walls. It was wild- we were intruders exploring this whole new world that many do not get to see!
I felt ready when it was time to put our masks back on, our regulators in, and dive back down into the depths. This time, I really looked around, noting the massive rocks along the bottom. The darkness and the green lighting were exciting now- it was mysterious, evidence that I was exploring something entirely new. I had to take advantage of this experience! As we traversed the cenote, the water started to lighten up and I saw some of the sunlit rays that I associate with cenotes shining through the water in muted fashion. Yes, Little Brother was saying to me...yes, I can be scary...but I am beautiful at the same time. Our 45 minutes was drawing to a close, and I felt peaceful and happy. What an emotional dive this was, but I was delighted by my ability to control myself and get my head back in the game.
I did it! I had a massive headache when I surfaced, but that was most likely a symptom of my under-breathing; yes, even though I thought I was sucking air like crazy, I still ended up with more air than anyone else! I must be unconsciously under-breathing, and lack of oxygen can lead to headaches. But I don't even care, because hey, I'm alive! And freshwater diving is amazing- you feel soooo clean afterwards.
I have finally fulfilled my dreams of scuba diving a cenote. They were as beautiful and magical as I thought they would be, but also terrifying and creepy at the same time. I'm glad that I was able to experience the myriad facets of cenotes- they aren't supposed to be all happiness. Although they are sources of life, people have been sacrificed in cenotes, and I feel as if that dichotomy of life/death is highly apparent. The gorgeous rays of the life-giving sun shooting through the waters and the freshwater top layer contrasts with the darkness bubbling up from below and bottom seawater layer. The gold thrown into these sacred natural wells contrasts with the bones of humans thrown in to appease Mayan gods.
To reiterate the beginning of this piece: cenotes are captivating. They are complex, nuanced, natural creations that have evolved over time to become these highly-visited and attractive cultural hotspots with ties to ancient civilizations. I am honored to have had the opportunity to dive into history and explore cenotes. I encourage anyone who is scuba-certified to try this experience! Let me know if you have any questions. :)
~burn bright~
Jess
I have finally fulfilled my dreams of scuba diving a cenote. They were as beautiful and magical as I thought they would be, but also terrifying and creepy at the same time. I'm glad that I was able to experience the myriad facets of cenotes- they aren't supposed to be all happiness. Although they are sources of life, people have been sacrificed in cenotes, and I feel as if that dichotomy of life/death is highly apparent. The gorgeous rays of the life-giving sun shooting through the waters and the freshwater top layer contrasts with the darkness bubbling up from below and bottom seawater layer. The gold thrown into these sacred natural wells contrasts with the bones of humans thrown in to appease Mayan gods.
To reiterate the beginning of this piece: cenotes are captivating. They are complex, nuanced, natural creations that have evolved over time to become these highly-visited and attractive cultural hotspots with ties to ancient civilizations. I am honored to have had the opportunity to dive into history and explore cenotes. I encourage anyone who is scuba-certified to try this experience! Let me know if you have any questions. :)
~burn bright~
Jess