ARTICLES | Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico

Whale shark

admin — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 22:31:03 +0000

Whale Shark: The biggest fish in the world.

The eternal question: is it a shark or a whale?

If we look carefully to the whale shark anatomy we can see the following characteristics:

5 Gills in front of the pectoral fins.
If we look at the caudal, dorsal, pelvic, anal and pectoral fins, it has the exact amount and location that the SHARKS.

So, It’s a shark, therefore, the biggest fish in the world!

General information

Scientific name: Rhincodon typus
Longevity: between 70 and 100 years

Anatomy of the whale shark

Its weight goes around 21 tons, or the equivalent of the weight of 4 african elephants, and it measures around 12 meters long. There are a lot of histories that talk about 18 meters long specimens, but there aren’t any records or scientific proof of that, we all know how folktales are.

The most characteristic is their skin

Thick as 10 cm, covered with its own unique pattern of yellow/white dots and stripes. Like it were fingerprints. These patterns are used for their identification

Their big mouth

It’s 1,5m wide, with 300 to 350 rows of tiny teeth that don’t have any important role for their feeding. The 20 rows of filter pads are the responsibilities of filtering their food. Everything that is bigger than 2-3 mm of diameter gets trapped in them.

Caudal fin

It can be 2.5 m long. But, despite its size, they are slow swimmers, moving just 5 km/h.
In the young specimens, the top fin is bigger than the lower one. Meanwhile, on the adults, it has a half moon shape, for better propulsion.

How do the whale shark feed?

First of all, they target their food through olfactory cues. And then, through filtration, they feed themselves.

It can be a ram filter feed or gulp in stationary position, commonly known as “bottle position”. In other words, they put themselves in a vertical position and then move up and down pumping and filtering actively water.

What do they eat?

Plankton (organisms that float in the water), like copepods, krill, fish eggs and red crab eggs.

And also nekton (organisms that actively swim in the water) like small fish (anchovies, mackerel, sardines) or squids.

Habitat

Found in all tropical and subtropical warm waters (21º – 30ºC) except from the Mediterranean sea.

They are considered pelagic animals, but in certain periods of the year, they migrate to offshore areas, like the Holbox island in Quintana Roo, where we are so lucky to be able to see them.

How do they reproduce?

They reach their sexual maturity when they reach 9m long. For the females around 30 years old, for the males, 25 years old.

They are ovoviviparous. The newborn whale sharks are between 40 and 60 cm big, but there is not so much information about them, as they are rarely seen.

Curiosity: A single female can grow up to 300 embryos inside before hatching their young live.

Protect the whale shark

The population of whale sharks is unknown, but in 2016, they were classified on the IUCN Red List as endangered.

Therefore, fishing, importation and exportation of whale sharks for commercial purposes is forbidden and punished.

Hazards:

Whale sharks are highly valued in Asian market as:

Meat, known as “Tofu shark”.
Fins used for fin soup
Fins as prize display

How can we protect them?

Enhance Eco-Tourism, where the species are protected and they help local economies.
Any activity related to them should be conducted listening and respecting the local recommendation for their protection.
Ban shark finning.
Create shark sanctuaries.

Now that you have a deep understanding of the whale shark, it’s the moment to meet it in person.

Every year, from June to September, a big congregation of these wonderful animals visit us in front of Holbox island. It’s one of the biggest ones in the world and we are so privileged to be able to visit them. Are you coming? Contact us for more information.

Feel free to use this infographic for any non comercial purposes.
Download here

The designer will appreciate if you give her some credit: Isabel Domínguez @ Design4Diving.com

The post Whale shark appeared first on Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico.

PROTOCOLS FOR COVID-19

admin — Wed, 03 Jun 2020 15:21:56 +0000

In 2020 our world was put upside down. The COVID-19 outbreak and subsequent pandemic have altered the way we approach the world. From our daily activities to everything, including our passion: diving. This new situation has made us rethink how the new protocols for COVID-19 are going to be.

In CenoteTours we are concerned about protecting everybody from the virus, but also, really worried about the environmental impact that all these new procedures are going to have.

Diving is an activity that is practiced in teams, and as instructors, physical contact sometimes is inevitable, so we are trying to achieve a balance.

Nowadays there are non official protocols to follow, but a lot of recommendations provided by DAN and diving associations. We developed these guidelines taking them into consideration

BASIC RULES

Wash hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer (unless working with compressed gas, especially oxygen-enriched gas).

Alcohol-based hand sanitizer: As most of our divers prefer diving with Nitrox, we need to be really cautious with the use of the sanitizer and then manipulating equipment and/or tanks. Whenever possible, it is preferable to wash hands with soap.

Maintain a social distance of at least 6 feet (2 meters), and avoid direct contact with other people.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
Be sure to follow good respiratory hygiene. Cough or sneeze into the elbow or a tissue, and dispose of the tissue right away.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends wearing a cloth face covering in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain.

BEFORE YOUR ARRIVAL

It takes only one infected person to spread the virus. That’s why we will ask our divers to fill a health declaration form.
Also, the number of visitors will be limited to only those who will be participating in diving or related activities.

EQUIPMENT

Divers will be encouraged to use their own equipment. This is the best way of avoiding getting infected and spreading the virus.
Bringing a personal mouthpiece for the regulator is also highly encouraged. We will have mouthpieces for sale for those who didn’t bring one and want to use a new one.
Each diver will have a designated container to store their equipment. They will be in charge of manipulating their gear and avoiding mixing with other divers’ gear.

TRANSPORTATION

BOAT

Respect social distancing and the use of masks will be mandatory during the boat ride.
Divers should try to avoid contact with any equipment that is not their own.
The boat will be disinfected after each tour.

CAR

Maximum ratio of people allowed in the car will be respected in each phase until all the restrictions are lifted.
The use of masks will be mandatory in the car. Each diver should bring their own.
Additionally, after each tour, the car will be disinfected to get it ready for the next day.

BEFORE THE DIVE

Disinfecting hands before manipulating the gear.
Each diver will be responsible for assembling their own gear, avoiding to touch the tank valve.
Any pre-dive checks and briefings should be performed while maintaining a proper safe distance between all team members or any bystanders.
Safe distance also applies for any communication that needs to be done on the surface before descending.
Discouraging the use of saliva as anti fog. Biodegradable anti fog will be available for those who don’t have their own.

AFTER THE DIVE

Disinfecting hands before manipulating the gear.
Each diver will be responsible for disassembling their own gear, avoiding touching the tank valve.
They will store their equipment in their designated container.

SURFACE INTERVAL

Relax and enjoy.
We try to reduce the plastic footprint and protect everyone at the same time, therefore, the use of personal reusable water bottles is preferable. We have fancy and reusable CetoteTours water bottles for sale for the ones who forgot theirs at home. Protecting the environment and getting a cool souvenir in one single purchase.
Snacks and food will be provided in the most hygienic way possible.

DISINFECTION OF EQUIPMENT

All equipment will be disinfected after being used, especially when it comes into contact with mouth, nose and eyes.
All the gear will be disinfected using the proper disinfectant.
If the rental gear is going to be used by the same diver for several days, it will be labeled and stored separately from the rest of the equipment to avoid cross infections.

More info: Disinfection of Scuba Equipment and COVID-19

These are the basic rules to return to our activities. They apply to both diving tours and training.

These guidelines are the ones recommended on the date that this article was written, but they are being reviewed constantly for a better approach to the situation we are living in. They are susceptible to change.

Using common sense and never neglecting the security of the fragile environment we visit, are our priorities. And of course, that you have the best experience ever!

The post PROTOCOLS FOR COVID-19 appeared first on Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico.

WHY MEXICO?

admin — Sat, 30 May 2020 09:00:51 +0000

Located close to the Tropic of Cancer, the Riviera Maya is the perfect place for any kind of recreational diving and without hesitation, the best place on Earth to complete the Full Cave Course.

MEXICO, A CAVE DIVER´S PARADISE

Thousands of cenotes give access to more than 1.500 km of underwater caves (almost 1000 miles) with crystal clear and warm water. This maze of caves gives the diver the chance of finding most of the possible scenarios that might be encountered while cave diving.

The temperature of the water (77 °F/25 °C) allows not only to dive all year round, but also long diving sessions without the need of a dry suit.

The open water area of some cenotes create the perfect environment for practicing skills in situ.

The perfect visibility and millions of formations make any minute of your dive worthy. Be sure to book a few extra days after completing your course to enjoy the wonderful caves without the pressure of the training.

BUT IS NOT ALL ABOUT THE CAVES

The Riviera Maya has much to offer. Both under and above the surface.

WEATHER

Being in a tropical area, the Riviera Maya enjoys warm weather all year round. 2 marked periods divide the year in “rainy” and “dry” seasons. But make no mistake, in the rainy season it might rain, almost every day, but for a very short time. This amount of water filters quickly through the rock to feed the caves.

NATURE

Jungle, mangrove, reefs, caves, beaches… very different ecosystems can be found in the region. This variety together with the large number of different species of flora and fauna living in the area make Mexico a treasure of Nature.

CULTURE

Called the Riviera Maya, its name makes reference to the Mayan culture. If you want to know more about it check Tulum, Cobá, Chichen Itzá or Ek Balam. Visiting any of these archeological sites will transport you to the times when the mayans were walking through the jungle. Hiring an archeological guide will highly improve your experience.

OPEN WATER DIVING

Need to get out of the overhead environment? Go diving in the tropical reefs. Enjoy the wide open, warm water of the Caribbean sea. Relax checking the sealife at the local dive sites in Playa del Carmen or Cozumel.

FOOD, FOOD AND MORE FOOD

Tacos, tostadas, quesadillas, salbutes, panuchos, tamales, pico de gallo, cochinita pibil, nachos, enchiladas, sopes…Who does not love mexican food??

Get away from Fifth Avenue and discover small restaurants visited only by locals and wise tourists. Your palate and your pocket will love it!

LOCAL LIFE

Go to the beach, drink tequila or mezcal (after and only after finishing your course!), listen to the mariachis, talk to the people…staying in Playa del Carmen or Tulum the options to interact with locals are countless.

There are many places in the world where you can sign up for your Sidemount, Full Cave or any other Technical or Recreational course, but for sure, none as Mexico.

The post WHY MEXICO? appeared first on Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico.

HOW TO CHOOSE MY DIVING INSTRUCTOR

admin — Fri, 29 May 2020 18:25:15 +0000

GROWING NUMBERS

We all remember our diving instructors. All of them. They are not just teachers, they are mentors, advisors, role models, that is why getting trained by the right one is so important. And sometimes the task of deciding how to choose your diving instructors is not an easy one.

The large number of dive shops and independent diving instructors is growing every day. Also new airlines are making it more accessible for everybody to travel all around the world. Taking these two things in consideration, choosing the right diving instructor looks like a difficult task.

From entry levels such as Open Water Diver to the most advanced technical course as Full Cave Diver there are some aspects you might want to consider before choosing your instructor.

WHAT SHOULD I LOOK FOR

There are many reasons to choose one or another instructor but for us, in CenoteTours, these are some of the most important ones.

EXPERIENCE

Practice makes the master. Not only as a diver, but also as an instructor, the more hours you spend in the water training or just diving, the more you will learn. We all are constantly learning. Run away from the instructor who thinks that knows it all.

LEVEL

Your instructor should be actively diving at the same level that is teaching and must be comfortable diving in higher ones.

PROFESSIONALISM

The knowledge, the skill level, the integrity, the continuous education, the behavior with you and others, the manners, the status of her/his dive gear, even the aspect, everythings is an indicator of the professional level of your instructor.

PATIENCE

Some people need more time than others to process and assimilate information or to master skills and techniques. Being patient is one of the most important characteristics of any instructor from any discipline.

EMPATHY

We all have started where you are now and so did your instructor. This gives him or her the chance to understand the feelings, hopes and frustrations of the student. Being able to get to the same level as the student is key for a quality instruction.

EGO

We are humans and we make mistakes. Whoever doesn´t agree with this is being dishonest to you and him/herself. Don’t allow your instructor´s ego to get in the way of your training.

STYLE

Friendly, military, distended, verbal, visual, one-on-one… There are many teaching styles and one is not better than another. Everybody is different and learns in a different way. The best one is the one that works for you.

EXCLUSIVITY

There are people that learn faster when they are surrounded by peers while others perform better in private environments. Same as some dive shops or independent instructors manage large groups of students and others are specialized in a more personalized attention. This is, for sure, a valuable information to have before booking your course.

There you have some, but not all the reasons to choose your instructor. Remember that we are different and what worked for your friend might not work for you. So, take your time, do your research and don´t hesitate to ask the dive shop or instructor what you want to know about the program you are about to start.

Hope we helped you answering this tricky question: how to choose my diving instructor?

The post HOW TO CHOOSE MY DIVING INSTRUCTOR appeared first on Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico.

WHY TAKE A COURSE BEFORE GOING CAVE DIVING?

admin — Fri, 29 May 2020 17:40:53 +0000

Maybe you ask yourself, why take a course before going cave diving?

Cave diving is one of the most demanding, unforgiving and beautiful modality of diving. Travelling through the veins of the Earth transports the diver into an unknown, almost untouched world visited only by a few privileged human beings.

GET READY. BODY AND MIND

Both mental and physical fitness are required to properly conduct a cave dive. Gear is heavy and redundancy in the cave diving configuration doubles the weight. Carrying the tanks to the water is not always easy. Sometimes long walks, rappelling or climbing are part of the plan before putting your wetsuit or drysuit on. Sometimes even after. Long bottom times are usually in the schedule and tiredness or hypothermia become aspects to seriously consider before the dive. Being healthy, practicing some other sport and having an appropriate diet will help, not only with cave diving, but also in life.

Not just the physical aspects,but also being focused, clear minded and having general awareness are needed from minute zero to the very end of the dive. Mental strength is required to deal with the stress created by common situations while cave diving such as low or no visibility, tight restrictions and complex navigation.

This combination of both, physical and mental requirements, make cave diving a high performance activity and not everybody is made for it.

SERIOUS TRAINING

Being part of technical diving, the skills, procedures and the different gear configuration used in cave diving require many hours of training and practice. A Full Cave diving course is mandatory to safely perform this sport.

This course is divided in 3 modules: Cavern, Intro to Cave and Full Cave course. And can be done in 1, 2 or 3 parts according to the evolution and stability of the student. Some divers have the time, the previous experience and the resources to do it in one time while others require more practice or hours in the water to move from one module to the next one.

Signing in for this course does not guarantee any certification. Only when the cave instructor is totally convinced with the diver´s performance a credential will be issued.

Being a solid cave diver is key to survive in such a hostile environment. Be sure to choose the right instructor.

The post WHY TAKE A COURSE BEFORE GOING CAVE DIVING? appeared first on Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico.

WHAT IS A HALOCLINE?

admin — Sun, 03 May 2020 17:47:40 +0000

Definition of halocline

In oceanography, a halocline (from Greek hals, halos ‘salt’ and klinein ‘to slope’) is a relatively sharp discontinuity in ocean salinity at a particular depth. In general, water with a higher concentration of salinity sinks below water that is less saline; therefore, saltier haloclines lie below less salty ones.

In the caves in Yucatan this stratification is even bigger because the water changes radically from fresh to salty. This sudden alteration in the salinity of the water results in amazing visual effects and buoyancy changes.

Where all that water comes from?

Saltwater comes from the sea. It is permanently filtering through the very porous limestone rock that conforms the Yucatan Peninsula creating a lense that soaks the Peninsula.

Fresh water comes from the rain. The water stays for a short time on the surface and quickly crosses the substrate dissolving minerals on its way down to finally lay on top of the lense created by saltwater.

So, what is halocline? The layer where these two water masses meet.

But this layer is also a Thermocline as temperature experiences a big variation. In the Riviera Maya saltwater is 3-4° F (about 2 °C) warmer than fresh water what creates a “bathtub effect” when hitting the salty layer that all divers love.

How does it affect diver’s bouyancy?

Through the Archimedes principle, Physics says that the deeper an object submerged in water is, the more negatively buoyant it will get.

But the change from one density to a drastically different one in just a few inches or centimeters strongly affects diver’s buoyancy. Suddenly the surrounding water is much more dense and neutral buoyancy becomes positive. Trying to descend becomes very difficult unless some air is released from the BCD or wing. On the way back up the opposite occurs. Some air has to be added in the BCD to compensate for the decreased density in the water holding the diver.

Even the most seasoned divers get amazed by this effect the first time they experience it.

No, is not your mask nor your eyes.

Diving in jelly would be an accurate definition of what a diver can see when crossing the halocline. Being below it is also a trick for the eyes. When untouched, the point where the two different waters meet looks perfectly flat, giving the optical impression of being the surface.

The visual effects created by this layer is one of the biggest features of some of the cenotes in the Riviera Maya, such as Jardín del Eden, also known as Ponderosa.

In order to enjoy these effects being one of the first groups in the water makes a huge difference. When diving cenotes in the Riviera Maya ask your dive shop or guide to go as early as possible. Totally worthy..

The post WHAT IS A HALOCLINE? appeared first on Cenote Tours Cave Diving Mexico.