Car Wash

They did indeed wash cars in here in times gone by. The cenote lies a few meters from the highway and the water is virtually surface level. No wonder they put it to good(?) use. Anyway, these days, visiting divers and snorkelers are a wealthier source of income, and so the cars are out and the acquaphilliacs (a word I just made up) are in.

This is a bouncy ride. All up and down thru single file restrictions that open up to galleries. Couldn't shoot anything decent, so the pictorial content of the actual cave is even shorter coming than usual. Sorry.

What I can show for this is the eerie ambience of the basin. This time of the year, a green micro algae fills the surface, up to a couple of meters down, and builds an emerald cloud that turns the underwater world into a surreal place. You dive in close to zero visibility and two meters down the water opens up with total clarity. What an experience!

The cenote basin from above:



And from below:


The fallen tree trunks break through the cloud reminding you of a misty etherial morning in some forgotten land. It truly is magical.




The dive took us from the cenote entrance all the way to the Lotus room on the left hand side of the map. You can see from all the little "r"s signaling single file restrictions along the way, that this is a route better handled by contortionists. In places you had to wiggle thru, going up, down, and sideways. A bumpy ride indeed.

Going in:


A typical restriction:


Luke's hope, a cenote we passed on the way...


On return, the emerald basin was there to greet us...