Cave Diving The Big Three
Cave Diving the Big THREE
The
world’s best cave diving is in the Riviera Maya of Mexico’s
Yucatan Caribbean coast from Puerto Morelos traveling south beyond
the village of Tulum.  Within
this 100 kilometer distance includes over 180+ explored, surveyed
cave systems. With
consistent, year-round crystal clear water, relative shallow depths,
warm 77 degree Fahrenheit temperatures and usually an outstanding
array of decorations and speleothems, what better conditions can you
ask for? You cannot find
a more exceptional concentration of underwater cave systems within
such a close proximity providing the cave diver with the best
environment to safely dive and enjoy.
The
four longest underwater cave systems in the world are:
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1.
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SISTEMA
OX BEL HA
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180039
meters/590678 feet
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2.
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SISTEMA
SAC AKTUN
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168959
meters/554328 feet
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3.
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SISTEMA
DOS OJOS
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62209
meters/204098 feet
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4.
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LEON
SINKS CAVE SYSTEM*
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150,000
feet plus
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In
fact, seven of the top eight longest cave systems in the world are
within the extraordinary RIVIERA MAYA area. (As of June, 2009)
They are:
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5.
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SISTEMA
TOH HA
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27797
meters/91197 feet
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6.
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SISTEMA
AKTUN HU
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24913
meters/81735 feet
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7.
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SISTEMA
NARANJAL
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24324
meters/79804 feet
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8.
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SISTEMA
K’OOX BAAL
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20089
meters/65902 feet
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9.
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SISTEMA
TUHS (TUX) KAPAXA
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15144
meters/49685 feet
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*Approximate
lengths as various sources of data conflict with the exact amount.
 There
is so much guideline laid and surveyed, most conservative estimates
put it over 2 million ft/655,738
m or equivalent to 379 miles of explored and surveyed
underwater passages. That is an astonishing number of caves to
explore and see.
Many
people continually ask me the question, what is my favorite
underwater cave to dive. To be fair, I do not have a favorite.
Each cave system has its own personality and qualities. There
is a story to each one. In fact, I have not had the opportunity
to dive every cave system and every explored cave passage. It
is literally impossible to do. You could dive every day for the
next 10 years (3,650 days) and not be able to explore all of the
known underwater cave passages.
I
can offer this: Here are some of my favorite dives for
particular interests or purposes. They are:
OVERALL
PHOTOGAPHY
The
Grand Cenote
Cenote
Nohoch Nah Chich
Cenote
Chan Hol
Cenote
Caracol
Sistema
Mundo Escondido
Sistema
Dos Pisos
Cenote
Sac Be Ha
Cenote
Jailhouse
DPV
CAVE SYSTEMS
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To
Cenote Far Station
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Cenote
Mystic River
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To
“The Pit”
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Cenote
Dos Ojos
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To
the “LSD area”
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Cenote
Dos Ojos
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Cenote
Zapata upstream to “The Ball Park”
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Sistema
Ox Bel Ha
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Cenote
Naharon to Mayan Blue & back
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Sistema
Naranjal
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Cenote
of the Sun downstream
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Sistema
Naranjal
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The
Tour
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Sistema
PonDeRosa
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The
Tour
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Sistema
Chac Mool
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The
Tour
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Sistema
Taj Mahal
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The
Tour
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Sistema
Camilo
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BIG
ROOMS
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The
Wakulla Room in “The Pit”
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Sistema
Dos Ojos
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“The
Blue Abyss”
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Cenote
Mystic River
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“The
Chinese Garden
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Sistema
Taj Mahal
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“The
Hall of Giants”
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Cenote
Calavera (TOD)
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“The
Battleship Room”
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Sistema
Naranjal
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“The
City of Agre”
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Sistema
Taj Mahal
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“The
Monster House”
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Sistema
Chac Mool
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“The
Coliseum Room”
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Cenote
Temple of Doom
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Upstream
Aktun Hu
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Cenote
Aktun Hu
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BEAUTIFUL
ROOMS & PASSAGEWAYS
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Room
Of Tears
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Cenote
Carwash
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Chinese
Garden
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Sistema
Taj Mahal
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The
Chapel
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Sistema
PonDeRosa
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Disneyland
including “Heaven’s Gate”
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Cenote
Nohoch Nah Chich
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The
Cuzan Nah loop
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The
Grand Cenote
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Cenote
Mystic River upstream
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Sistema
Sac Aktun
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Upstream
mainline
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Sistema
Mundo Escondido
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Wonderland
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Sistema
Aktun Koh
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The
Bosh Chen loop
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The
Grand Cenote
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The
China Shop
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Sistema
Xilbalba
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The
Main Line
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Cenote
Chan Hol
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Upstream
Main Line
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Cenote
Sac Be Ha
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Upstream
Main Line
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Cenote
Caracol
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LONGEST
UNDERWATER STALACTITES
The
Drip Water Stone - 40 ft. The Monster House, Sistema Chac Mool
The
Fang – 21 ft, Hall of Giants, Sistema Temple of Doom
DEEPEST
DIVES
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The
Pit – 363 ft/119.1 m.
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Sistema
Dos Ojos
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The
Blue Abyss Room – 235 ft/77 m.
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Sistema
Nohoch Nah Chich
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209
ft/69 m.
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Sistema
Aak Kimin
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209
ft/69 m.
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Sistema
Tam Ha
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199
ft/65 m.
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Cenote
Angilita
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189
ft/62 meters - “The Black Abyss”
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Sistema
Aktun Hu
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175
ft/57 m.
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Sistema
Doble Dicha
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LARGE
POWER PASSAGES
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The
Jumna River.
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Sistema
Taj Mahal
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Upstream
main line – “The biggest of all”
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Sistema
Aktun Hu
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The
Monster Canyon.
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Sistema
Toucha Ha
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Cindy’s
Line and beyond.
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Sistema
Camilo
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The
main line upstream the first 9,000 ft.
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Cenote
Nohoch Nah Chich
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The
Glory Run & the Freshwater line.
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Sistema
Tortuga
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Cenote
Zapata upstream – Ballpark line.
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Sistema
Ox Bel Ha
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Cenote
Mayan Blue -
“B” to “E” to “F” lines.
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Sistema
Naranjal
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The
upstream mainline.
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Sistema
Aktun Koh
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The
upstream mainline.
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Sistema
Chac Mool
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The
upstream mainline.
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Sistema
Crustecea
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Cenote
Naval upstream.
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Sistma
Sac Aktun
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Cenote
Jailhouse downstream.
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Sistema
Naranjal
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These
favorites only represent a sample of what exists in the immeasurable
underwater cave systems of the Riviera Maya. There is much more
to explore and discover. If you have any questions, please
email me at:
stevegerrard@cavediver.com
If
I do not know the answer then I can tell you who may know, as there
is such a great deal to learn and understand. Be safe and have
fun!!
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