Steve Gerrard's Deep Horizon web site

 

Cave Diving The Big Four

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 150+ 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:
 

1.

SISTEMA SAC AKTUN

503,933 ft/153,599 m

2.

SISTEMA OX BEL HA

481,500 ft/146,761 m

3.

SISTEMA DOS OJOS

186,363 feet+/56,803*

4.

LEON SINKS CAVE SYSTEM, FL.

125,000 ft+/38,226*

                                           

Finishing up the top 9 are:

 

5.

SISTEMA NARANJAL

70,619 ft/21,525 m

6.

SISTEMA TOH HA

57,807 ft/17,620 m

7.

SISTEMA PONDEROSA

49, 274 ft/15,019 m

8.

SISTEMA PITCH

45,000 ft/13,636 m

9.

SISTEMA YAXCHEN

42,947 ft/13,090 m

 

*Approximate lengths as various sources of data conflict with the exact amount.

 

     Eight of the nine longest cave systems in the world are within the extraordinary RIVIERA MAYA area.

 

     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 PHOTOGRAPHY

    Sistema Calavera

    Grand Cenote

    Cenote Calimba

    Sistema Tuhs Kupaxa

    Cenote Jailhouse

    Cenote I-Hop

    Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich

    Cenote  Chan Hol

    Cenote  Caracol

    Sistema Mundo Escondido

 

 

DPV CAVE SYSTEMS
 

 

To the "Blue Abyss"

Cenote Nohoch Nah Chich

 

To "The Pit"

Cenote Dos Ojos

 

To the "LSD area"

Cenote Dos Ojos

 

Cenote Zapata upstream to "The Ball Park"

Sistema Ox Bel Ha

 

Cenote Naharon to Mayan Blue & back

Sistema Naranjal

 

Cenote Jailhouse

Sistema Naranjal

 

The Tour

Sistema PonDeRosa

 

The Tour -

Sistema Chac Mool

 

The Tour

Sistema Taj Mahal

 

The Tour - Cenote Muchachos

Sistema Camilo

 

BIG ROOMS

 

 

The Wakulla Room in "The Pit"

Sistema Dos Ojos

 

"The Blue Abyss"

Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich

 

"The Chinese Garden

Sistema Taj Mahal

 

"The Hall of Giants"

Sistema Temple of Doom

 

"The Battleship Room"

Sistema Naranjal

 

"The City of Agre"

Sistema Taj Mahal

 

"The Monster House"

Sistema Chac Mool

 

"The Coliseum Room"

Sistema Temple of Doom

 

 

BEAUTIFUL ROOMS & PASSAGEWAYS 

 

 

Room Of Tears

Sistema Carwash

 

Chinese Garden

Sistema Taj Mahal

 

The Chapel

Sistema PonDeRosa

 

Disneyland including "Heaven's Gate"

Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich

 

The Cuzan Nah loop

Sistema Sac Aktun

  Cenote I-Hop Sistema Sac Aktun
 

Upstream mainline

Sistema Mundo Escondido

 

Wonderland

Sistema Aktun Koh

 

The Bosh Chen loop

Sistema Sac Aktun

 

The China Shop

The Main Line

The Main Line

Sistema Xilbalba

Sistema Chan Hol

Sistema Caracol

  Downstream Cenote Jailhouse

 

 

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

 

 

The Pit - 363 ft/119.1 m.

Sistema Dos Ojos

 

The Blue Abyss Room - 235 ft/77 m.

Sistema Sac Aktun

 

209 ft/69 m.

Sistema Aak Kimin

 

209 ft/69 m.

Sistema Tam Ha

 

199 ft/65 m.

Cenote Angilita

 

175 ft/57 m.

Sistema Doble Dicha

 

 

LARGE POWER PASSAGES

 

 

The Jumna River.

Sistema Taj  Mahal   

 

The Monster Canyon.

Sistema Toucha Ha

 

Cindy's Line and beyond.

Sistema Camilo

 

The main line upstream the first 9,000 ft.

Sistema Nohoch Nah Chich

 

The Glory Run & the Freshwater line.

Sistema Tortuga

 

Cenote Zapata upstream - Ballpark line.

Sistema Ox Bel Ha

 

Cenote Mayan Blue - "B" to "E" to "F" lines.

Sistema Naranjal

 

The upstream mainline.

Sistema Aktun Koh

 

The upstream mainline.

Sistema Chac Mool

 

The upstream mainline.

The upstream mainline.

Sistema Crustecea

Sistema Chac Mool

 

Cenote Naval upstream.

Sistma Sac Aktun

 

Cenote Jailhouse downstream.

Sistema Naranjal

 

 

     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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