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Cancun Has A New Draw For Divers
arly this year, a pair of an equally interesting story.
professional divers Several unique factors play a
uncovered a new landmark role in the creation of the
beneath Cancun and the Yucatan area’s sinkholes and eventually
Peninsula. After years of the underground rivers. The
searching and thousands of dives, stretch of the Yucatan Peninsula
Steve Bogaerts and his dive known as the Riviera Maya rests
partner, Robbie Schmittner, were on a base of porous limestone, a
able to find a connection between stone that allows rainwater to
two massive underwater cave easily enter the underground cave
systems. Bogaerts and Schmittner systems. Meanwhile, the
performed more than 500 dives of rainforests of the Yucatan
several hours over a course of Peninsula attract considerable
four years to connect the world’s precipitation, all of which
second-longest (Sistema Sac drains toward the Caribbean Sea.
Actun) and third-longest
underwater caves (Sistema Nohoch After the water seeps through the
Nah Chich). Since then, the limestone and moves slowly east,
Sistema Sac Actun (White Cave the relatively flat ground near
System) has assumed the title of the coastline fosters the
the world’s largest underwater creation of sinkholes – known to
cave. At over 95 miles in length, divers and scientists as cenotes.
Sac Actun also stands as the Underground, the water becomes
ninth-largest cave in the world, slightly acidic and dissolves
including all dry cave systems. rock as it moves, carving out
these remarkable caves. In fact,
As underground waterways of this these unique ecological elements
size are certainly rare, the were also responsible for the
development of the cave system world’s previous longest
over thousands of years provides underground cave system – the
91-mile Sistema Ox Bel Ha, also interconnected. There are so many
located in the Riviera Maya. cave systems that if there's a
point of pollution in any one
The cenotes, caves and rivers particular area it can spread
have played an important role in very extensively throughout the
the cultural history of the entire system.” According to the
region, as well. The Mayan divers, “awareness is growing,
culture depended on the fresh but it must keep pace with the
water found in these systems for extremely rapid pace of
centuries, while the underground development.”
rivers currently support the
tourist industries of Cancun and For the tourist, the discovery of
Cozumel. At the same time, the such underground systems has
rivers are important to opened the door to some of the
scientists analyzing the human most incredible dive
impact on the environment. In opportunities in the world.
fact, Bogaerts states that the Thanks to the connection made
adventurous divers seeking out early this year, divers can visit
the connections of underground several popular cenotes while
rivers serve as the “eyes and advanced divers can explore the
hands” of geologists, biologists, dark depths of this unique
chemists and other environmental system. Entering the system
researchers. through one of the area’s
numerous cenotes, divers will
Beyond the thrill of the dive, find over 500,000 feet of caves
the cave system highlights to explore. According to an
important ecological issues online message posted by Bogaerts
regarding the area’s drainage after the discovery, divers now
patterns. Bogaerts says, “The have the opportunity to explore
point is that they’re so several popular cenotes as part
of a single cave. He claims that Maya’s underwater caves,
“it is now possible to traverse searching for more connections.
from the Pabilany cenote – west Some have speculated that Sistema
of the Calimba cenote on the Coba Sac Actun could be connected to
Road – around the Grand Cenote at least two additional cave
(Sac Actun), Cenote Esqueleto systems, caves that would add an
(Temple of Doom), Cenote Naval, additional 125 miles in length.
Cenote Abejas, Cenote Nohoch Kin, There is even a possibility that
bypass Manati, press on to the Riviera Maya might surpass
Balancanche, Cenote Nohoch Nah the world’s largest cave system –
Chich, pass by the Dinner Hole a title currently held by the
Cenote and end up in the Dirty 360-mile Mammoth Cave system in
Dog or Pet Cemetery Cenotes.” If Kentucky.
you are familiar with diving
around Cancun or have begun Time will tell what else lies
researching your trip to the beneath Cancun and the Riviera
area, this new path is sure to Maya. In the meantime, visitors
excite. can explore some of the most
important – and undeniably unique
Bogaerts and Schmitter will – caves in the world.
continue exploring the Riviera
About the Author:
Justin Burch writes articles about travel in Cancun for the Marriott Resorts.
Read more articles by: Justin Burch
Article Source: www.iSnare.com |
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