Cuba cave diving

[cavedivingwoman]

There was an article in UWS last year that highlighted some caves in Cuba. Have a look in the archives, but I think it was the fall issue.

[johnj]

Does anyone know of any cave diving or cave divers in Cuba?

Here is a link to the FB page of "Support for Grupo Carsico in Cuba". You may find some more leads there.
JJ
https://www.facebook.com/groups/197782033691565/

[WEPIV]

Instead of starting a new thread I thought I'd re-use this one.
Wondering if anyone has any info on Saturn Cave near Varadero, Cuba. Is there a dive shop on site or another place near by to rent gear? Also, best way to get from Havana to Saturn without renting a car?
Gracias...

[AlabamaExile]

I was in Matanzas and Varadero last summer on a church mission trip. Didnt see any dive shops in either place but there may be one somewhere. I dont know of a way to get from Havana to Varadero other than renting a car or taking a bus - there are a lot of buses that the locals use to get around. Another option would be to fly directly to the airport in Varadero. It would be much more convenient as Varadero is probably a 1.5 hour drive from the Havana airport.

I don't know if you have been to Cuba before but it is like stepping back in time. It is a beautiful place but they dont have many of the amenities that we take for granted. Be sure to take your own toilet paper!

I wish I knew more to tell you about the diving situation there as it looked like good cave diving territorry - lots of limestone everywhere. I will be interested to find out if there is a dive shop nearby as our church sends a team there every year and I can basically go whenever I want.

If you have any general questions about travelling in Cuba PM me and I will be happy to help any way I can.

[Danseur]

PSAI had a teaching/mapping Expedition planned. Don't think it happened, but the researcher was done. Check in there.

[jvanostrand]

I've been in three real caves and several cenotes one of which may extend further.

Along the Bay of Pigs eastern shore is a fault crack where several fissures are diveable. The common one is Cueva de los Pesces. This connects easily to an entrance called Cueva Dagmar about 1500 ft to the north, it goes on farther than that opening too. Depth is about 90 ft with one area 120 ft. Avg dive depth was 63 ft. I've done this two times and both trips the guides had slight difficulty finding the path to get into Dagmar. It's not dived often, but the cave is lined.

There are several openings up and down the coast including 35th Anniversary which is about 1000 ft long and easily 180 ft deep (but the ceiling is far higher.) There is Cueva el Brinco, which is maybe 300 ft long cavern-wise and it may go farther to the south. This cave is best dived about noon when the sun shines an awesome beam from the entrance down to the floor.

There is a sea cave that leads inland to fresh water. It's at El Ebano just a bit south of the entrance. We tried diving it last trip and the outflow was too strong for our guide (who was poorly equipped.) Visibility was horrible because of fresh/sea water mix.

Inland we've done one good cave and a great sinkhole. Cueva Chicharron, what we call the bat cave, requires a horse cart to get to, and has lots of bat guano on the floor. The cave is slightly decorated. there is a tunnel at about 90 ft that we've taken about 600 ft in before turning due to deco. The guide wouldn't take us any farther.

About 10 minutes from there there is a sinkhole in a farm field that is pleasantly misleading. From a small hole the cavern bells out to about 120 ft deep and easily 200 ft wide. Inside are the bones of unlucky animals and the wreckage of at least two trucks. We didn't dive it last trip because a cow carcass was bloated and floating on the surface.

The manager of Octopus dive centre in Playa Larga has been our guide. He's encouraging us to return and spend a few days diving the Holguin area where he promises better caves. He can't really be contacted unless you know someone else in Playa Larga to talk to him. He'll make a party as small as 3 into a separate dive group away from the Scuba Experience divers.

[Walter Pickel]

Does anyone know of any cave diving or cave divers in Cuba?

try http://yellowsharkdiving.de/

Peter has a great book about cave diving in Cuba. From the index, the most sites seem to be in Artemisa - Las Cana - Ashton (Provincia Habana)