Akumal!!

[Me]

Another great week of cave diving with Connie LoRe is in the bag! My buddy and I went down for our 8th (or 9th? I've lost count!) year in a row for a fantastic week of diving.

Day One: Gran Cenote

Day Two: LabnaHa with Sergio and Pep

Day Three: Tush Ku Baxa

Day Four: Dos Ojos to TiKimChi (stage dive)

Day Five: Pet Cemetary w/ Steve Gerrard joining in (stage dive)

Day Six: NoHoch NaChich to round out the week

Day One had us doing our first two dives of the week wetting our appetites at Gran Cenote. Always great dives, love the cavern, love the system. Easy entry w/ steps and platforms. Fantastic formations.

Day Two to LabnaHa! Pristine cave dive, fantastic sights to see. Stairway entry down into an enclosed cenote, platform for entry. Afterwards, zipline into the dry cave, topped off with a primo Mayan lunch of achiote/orange grilled chicken, beans, bread and wine with Sergio & Pep.

Day Three to Tush Ku Baxa, the power cave! Mastadon bones to boot! HUGE CAVE! Rough ride on a loooonnng bumpy road back to the cenote. Long walk on rough terrain back to the cave entrance.

Day Four to Dos Ojos/TiKimChi and the Mayan Altar w/ a stop in an airdome halfway there where we dropped our stages to be picked up on the way back. This was our first stage dive of this trip.

Day Five to Pet Cemetary with Steve Gerrard joining Connie and her group. A quick drop into the Blue Abyss for a stellar view just below the halocline. The abyss drops to 220 ft, but my buddy and I leveled off at 75 and did a spiral back up to the lip of the abyss before heading back out with Connie leading the way. This was a stage dive as well, our stages dropped about 100 feet before the abyss. Stages used to allow for more back gas for an extended drop into the abyss if desired, a cushion.

Day Six to NaHoch NaChich....always the topper for a fantastic week.

Not even Continental Airlines and their lousy service could ruin this trip. We were delayed a bit, but we were able to get most of our pre-diving sightseeing done. Although we will return to finish it up at a later time. We went 2.5 days early and rented a car to drive to Valladolid and take in the ruins of Chichen Itza and Ek Balaam. Due to flight delays, damaged luggage and various frustrations, our 2.5 day pre-trip was shortened to 1.5 days. We had to cut back and forego Chichen Itza this trip, but will fit it in next time around. We did spend a lovely afternoon and evening in the colonial town of Valladolid, staying the night at El Meson de Marquis hotel right on the town square. (Think old colonial hotel...like walking into Madrid) The next morning we took in the ruins of Ek Balaam, with a nice lunch in the village of Temezon before heading back to Cancun to meet the transfer to Villa DeRosa.

Another great trip! Thanks Connie!!

[FW]

OK, I am offically jealous

[deanme]

Can't wait to return.

Have they finished the road work yet on the main highway? When I was there in November, the traffic started to back up around 3 PM heading to Puerto Aventuras from Tulum.

[Me]

Nope, there is still roadwork in PDC, PA and Chemuyil! It does slow you down a bit.

[beachcomber]

great stuff!