Category: Snorkeling & Diving Tulum Journal

Posts about diving and divers that share their knowledge.

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What is the Mangrove? Discover Tulum natural wonders

diving classes in casa cenote

Mangroves are various types of trees that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics, mangroves survive to extreme environments. They belong to the family of plants Rhizophoraceae, and can tolerate broad ranges of salinity, temperature, and moisture, as well as other key environmental factors that only a select few species can take. Across the globe the location of mangroves usually runs parallel to coral reefs.

red mangroce

The relationship between the two is clear: mangroves thrive in brackish, nutrient-rich waters, while coral reefs thrive in clear, nutrient-poor waters. Mangroves act to purify the water from human wastes and pollutants, and in doing so, coral reefs are less effected. The coastline is protected because the roots of mangroves act to trap sediments that would otherwise be washed back out by the waves.

Moreover, mangroves provide a habitat for many different species of animals, including bats, lobsters, manatees, and birds. The roots and branches of mangroves provide an ideal site for animals to feed, mate, and give birth.

underwater photo of mangove

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Tulum Diving: Diving in a cenote with tannic acid | Cenote Diving Tulum Photo Gallery

After every day with strong rain, the mangrove releases a substance that changes the color of the water in cenotes called tannic acid, although some people might think of it a dirty substance affecting the visibility while diving, the substance released by the mangrove is very important for the health of our coral reefs in Tulum.

Tannic acid is a naturally occurring substance derived from plants which stains water a brown color, the structure of the tannic acid in water aids in preserving coral reefs. The destruction of mangrove forests in the coastal wetlands is drastically decreasing the amount of natural tannins in the water and thus subjecting the nearby coral reefs to undue UV radiation.

This substance lies on the surface of the cenote, and the best way to appreciate it is diving in it, this phenomenon can be seen in Tulum after a strong rain.

One of the main attractives of cenotes are the visual effect you can appreciate in them. Read more about cenotes 

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Cenote Dream Gate: the dive site with the most rock formations

Cenote Dreamgate is the cavern with the most rock formations in Tulum

Map cenote Dreamgate
Map cenote Dreamgate

2 tanks

Difficulty: moderate to difficult

Maximum depth: 5 meters

Features: beautiful cave formations

Dream Gate is a cenote and large cavern that it is part of Sac Aktun underwater cave system (like Gran Cenote and Casa Cenote). It is located about 10 km north of Tulum. Dream Gate has some of the nicest speleothemes (cave formations): the cavern is completely full of stalactites, columns, and stalagmites.

There are two independent dive circuits in this cavern: The upstream line and the downstream line. The upstream line is the most elaborately decorated, and at the furthest point of the dive there is an air pocket with a fully decorated ceiling where we come to the surface. When heading back to the entrance, the light streaming into the cenote silhouettes the stalactites for a breathtaking view. This dive takes about 35 minutes and the maximum depth is 5 m (15 ft). The downstream line is quite different; it is also fully decorated and connects with another cenote. Many tree roots from the jungle penetrate the cave to absorb water. At the furthest point of the circuit, light from the other cenote can be seen. The dive time and depth are similar to those of the upstream dive: 35 min and 5 m (15 ft).

Diving in this cavern is recommended for people who were comfortable in the beginner caverns because it is small, fragile, and dark in some places.

 

List of the Cenotes near Tulum

All of these cenotes are part of our guided eco tours both for snorkeling and scuba diving

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PUNTA LAGUNA /NATURAL RESERVE

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Punta Laguna is a natural protected area of 5,200 hectarias,  populated by a small mayan community located 80 km away from Tulum towards Nuevo Xcan.

This old jungle is habitated by 500 spider monkeys and a few howler monkeys. Its lushed vegetation includes a vast variety of senior trees and a 700 year  Pich tree, crowning a sacred place to do traditional mayan blessings.

The reserve sorrounds a beautifull lagoon of 2 Km long where, as part of the ecoturistic development of the mayan community, they offer camping, cannoing and zipline

Agua clara offers tours to this magnificent reserve while supporting a true rural mayan community to find alternative economic activities, friendly wiht their amazing enviroment. More about the tour…

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Cenote Saac aktun amazing cave snorkeling site

Cenote Saac aktun, an amazing cave snorkeling site

Features: highly ornate cave formations

Located 5 km away from the popular Cenote Dos ojos, Saac aktun (white cave in Mayan) is part of the largest underwater cavern system in the Yucatán. One passes through a small hole from the jungle into this underground Xibalba (the mystic Mayan underground world).

This cenote has 3 entries. One of them is a little hole that opens up in the middle of a huge extremely decorated cavern. The second entry is a large collapse with lots of light and an island of trees surrounded by the clear water of the underground river. The third is a small crater in the top of a cavern where a tree root winds its way all the way to the floor below.

Saac Aktun is also known by the cave diving world as Pet Cemetery because there are remains of tapirs and prehistoric camels. It is the entrance to one of the most special cave dives in the area to a huge underwater cavern that is more than 60 meters deep called the Blue Abyss (also offered by our tour company). Saac Aktun, as with many other cenotes, is also one of the snorkeling destinations provided by our tours.

 

 

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What is a snorkeling day in Tulum like with us

brain coral

 

At Agua Clara diving Tulum, we act according to our passion for, and admiration of the natural wonders that surround us. We design personalized private snorkeling tours in Tulum and its surroundings, aimed mainly at providing you an unforgettable experience and passing on information about our ecosystems.

 

SITE 1: CASA CENOTE

Casa cenote is the mouth of a subterranean river that connects with the sea via a large cave.It is surrounded by mangrove and is an ideal place to snorkel, as it is not too deep and its waters are confined. It is possible to see fish like sea bass, tarpoons, blue crabs and more.

IMG_7905snorkeling casa cenote

 

 

 

 SITE 2: XCACEL – XCACELITO

The solitary bay of Xcacel-Xcacelito is a sea turtle sanctuary natural protected area. Several different types of ecosystems can be observed:  beautiful coral reefs, a small cenote (Xcacelito), virgin sand dunes and mangrove forests. It is an ideal place for swimming and reef snorkeling. We will get the chance of seeing amazing coral formations while snorkeling in its calm waters. In the tour, we will have a picnic while overlooking this amazing  scenery and visit a small cenote called Xcacelito, a small cristal clear brakish water cenote 5 minutes walk from the beach.

brain coral

 beach of xcacel

 SITE 3: CENOTES SAAC AKTUN  (WHITE CAVE)

A cenote is a cavern that was inundated as a result of the caving in of the roof of one or several caves. Subterranean waters gather and form a sinkhole. The clarity of the water and the rock formations in the cenotes, convert them into one of the most interesting and unique swimming or snorkeling experiences. There are hundreds of cenotes, that differ from each other in colors, formations, ecosystems, etc. We will take you to those cenotes away from the tourist trails, where youll get a chance of enjoying them as pristine and they were broght in to the world. Cenotes Saac Aktun are an example of beauty, mystery and wonder. dont miss the opportunity of seeing them.

cenotes saac actun
agua clara diving tulum

 

cenotes saac actun
agua clara diving tulum
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Tulum Mexico: Scuba Diving and Snorkeling Eco Tours

Scuba diving in Mexico? One of the best places to dive or snorkel is Tulum

If you are looking for scuba diving in Mexico, Tulum is the right place to start. Because of the proximity of the Reef and the amazing Cenotes, scuba diving in Tulum is one of the most amazing experiences.

For all the family of for certified divers, we offer eco tours for everybody!

Scuba Diving in Riviera Maya

Diving in the Riviera Maya is an experience that creates a great feeling of empthy with nature. We offer more than one scuba diving package for you to enjoy both, Cenotes and the Coral Reef.  Eco Tour Package Details

Tulum scuba eco tours are conceived to enjoy this amazing places without leaving trace of our presence. Read more about Agua Clara Diving Tulum

Snorkeling in the Cenotes and Reef

There is the possibility of snorkeling in the Cenotes and in the Reef too. To join an snorkel eco tour you can click here, we offer Half day tour and Full  day Snorkel tour in Tulum area, visiting the most amazing cenotes in the area and taking you to the best spots to snorkel.

Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve Eco Tour

Also we offer an amazing experience in the Sian Kaan Biosphere Reserve. Click here for more information, pricing and photos of this amazing trips into the biggest natural reserve of Yucatan.
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Need Help? Contact Agua Clara Diving Tulum

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Underwater photography: scuba diving in Casa Cenote, Tulum

moray eel casa cenote

This underwater photographs were taken at Tulum, Mexico in the Cenote “Casa Cenote”. In this underwater photography session we can appreciate Moray eels: cosmopolitan eels of the family Muraenidae, several species are regularly seen in brackish water such as Casa cenote.

Green Moray Eels are carnivorous animals, and eat small crustaceans, worms, and insects in the ocean.  During the day, they are found in cracks and holes in coral reefs, and in or around shallow waters.  Mature eels have the ability to survive out of water for over four hours and even travel over land.  Some morays are good to eat, some are very toxic. Morays are very dangerous to humans, but they will not attack unless provoked.

In this post we would like to show a brief description of Casa cenote, a paradisiac snorkeling and diving destination  in Tankah bay, 120 minutes distance from  Tulum.

All of this photos were taken in one of our snorkeling tour in Tulum, last february 2013.

The tour started in the town of Tulum at 9:30 AM, from there we took the federal road north towards a cenote called Casa cenote.

wool algae casa cenote
this wool algaes is foud in casa cenote in the riviera maya, mexico
mangrove in casa cenote
Casa cenote is an example of a mouth of the underground rivers meeting the ocean in the riviera maya

As you can see, Casa cenote is a cristal clear water natural pool surrounded by mangrove that has a very wide cave cennecting the underground waters of the river that comes from the system Dos ojos called Saac Actun (white cave) to the caribbean sea in tankah bay. Casa cenote represents the mouth a the underground river meeting the ocean, and its home for many growing species that come here to protect themselves from the streght and dangers of the open ocean.

sea bass in casa cenote
this sea bass were found in casa cenote, an open cenote surrouended by mangrove next to tulum in the riviera maya, mexico
green moray eel casa cenote
Tis green moray eel was foud diving in the bottom of casa cenote next to tulum
snorkeling in casa cenote
the crital clear water of casa cenote are jus one more of our snorkeling tour destination, ask for what else we got.

This day we were lucky enough to find in the bottom of the cenote a green moray eel, tarpons, blue crabs, sea bass and a few  swimming primates.

Do you want to experience Scuba diving and Underwater photography in The Cenotes of Mexico? Contact Us  We are have a wide range of scuba diving and snorkeling eco tours into the cenotes of Tulum area. Scuba diving in cenotes is an unforgettable experience that stays in your memory for ever.

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SIAN KAAN BIO. RESERVE / GENERAL INFORMATION

sian kaan canals

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE SIAN KAAN BIODSPHERE RESERVE

Click this link to check details of our tour

sian kaan canals
flow with the natural current through these canals with us

Origin of the Sky  in mayan native laguage, is a protected natural area that covers 528,147 hectares and is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Sian Kaan is located only a few kilometers from Tulum. It represent the biggest national park in all the state of Quintana Roo. In pre-Hispanic times, it was governed by the Mayan tribes of Cohuah and Uyamil. Researchers have inventoried 23 Mayan Archeological sites within the reserve, with the ruins of Chenchomac, Chunyaxche, and Muyil standing out. These ruins can be visited during the tour of the canals that criss-cross this idyllic place. Human remains, pottery, statues, and tools dating 2300 years back have been found within the confines of Sian Kaan. This reserve is a natural sanctuary for pumas, “tapires”, “tlacuaches”, toucans, white and caguama turtles, and endangered species, such as howler and spider monkeys, jaguars, anteaters, ocelots, “tapires”, and even dolphins and manatees. The wetlands of this reserve are also home to a vast and well-kept population of crocodiles.

The northern part of this immense reserve comprises turquoise lagoons that are fed by cenotes. In the Full Floating tour we will float uing the natural current and then navigate on a fast boat through the canals of the reserve, which start in Muyil and end in the Caribbean Sea, at Boca Paila, where we will take a break to swim, refreshments, and lunch. We will also visit the small ruin of Chunyaxche. This tour provides a very comprehensive idea of this varied ecosystem. Walk through an ancient Mayan trail in the jungle, learning about local species and their use while you get to the Mayan ruins of the ancient city of Muyil, which was inhabitated for more than 1000 years and is located strategically on the Mayan comercial route going to cities in land like Chiche Itza.

CLICK THIS LINK FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE TOUR PROVIDED BY AGUA CLARA

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Diving into the Deepest Cenote: The Pit Cenote

Eco Tours into the Cenotes of Yucatan, Mexico

  • Scuba Diving in Cenotes of Tulum
  • Snorkeing in Cenotes of Tulum

The Pit Cenote

The Pit is the deepest cenote of Quintana Roo, with a depth of approximately 120 m. This giant cavern provides one of the most spectacular dives in the area and includes stunning light shafts that penetrate down to a layer of sulphur located at 35 m. This cenote has giant hanging stalactites and areas with a high decorative content. This dive requires some previous experience in cenote diving and a good buoyancy control.

-1 Tanks
-Difficulty:
strella

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Cenote Calavera | Guide to the Cenotes of Tulum

Eco tours into the Cenotes around Tulum, Mexico

cenote calavera

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Cenote Calavera (skull in spanish) is called like that because it has 3 collapses in the ceiling that resemble to that, the two small ones would be the eyes and the big one the mouth. Now it is part of Sac Aktun cave system (same as, Gran Cenote, Casa Cenoteand cenote Sac Aktun), and in my opinion it is the nicest cavern in the area where to go if you want to appreciate a cool hallocline (where the fresh and the salty water meet).

This dive start is pretty adventurous, you have to get in to the skull trough its mouth by doing a 3 m high giant stride entry, but the real adventure doesn`t start until you deflate your bcd, the line in this cavern goes around a mountain that has formed under the big collapse (mouth). It`s maximum depth is 16 m (52 ft) and the dive usually lasts for about 40 min. While diving you can many times appreciate the light skull on your top formed by the light getting trough the holes in the celling, you can also get to see a lot of fossils and a very cool landscape that seems like been scuba diving on the moon or a swiss cheese. Any way the coolest thing about scuba diving in this cavern is the incredible hallocline that forms here. This is where the fresh and the salty water meet, since there is hardly any current in this cavern the two layers stay absolutely separed and since they each have different densities as the light passes from one to the other it gets refracted and create some very cool and unique visual effects.

This dive is recommendable for people that dived on one of the beginner caverns before because it can get to be a bit dark and small at points, also as the two waters mix they create a blurriness effect that can be scary to someone with out cavern diving experience.

Cenote pirañas tankah

Difficulty:Hard.

Dives: 1.

Localizado a 8 Km del pueblo de Tulum, el cenote Calavera gana su nombre debido a 3 colapso que vistos desde abajo al bucear parecen un craneo iluminado. La especialidad de este cenote son los avivamientos de haloclina, el punto de encuentro entre dos agua de diferentes densidades y temperaturas. En este caso se ve el agua salada debajo de la dulce y parece que nos encontramos en el punto de encuentro de dos dimensiones distintas tras separadas como el agua y el aceite. Al mover las agua y mezclarse también la vision se vuelve borrosa, como si requirieras de lentes. Es por eso que es importante ir preparado para no molestarse. Este fenómeno es muy visible en areas abiertas y obscuras, características reunidas por este cenote de la hollines son las bizarras formaciones rocosas que han sido erosionadas por el agua salada, la cuales son muy distintas a las de agua dulce. También se puede apreciar una gran luminosidad en la parte salda ya que el sedimento es claro y dispara la luz a todas direcciones.
Dificultad: Media
! tanque

List of the Cenotes near Tulum

All of these cenotes are part of our guided eco tours both for snorkeling and scuba diving

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Gran Cenote dive & the nearest snorkel Tulum

Gran Cenote dive & the nearest snorkel Tulum

Since 2017 it has closed its doors to diving. Only snorkel is allowed

1 dive

Difficulty: easy

Dive or snorkel

Maximum depth: 10 meters

Features: cave formations, light

Gran cenote is a huge cenote located only 3.5 km from Tulum. Its size, clarity, and beautiful views make it an ideal site for snorkelers and scuba divers. It is part of the largest cave system in the area, Saac Aktun (which includes Casa Cenote and Calavera, and Dos Ojos), and it is one of the most frequently used cave diving entrances.

The cavern area for the dive is a huge space full of ornate cave formations. The beautiful light from the cenote opening can also be seen from this area. These conditions make it an ideal place for scuba divers who are diving caverns (cenotes) for the first time.

The scuba dive we operate here lasts for about 40 min and goes to a maximum depth of 10 m (33 ft). The main viewpoints for this cavern dive are the views of light streaming into the cavern and its beautiful cave formations.

 

 

List of the Cenotes near Tulum

All of these cenotes are part of our guided eco tours both for snorkeling and scuba diving

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Scuba Diving Tulum Eco Tours: Animals and Plants Photos: Anemones of the Coral Reef

While scuba diving into the coral reef near Tulum area you will find this incredible creatures called sea anemones.
The Sea anemones are a group of water-dwelling, predatory animals of the order Actiniaria; they are named after the anemone, a terrestrial flower.They are very similar in their shape. Take a look to this amazing animals that you can meet while diving with Agua Clara Diving Tours Tulum.

anemonie1_tulum_Diving_scuba_snorkeling_tulum

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If you are interested in scuba diving courses click here.

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Eco Tours Snorkeling with Turtles near Tulum beach

Recently we shared a photo of one of the Mot Mot one the birds that you may see during the Sian Kaan Biosphere reserve tour. In this case the Riviera Maya gives us the chance to witness turtles living their peaceful lifes next to the coral reef near Tulum. We organice guided tours for snorkeling and diving in the area.

snorkeling with turtles in tulium mexico

Tulum beach and all along the Caribbean coast of Mexico are nesting grounds for two endangered species of sea turtles: the Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) and the Green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) You can find this amazing animals at tulum beach and also in the surrounding beachs of the area like Akumal.We offer guided tours to different spots of the area with all the equipment and the professional guidance of our specialists in wildlife

I found a very intersting post about the turtles laying it’s eggs in the beach near tulum in a full moon night.
External link (http://www.chanatrek.com/giant-sea-turtles-in-tulum/)