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