The Mayan civilization considers “cenotes” a sacred wealth for the water they hold a home for many of the gods they worship. The tranquil beauty and the immense variety of the cenotes are moving closer and closer to a collision with the rapid development of the Riviera Maya. The growth during the 1990’s and into the 21st century is staggering. Tourism, jobs and recreation provide opportunity but threaten the most valuable resource - our water supply. With water everywhere we naturally take for granted that the source of water is endless. Unfortunately, we have learned that fish, marine life and the oceans are not boundless. Why? It is because of the growing overuse and pollution of our natural resources. We cannot afford to make the same mistake with the cenotes. With good education and proper management, our cenotes can continue to serve divers, scientists and the Mayans while providing needed water.

Our precious cenotes provide scientific, recreational, scenic and spiritual treasures. Carelessness and greed can destroy these windows to the underground. Once gone, they can never be recovered.

The responsibility to protect these cenotes must be accepted by those who wish to study or enjoy them. Realistic policies to preserve the cenotes must be supported by effective programs.

Discipline among all visitors must be highly encouraged. Education and research will tremendously help better understand the cenotes while preventing damage and preserving this very fragile environment.

THE VISITOR.

When you visit the cenotes, please consider yourself a guest. We must show respect and be gentle while walking around and diving into the cenote. Do not disturb or damage anything by walking on it or swimming through it. The formations, biological life, archaeological history and any loose deposits are there for our interpretation and enjoyment. Swimmers, snorkelers and divers should
leave the cenote the exact way they find it. The land, trees, and all plant life serve as an integral function of the cenotes survival. Irresponsible behavior on the parts of casual visitors, swimmers, snorkelers or divers will force the closure of the cenotes and deny access to the pleasure they provide.

Landowner Relations. There is no unowned land. All the cenotes belong to ejidoes, individuals, Corporations or the Mexican government. Each owner must understand and take the responsibility to protect these fragile wells to the aquifer. The #1 priority of each individual is RESPECT for the landowner’s rights. Asking permission for access to the cenote and following owners wishes are major
steps in the right direction. If a landowner wishes to charge a fee for the use of their property, you must pay. It is VERY important for everyone to KEEP the cenotes clean - do not litter! You can help by picking up trash and minimizing your impact by not walking on fragile vegetation while using the cenotes. Our world is shrinking fast day by day. Our Attitude and Habits towards good conservation are our future.

Entries and Exits. To enjoy the cenote, one must get in and out. The landowners of several of the popular cenotes have constructed walkways, ladders/stairs and platforms to make the entry or exit safe, easy and comfortable. Accesses to other cenotes are primitive and can be treacherous to gain entry.
Be careful and use good judgment. There is a saying within the cave diving community - the most dangerous part of a cave dive is getting in and out of the cenote. Please use the walkways and platforms that are available to use. Do not create new paths or entry points into the water. Minimize your impact while visiting.

Surface Intrusion. This is any object or debris that can enter the water from the surface and invade the cenote water basin or the underground cave environment. Please avoid using body oils and suntan lotions before entering the water. These are caustic pollutants that kill plant life and harm the biological
life. The Cenote Carwash is a perfect example of what can happen. Most of the plant life is now dead from lotions and body oils but is slowly making a comeback. . Years ago, it was also common for the people of Tulum to wash their cars at the cenotes. The soap and detergents nearly destroyed these pristine sites. Fortunately, this practice has ended. Public bathing should also be banned at all cenotes (though it is very difficult for many people locally who do not have the means to bathe at home). Cenote Ak Tulum located on the East Side of Tulum is another example site many people go to wash clothes and bathe.

Human waste and diapers are part of the problem. The downstream underwater cave passages are littered with paper and plastics forcing out many fish. Recently, the landowner of this cenote has closed it off to public bathing and washing clothes. The Cenotes Carwash and Cristal, owned by the Ejido Tulum, both have constructed “elevated dry style” bathrooms to help eliminate the human waste problem and make it more comfortable for visitors. The landowners of the Cenote Eden and the Grand Cenote have also built public toilet facilities.

Often divers add to the pollution by unknowingly littering chipped paint flaking stickers and tape from tanks. All scuba diving businesses should strip their cylinders of all paints and remove stickers and/or tape. For the best interest of the cenote environment; avoid placing anything on your diving equipment that could easily come off while underwater.

Landfills are growing into a major problem! As the Riviera Maya continues to grow, the demand for locations to dump the garbage and unwanted materials increases. Already, a landfill is established two kilometers northwest of the Cenote Carwash. This landfill is in direct line with most of the water drainage
going towards most of the cenotes located along the Coba Road. This is a major threat to the water quality and the use of these cenotes. The “old” Tulum landfill is located on the corner of Highway 307 and the Coba - Beach Road is directly over a major underwater cave system. Careful study and planning must be
implemented with any proposed landfills to be developed and used in the Riviera Maya.

Sewage and septic tanks are another potentially disastrous problem to the underground water supply. As more and more hotels and developments are built along the coast and the village of Tulum, careful thought for on-premise water treatment plants must be seriously considered.

Scientific study and collections.

You must have permission from the Mexican government - INAH before conducting any scientific studies and/or collections within the cenotes. It should be performed in a professional, selective and minimal manner. Removal of any artifacts or objects is against the law and the punishment is severe. The risk is not worth it.

THE DIVER.

Experience. Experience has a direct affect on the cenote and underwater cave environment. Prudent judgment should always be used in the cavern or cave depending on the size of the passageways. Limestone affects the texture and conditions making some cenotes more fragile than others.

Training sessions for cavern and cave diving requires a common sense approach depending on each particular cave. An example is the Cenote Carwash, which traditionally has been a good site for doing share air, blackout and lost line drills because it was first cave to be used and has already taken the abuse for these training skills. While the Grand Cenote - Sistema Sac Aktun, on the other hand, is regarded as a no - no for performing certain training skills because of an abundance of the fragile decorations. Many dive stores will conduct Discover Scuba or Open Water training at the cenotes particularly when the Caribbean Sea is too rough to perform dives. It is the same thing. The Cenote Carwash, Cenote Tankah or the Cenote Eden are good locations for this type of training while the Grand Cenote is not!

Buoyancy control and swimming techniques.

Do not touch! To the best of your ability, avoid touching the walls, floor, ceiling, and formations ...anything. Stay away from the fragile ceilings, as they are most vulnerable to damage. Diver’s fins regularly hit the ceiling have damaged many fragile decorations. Divers need to stay horizontal and away
from the ceiling. Be aware of your presence while swimming and particularly when stopping or hovering along with turning around. Allowing your equipment to bump into the walls, columns and the various decorations are detrimental to the cave and very poor technique. Be gentle!

Bubble Troubles.

Unfortunately, a major culprit of damage to the underwater cave systems is the exhaust bubbles from SCUBA. When air lodges itself on the ceiling this tremendous force tries to finds its way to the highest point or through the limestone. Any loose particles (called percolation) will quickly fall to the cave floor.

The real damage occur hours or days later when air, trapped on the ceiling, actually begins to “pop” formations such as soda straws and small stalactites. You cannot see it happen but it does occur. It is a problem those divers cannot control (unless you use close-circuit rebreathers). To keep bubble damage to a
minimum, divers should stay on the guidelines. Wandering off the guideline can leave a trail of destruction. Common sense and good judgment dictate the situation.

Vandalism and Graffiti.

Defacing, breaking, or removing anything from the cenote or the underwater cavern or cave is terrible crimes that leave permanent scars which cannot be fixed. Already, portions of the Cenote Carwash, Cenote Eden and the Cenote Calavera and other popular cenotes are showing clear evidence of stalactites being broken off and removed. Divers are leaving handprints or writing their names in the clay silt or scratching messages into the soft limestone walls with knives or similar tools. These acts of vandalism leave permanent scars. For hundreds of years, the Mayans have viewed the cenotes as a spiritual and special place. It is insulting and sacrilegious towards a culture to exhibit such immature behavior. This problem comes from a small minority of divers who visit the cavern zones of the cenote but it is a major responsibility for all divers who enjoy these extraordinary windows to the underground world.

Personal Responsibility.

Each of us must make a conscious effort to protect our fragile cenotes and educate others who are not aware of their unmatched value to the present and the future. There is nothing wrong with enjoying cenotes for our pleasure, our interest, or to study them and the past, but it is our duty to take the personal responsibility in preserving these unique and special places that is part of the Riviera Maya. Let us all work together with the common goal to protect and enjoy our cenotes.

The Future.

The growth and development of the Riviera Maya is far exceeding everyone’s expectations during the late 1990’s. This is occurring because of blatant corruption of the government of the State of Quintana Roo, the Mexican Federal government and several local politicians. This reckless attitude must change
very soon or the delicate balance of the fringing reefs of the Caribbean Sea , the mangroves that filter the impurities and allow the perpetuation of life to evolve and the numerous cenotes that allow access to our most valuable commodity – the aquifer. There must be a careful analysis of everything that can affect our
local environment and proper management should be exercised to maintain our existence with the fragile ecosystems that make up the Riviera Maya. Everyone needs to get involved to make a difference. For more information contact:

SAVE

Society of Akumal’s Vital Ecology
Email: Internet: save@cenotes.com

www.cenote.com/eclogy

Telephone/Fax: (011-52) 9 84 – 87 - 59020

This web site of information about the cenotes of the Riviera Maya is an attempt to better educate and inform the reader. It is our responsibility to preserve this very unique and special environment.