I was warned by Brad that the permanent lines in Aerolito are in poor condition. They had been infrequently used and lacked maintenance for so long that a large number of sponges or corals had started growing on them. His warning was an understatement. The lines were -coated- with the things, so much so that they were sagging under the weight of them. There are sponge "balls" growing in many places that exceed 4" in diameter. Brad suggested I carry at least one glove "just in case" a silt-out or light-out situation forced me to use the permanent line, as there might be stinging corals on them. It seemed like sound advice.
The cave passage itself was much as I last saw it; dark walls, lots of halocline, very silty floor. Brittle sea stars living below the halocline have found the silt an ideal feeding ground for whatever they eat. They quickly tried to slink out of sight as our bright cave lights passed over them. Whether they are able to see the light, or just feel some kind of temperature change from the beam, I am not sure.
Our plan today was to take the main line to its abrupt drop-off where it goes from 30 ft to 60 ft. Brad had discovered a side passage there but said that the permanent line had been severely deteriorated and intended to replace it as we went. However after making the jump, we discovered the line to be brand new. Certainly in better shape than any other permanent line in the cave. A brief 10 meters along this line, it hits a "T" intersection, with one permanent arrow leading back the way we came. I can see Brad pondering this but he chooses to take the right fork. I put a cookie down as I pass just for safety's sake.
This passage is at 55-58 feet and in nice clear salt water. The way is narrow but typical of many passages in Aerolito, it has a tall, sharp cathedral-like roof. The floor is clean of silt and instead is littered with eroded limestone pieces that look like a lattice of broken honeycomb. Our bright lights are not very reflective here but the water is clear enough that we can still see well ahead of us. There are occasional small white puffy starfish on the cave walls (which Brad later tells me are a species usually found in the deep, deep ocean) but the brittle stars which were so plentiful in shallower depths don't live here.
We continue along the passage which, I quickly note, takes a lot of sharp left turns. Sure enough, a mere 50 meters or so we come back to the same "T" from the left fork side. The dive is called at a short 35 minutes, only because we didn't have any agreed plan how to deal with a situation like this. Brad tells me later that there was supposed to be a continuous line or a jump to where the passage continues for quite a ways, but no jump is marked on the line we were on. So, back we go, but at a slow relaxed meandering pace so we can eat up the air in our tanks (it's paid for already, so why not?) As we head back along the main line we get closer looks at the side passage lines and the condition of their lines. A few changes to line locations are evident since the last time I was here, most notably the jump to Sulphur Falls has been moved one stalactite closer to the main line. It can now be seen easily from the main line whereas before it was a good 60 foot jump.
Dive ended at 81 minutes which included a 5 minute safety stop. I probably hit 3rds during the safety stop itself.
As I pop up out of the cenote, I am mildly surprised to find four divers gearing up in doubles. It turns out to be German Yanez, two students, and an "assistant." Must be an intro to cave class. Brief pleasantries are exchanged but German is focused on his class as they gear up. Whatever.
Busy day at Aerolito de Paraiso!
Footnote on Cenote Visitor Fees
To my knowledge, there is no fee to dive in any of the caves in Cozumel. Aerolito itself appears to be a public park and is frequently used by the locals as a swimming hole. Two other cenotes I have dived in, One-Click and Chankanaab, are so remote that without a guide you would never find them. I don't believe they are on property owned by any individual. Cocodrilo is on the property of San Francisco Beach Club and although I don't believe there is a fee, you have to sign a written waiver and get permission from the beach club's owner.
The situation in Riviera Maya is very different. Virtually all of the cenotes around Akumal are on private land and the land owners have gotten greedy. What used to be a 30-50 peso fee (US $2.50-4.00 at current rates) only two or three years ago is now a whopping US $20. Yes, they charge in US Dollars now too! Grand Cenote, Dos Ojos, Hidden Worlds, Nohoch nah Chich, they all charge US $20. The ugly truth is, the land owners can charge what they want. Cave divers wanting to tour on their lands will pay it, because the only alternative is not to cave dive.
If you plan to do a one day tour with a guide the costs add up quickly. Assuming you are staying in Cozumel, fees add up like this:
* $22 round trip on the ferry
* $20 for each set of doubles (one set per dive)
* $140-160 for guide fees (which should include transport)
* $20 site entry fee (x2 if you visit two different cenotes in one day)
* $20 or more for food and sundries
So... yes, a one day tour of two cave systems could run you $300. At prices like that you can see why doing a week-long cave camp tour like Connie's is a better deal.
By contrast, the only expense for today's dive in Aerolito was a mere 88 pesos (US $6.80) to fill the air in both sets of doubles Brad and I used.
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