Nohoch Nah Chich

And so... so... suddenly it seems! The last full day and last dives of the trip. Connie always seems to do Nohoch on the last day of her cave dive weeks. As I've mentioned before on this blog, I've probably done cave diving at Nohoch more than any other cave except for Aerolito on Cozumel. So I don't have a lot new to say.

For the first (very long) dive, I went in the large group of six divers led by Connie up Charlie's and Parker's lines. Up past the small cenote back on the main line where you can still find the coffee cups left as markers by the original explorers. The dive was turned at the cenote (on end-of-plan) and back down the main line, with a quick stop at the NatGeo platform. Then nine minutes back to Nohoch main entrance. The dive time was a short 89 minutes.

Jim and I wanted to go back in and do a different line as a team of two, with possible adventuring on side passages as we came across them. As only one other team of two were going for a (different) 2nd dive, and that we were going to use the same tanks it was to be a shorter dive... but of course I wanted to make the most of it! (Hey... it was going to be my last cave dive for a few months and this was the first opportunity for just Jim and I to go on our own. The others who didn't dive could just get eaten by skeeters while I enjoyed the cave!)

First things first, Sandra's 21 Watt Sartek was assuredly at the end of its battery life. It had been typically quitting on me after about 100 minutes so I needed to change out. My 10 watt corded light was in the van which would have meant 10-15 minutes delay to get it, but Sandra generously offered me use of her Super Power 35 Watt Salvo HID. Oh! What a light! I'd been coveting it since I first dove with Sandra two years ago. So, a quick switch on primaries while still in the water and off we went!

Our plan was to do the smaller passage line that led downstream from the cenote, with me as lead diver. Starting gas was a bit over 2,000 psi. This is the same line that I discovered with Glenn several years ago by accident. We had a great time! I passed about three jumps, including the reach-gap I recognized as the one that led to a very shallow and moderate flow downstream. Flow like that we really didn't want to get caught in -- I'd warned Jim about watching for the reach gap and I referenced it when we passed.

We passed about two more jumps that went right, then arbitrarily I chose the 4th jump to the right as a change in our route. Jim agreed and soon Sandra's 35W sunbeam was showing me new passage I'd never seen before. We went thru a stalactite/stalagmite restriction, then came across one of the weirdest speleothem formations I'd ever seen. It looked like honeycomb lattice into which delicate stalactites had grown and woven their way through. Then the bottom of the lattice washed away so the whole wall of the stuff was suspended from the ceiling. Awesome!!! Yet another place I have to bring a camera next time.

We took several more side jumps in rapid succession, ending 20 or 50 feet from the previous jump. Twice I am sure we hit the main line and then I realised we were in the same maze of jumps that Bill and I visited last January. We exhausted these as reels allowed, having lots of fun, for another 15 minutes or so then called the dive on time. We both still had lots of air time. We hit the main line one last time, on a long jump very close to the NatGeo platform. This is where we officially called the dive on end-of-plan. I think this jump had been cut back several feet from where it used to be. It wasn't a reach gap before, but now it is difficult to spot from the main line. I wonder why they cut it back so far...? And who is "they" anyway?

On the way out we passed a group of snorkelers touring the cavern zone with flashlights. They seemed obnoxiously excited to see cave divers in full gear. (Note: snorkelers are not permitted to have fins in Nohoch, I guess so they can't get themselves in any real trouble in the cave.) I honored their shining lights in my eyes by patently ignoring them as we passed. We returned to the cenote after 61 minutes, maximum depth of 21 feet and a temperature of 77 degrees F.