VIII International Meeting of Cave Diving

Well beyond the tourism potential held by the caves and cenotes of Yucatán peninsula for their nearby residents, their research occupies many other disciplines of human knowledge: Archaeology (Mayan remains); chemistry (composition of sediment and water); bacteriology (endemic bacteria to these sites); medicine (lung decompression techniques, among others); hydrolic and hydrology engineering (exploitation of aquifers and saline intrusion); biology (diversity of flora and fauna); and of course, cave diving, an underwater activity exercised by specialized divers who explore their recesses with the only aim of discovering, admiring, and sharing their experiences of what many simply call “another world.”

In Mérida, the VIII International Meeting of Cave Diving was held from October 13-16, 2009, continuing what each year is awakening more enthusiasm and interest. On this occasion 30 participants met to take part in magesterial conferences as well as immersion into various cenotes in a 60 km radius of Mérida.

There was also time to give recognition to the pioneers, such as veteran Raúl Echeverría Pérez, who led the expedition of national Geographic to the sacred cenote of Chichén Itzá in 1962. They also named officials of the Honorary Custodians of Municipalities, to three individuals, including Elmer Echeverría, whose nickname (GPS) speaks of his intimate knowledge of the land around his village of Homún and whose local geographical wisdom makes it possible to reach the known places and discover new ones to explore. The findings and discoveries that these divers realize will be channelled through the Sectretaria de Desarrollo Urbano y Medio Ambiente de Yucatán (Urban Development and Environment) in order to be shared with relevant officials.

The fans and admirers of these phantasmagoric beauties, me included, salute and welcome all those divers and those interested in discovering what someone named well: “the mouth of the other world.”

Raúl Góngora Marín
(999) 987 70 36
autoclubyucatan@yahoo.com.mx