Behind this door...
 

Behind this door-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3328/...0543e7.jpg?v=0

You find this stairway-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3456/...23b52b.jpg?v=0

Where you'll find this cenote-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3103/...7121b7.jpg?v=0

According to my dive watch it's roughly 22 ft deep and crystal clear-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3343/...296eaf.jpg?v=0

Swim under a small shelf and you'll find another large opening-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3382/...4a4e22.jpg?v=0

That's a newer cenote. Privately owned. I've taken an oath not to reveal it's location. It was great but could have done without the music they pump in- 80's electro tech. Still it was cool and I enjoyed it, glad to be invited. Believe it or not this cenote is below a city street.

Here's what an older one looks like. The older cenotes have had the roof completely collapse. Here's the cenote next to Ek Balam-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3460/...a52811.jpg?v=0

It's a short walk to the bottom down some well worn, rickety stairs-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3515/...7bcd4d.jpg?v=0

The water's clean and always right at 78 degrees-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3385/...09bdaa.jpg?v=0

Neat stuff. Hidden underground things are fascinating to me.

Tully can I come visit you and go on an adventure with you?

You know my door is always open for you guys.

You're lucky to have such natural/ancient beauty around you Tully.

Nice to see you taking advantage of it - great (jealousy inducing) shots.

I get the same kind of feeling when I see your shots in and around New York. Only you're much better with the camera.

BTW- I was going to buy that used Nikon but the guy selling it wouldn't ship it to me. Said he thought it was some scam as I live south of the border. Should have kept my mouth shut and just had him ship it to my Houston PO Box. Live and learn. Hopefully after tax season I can get a real camera.

Well between this and the Chichen thread (beautiful skies in that one), it looks like you're doing just fine.

Those underground shots are awesome, Tully. Great job!

Thanks.

I really haven't figured out how to deal with light very well. I know there's settings on the camera but the buttons are so small and the instructions are so long. I need to play with it at home and then set out on the road with a better understanding. My last camera had a dial setting on top for ISO et el. This one has a menu button on the back and without knowing where stuff is via the menu feature you need the manual. I don't want to pack the manual all over the Yucatan.

I need to study it more. I'll probably get to it right after I learn to speak Spanish.

tully, what id do to have that in my backyard!

anything living in the water?

Yes there are fish. I've been told catfish, which is what they appear to be to me. I've also been told their a special type of fish only found in the Yucatan. The person that told me they're catfish told me they were brought down by a couple who bought a piece of land with a cenote on it and released them. All true cenotes are connected to a vast underground river system, largest in the world- runs from one end of the Yucatan to the other. What's the truth I have no idea. I do know when I try to photograph them they it turns out like this-

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3425/...34c8ae.jpg?v=0

There's five dark objects near the center and those are fish.

BTW- The underground cenote I showed is in a town. Next to the family's home is that old door. Behind it there's a yard where they hang clothes out to dry. In the front corner, to the right of the door, there's an opening that leads down that staircase. You could easily be in the yard and not know there's a cenote there. As I said part of the cenote is directly under a city street. When I was first told they had a cenote I figured it was out of town somewhere. I went to their house, we had a beer and my friend asked if I wanted to see their cenote. "Sure, let's go" as I grabbed keys. He said "why are you taking you're keys?" "Oh, are we taking your car?" "Umm, no we're not taking any car." In less then 30 sec. I knew why he was laughing as he said that.

Very, very odd. There's a small tunnel, about 15m long, that goes all the way up to the sidewalk and sunlight. That and the light from the staircase are the only natural light sources, all the other lights are electric.

The house has been in the family for well over 100 years.

Thats amazing tully! I am so jealous its not even funny. There is absolutely nothing even close to being as cool as that up where I am currently living.

Well if you guys are going to get all jealous I'll stop posting pictures. You do realize in a few short weeks I'll be hiding in my house all day as the temp will be well over a 100 and the humidity will be nearly 100% as well. I'm rushing around now going to as many cool places as I can because I know what's coming. Last May I went out at midnight and checked the temp. it was still just a hair over 100f. Yep there was a reason I was having trouble sleeping.

It's ironic because I recently gave a ride to some people from the Merida airport. They told me in an e-mail they wanted to stop and pick up some groceries on the way to their beach condo. So I threw my cooler in the back of my truck. We stopped at Costco and when they finished shopping I pulled out the ice chest for their meat, dairy etc... They both started laughing and said they're used to moving the produce items into the cab of the truck because it will freeze by the time they get home. I asked how long the drive was and he said about 20mins.


Well I'm eating all the ice cream I can now because in a short amount of time there's be no way for me to get any home at all. Cream yes. Ice no way.

No tully! Keep the posting up, these are awesome and are always appreciated! :D

That is really neat stuff. The doorway leading underground to something like that reminds me of my dream worlds.

Very cool - makes me want to get out of NYC more often.

Those are great shots! My hubby and I went to Plya Del Carmen a few years back and were supposed to go on som ATV / cenote tour but got rained out.. now i'm even more bummed coz i'm sure it was super cool!