A cenoté starts forming when the Yucatán was all underneath the receding ocean. As the water level dropped, it hollowed out caves and formed an underground river that runs all the way to the ocean. Later the limestone ceilings on some of these areas collapsed and so it forms a swimming hole full of fish and other unique life forms. While the daring scuba divers like Melissa went into the underwater caves (which connect the swimming holes), I stayed in the safer parts and snorkeled.

 

Go Go Power Rangers! Me feeling like Jacque Cousteau I want a wet suit now.

The ol' swimming hole Melissa, her scuba instructor, Karen and my snorkel partner Karen #2, come up for air in cenoté #1.

Fuzzy rocks All of the rocks were covered in a fuzzy green moss.

Pretty on the surface. BUT DEADLY!!!!. There were these huge black ants and jumping, biting spiders around one of the cenotés, which forced me and Karen #2 to get in and out of the water really fast!

Little fishes The surface was covered with tiny orange fish, swimming around you.

"Break it up, fish!" I saw more fish here than in the ocean.

 

Cave diving Inside cenoté #3: Less life but incredible stalactites and stalagmites. Seeing the ground so far down, was like flying over a canyon.

True colors All of these underwater photos have not been changed. This is how brilliant the colors really were

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surface dweller Apparently, the Mayans used to bury their dead in some of these things. Maybe I won't go to the bottom.