I’m terrified… Cave diving training in Mexico

I got my cave diving certification in 2015 and decided to revisit the sport now that I have more diving experience.
👌🏻Subscribe: bit.ly/AzulSubscribe
0:00 Intro
0:28 Expeditions
0:43 Van reset & packing
2:53 Airport
4:05 Mexico City
6:04 Playa del Carmen
6:38 Darkside Divers
8:25 Cave diving course
10:17 Cenote Ponderosa
15:16 Coffee talk
18:57 Cenote Taj Maha
21:27 Lessons learned
Contact Darkside Divers for diving in the Riviera Maya: [e-mail]
The Dive Table Surface Interval with Camila: bit.ly/SurfaceIntervalCami
Dive Rite Azimuth Reel: www.scubadiving.com/dive-rite...
Dive with me:
June 1-9, 2024: KOMODO DIVE EXPEDITION
2 SPOTS LEFT! Join my first trip back to Labuan Bajo, Indonesia for the first time since Azul Unlimited was sold in 2021. Enjoy healthy corals, ripping currents, and breathtaking views from my old dive boat and a the comfortable liveaboard, Amalia. azulunlimited.com/komodo-dive...
December 12-18, 2024: BAJA DIVE EXPEDITION
See the best of Baja including Cabo San Lucas, Cabo Pulmo, and La Paz. Get the chance to see whalesharks, sea lions, humpback whales, and so many fish on this all-levels, budget-friendly trip. azulunlimited.com/baja-dive-e...
April 26-May 4, 2025: SOCORRO DIVE EXPEDITION Learn about and participate in shark research at this top diving destination with our friends at Fins Attached and Pelagios Kakunja. We’ll nerd out with scientists and see how they are tagging and taking tissue samples from the target species in the Revillagigedo Archipelago. azulunlimited.com/socorro-div...
Sign up for my email list to hear about upcoming trips: eepurl.com/dupACr
Grab the first available spots (and get special discounts!) on future dive expedition trips by joining us on Patreon. I’m sharing extras from the road, yoga classes, and behind-the-scenes scuba/vanlife adventures. This is a place where we can support each other as an online scuba club.
✅ Join the Azul scuba community: / azulunlimited
👕 Azul Unlimited merch: azulunlimited.com/shop/
🧥 Use code AZUL for 10% off Surffur products: bit.ly/surffur_azul
📸 Camera: amzn.to/41eBMEL
📷 Camera tray: amzn.to/3PaygZI
🚁 Drone: amzn.to/3pgyhjW
🎤 Microphone: amzn.to/3nLHOyZ
🔧 Scuba tool kit: amzn.to/3N70Xpx
🔦 Get an OrcaTorch: bit.ly/OrcaTorchAzul
🔥One option for a fancy pants lighter: amzn.to/46bFpOL
🧢 I SEE YOU, GOOD HUMAN hat: iseeyougoodhuman.com/product/...
🎵 Need music for your own videos? Check out Epidemic Sound: share.epidemicsound.com/ufhctq
🔋 Grab Jackery battery as a house backup for emergencies or for your trips on the road: bit.ly/jackery-azul
🚐 Van items:
Air Compressor: amzn.to/3RAqsQz
Renogy inverter & solar charger: amzn.to/4271rj7
Battery monitor: amzn.to/42aaj7J
DC to DC charger: amzn.to/42aOqoH
DC plugs: amzn.to/43uSTUt
DC plugs: amzn.to/45xHxAT
Blue Sea Systems fuse block: amzn.to/3IKr82k
Batter on/off switch: amzn.to/3WL53X5
System switches: amzn.to/3BXZKKk
Composting toilet: bit.ly/AzulCompoCloset
Induction stovetop: amzn.to/439i0MF
Foldable travel kettle: amzn.to/3BY01gk
High power RV fan: amzn.to/3MYA46y
Kitchen sink foot pump: amzn.to/3BYh563
Storage containers: amzn.to/3MCqO6Y
Cordless vacuum: amzn.to/480wEsy
Find us on IG/FB/TikTok: Azul Unlimited
azulunlimited.com/

[@AzulUnlimited]

How does your body respond to the idea of cave diving? Excitement? Stress? I get a rapid heartbeat and sweaty armpits... 😆 🌊Join the community: www.patreon.com/azulunlimited 🤿 Dive with me: azulunlimited.com/upcoming-diving-expeditions/

[@jeremiahperez8071]

I appreciate you taking us on this journey. Especially being honest about stress and that even experienced divers can feel uncomfortable in situations. Thanks so much and love your work!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank YOU! I really appreciate you watching

[@gdnmax6736]

Thanks for the post ! The honest feeback about fear , feelings etc are precious. Thanks

[@AzulUnlimited]

Aw, thanks for the support!

[@crvadillo]

Impresionante! 😮 Te admiro mucho! Gracias por compartir.

[@thedivetable]

Super excited for you! Most people never face their fears and ironically never get to really live.

[@AzulUnlimited]

So true. We’re all about living here at Azul Unlimited 😊

[@LoveCaveDiving]

I love cave diving! For me it is so Zen. So relaxing and beautiful. I didn't know you were certified. Nice!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Caves hold a special kind of beauty and aura. People usually hate them or love them.

[@davepoole32]

That sense of being 30-45 minutes in, knowing you have the same distance to go back, surely makes you think. In reality it’s no different to having 30+ minutes of deco to do, with the bonus that it’s a lot less boring!

[@tonfleuren3536]

But, if you're properly trained, you also know you have all the skills, have a double set of tanks (possibly stages if you're more advanced), can deal with any failure, have plenty of gas, and your buddies are also competent and able to solve any problems that may arise. Just make sure you're properly trained and dive within the limits of your training and experience and you'll be fine.

[@davepoole32]

@@tonfleuren3536 all very true. I’m cave, Trimix and CCR MOD2 certified with a couple thousand dives but I always make sure I’m comfortable with what I’m about to do and I’m never afraid to call a dive, if there’s anything I’m not happy with.

[@AzulUnlimited]

That’s an important point because each day is a new adventure and we have to check in with ourselves. You can have all the training and best gear in the world and still have an accident if you’re not being honest with yourself, thorough with planning, or maintaining awareness throughout the dive.

[@josephdracula7487]

👍😎🇵🇭🤿! Thanks for sharing this video! I think more in my future of diving I may want to think about cave diving. Your honest videos about what to expect in fear and the dangers of the environment inspired me to push myself into this realm! I always enjoy your videos 👍!

[@Teampegleg]

I remember swimming an hour in, turning the dive and remembering "Crap I have to swim an hour back." My leg was getting tired, I started gliding a lot more on the exit. But that is part of the reason why divers are encouraged to do a number of dives at the Intro level, which were between all the limits you are typically no more than 20-30 minutes away from the exit.

[@theck672]

Great job!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@gingerstrand6153]

Great video! With only 2 dives in dos ojos, I totally understand the allure of cave diving, so fricken awsome! LA Bueno vita!!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@sammoyers905]

Great video! I LOVE Chickin Ha! Dove there this past July. Two amazing Cavern dives that made me realize, yeah, I have to do the "wet rocks" thing. Keep the great videos coming. 🙂

[@AzulUnlimited]

So glad you liked it!

[@heatherwood9835]

I just returned from Playa this evening and received my cavern certification after diving in the same place. Fun to watch someone else doing it in a video now.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Very cool! Congrats! What was your favorite cenote?

[@joselosada662]

Great video!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you! I appreciate you watching🙏

[@davideasterbrook9508]

Great video.. and good choice of dive company - Tavo and his team at dark side divers are excellent and I loved the video because a big part of his experience is the car ride to the Cenotes… the fill station…. And you have captured it all in your video perfectly!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Aww yay! So glad you’ve gotten to dive with them. I just love them to pieces.

[@FullySubmerged]

Always finding new ways to make me nervous!!

[@AzulUnlimited]

lol sorry! I’m guessing cave diving isn’t on your Florida diving list?

[@davidb5195]

wow what a great video

[@AzulUnlimited]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@huertix4393]

What a Great video. Love you content... I am happy you mentioned this "on my way to Panic" situation, and how that trauma got printed in your brain. In my case, I got frozen once at Puerto del Carmen(Lanzarote) at 43m. After that, like 40 dives in many places, Cenotes included, and now... this image/trauma is getting more intense, and I am struggeling to go under 10m... Mind/soul is complex piece of the puzzle... I hope you enjoyed all these amazing cenotes. Thanks again for your content :)

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you for sharing!! I hope you are able to work through your own situation. And thanks so much for watching!!

[@00bikeboy]

Thanks for this. Before watching I didn't think I wanted to try cave diving, now I'm sure😃

[@AzulUnlimited]

Glad you liked it. It's definitely not for everyone.

[@EzioBuzzacchi]

You're great!!!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Aw, thanks!

[@richardstratford9419]

This is great stuff. I know you have super human dive powers, but its nice to learn of your experiences with pre dive anxiety. Even though i have several ice dives under my belt , i still go thru the pre dive jitters before going under the hard deck. This is one of my favorite vids from TEAM Azul! Thank you

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much! It definitely tested me and I feel so much better for it.

[@timgosling6189]

Skills stale out fast, and unfortunately some people don't discover that until they need them. Your refresh was certainly worthwhile. The cenotes looked beautiful, especially the halocline, but I'm still glad you didn't film the training dives; shows your focus was on what was really important.

[@AzulUnlimited]

So true! I’ve met a bunch of people who wouldn’t take the time or money to do it, but it was important for me.

[@Mrveescuba]

much respect,i hope i dive with tavo soon

[@AzulUnlimited]

He’s the best. You’ll have a blast

[@scubaeb]

So cool! I fell in love with cenotes. No idea why. Cannot quantify the experience. I'm a photo dork and love shooting critters. Empty, stone rooms made no sense. My Wife, buddies and I dove Coz for a few days and then came across to the mainland for 3 days of cenote "cavern" dives. I came along because my buddies had done it before and wanted to share. I had no expectations. Taj was out first dive. I can't explain it but I was immediately at peace. My SAC dropped to nothing. Due to our diver to guide ratio we had to hire two guides. I ended up splitting off with one guide for the remainder or the dives. We gelled and he took me places we probably should not have gone (definitely shouldn't have gone). Played in the sulfur forrest at El Pit. squeezed into some really narrow tubes. Came out the wrong side of the "Do not pass" signs more than once. 🤐 From that week on I have wanted to get certified for full cave but have not been able to sell it to my wife or buddies. Someday.... Happy for you. That you found your comfort zone. It really is magical.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Omg that just made me nervous that you went to those places without the gear or training😅 sometimes the type of diving just clicks and there are tons of divers who experience the same sensation when getting into the caverns/caves. Hope you get to do the training one day💪

[@Yggdrasil42]

Great job. Nothing like tech courses to make you doubt your life choices. 😅 Well done on facing your fears and challenging yourself to overcome them. So cool to see the sites I know and love. Though I usually stay In Tulum we dived mostly the same cenotes during training. Is that the Sump UK Explorer harness you're wearing? Looks really nice with the red detailing.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Hahaha it’s all humbling. I loved it. The harness is from Nex Underwater Products which is very similar.

[@chinanomadic6879]

brave women👊👊

[@ianstockdale964]

Good video

[@AzulUnlimited]

Glad you enjoyed

[@jubjub13483]

Fair play to everyone doing cave diving! For me its one thing i don't want to try, small spaces, not near the surface. I think ill be too nervous and worried to do it, so i won't. But glad im aware of my limits

[@AzulUnlimited]

That’s the important thing! We all have to learn self awareness

[@jubjub13483]

@AzulUnlimited Yes! So important to know what you are comfortable doing and not.

[@Teampegleg]

Other than my rant about currency in cave diving, a couple of comments. I love the Chinese Garden Line in Tajma Ha, the variety of cave that you swim through, from the lightly decorated by grey limestone cavern zone, to the white swiss cheese limestone, on through the haloclines where you feel like you are popping up flying, and finally to that huge vertically oriented room with thousands of those small stalactites. There are a lot of amazing cave in Mexico, but the wonders of passing though so many different types of cave in a single dive is amazing. Back up light exits are always "fun" during my cave DPV course my instructor came and just shut off my primary. So I deploy my back up light, when you go to pick up a jump reel, he snatches my back up light out of my hand, on to the second back up light. Scootering like 1,500ft on a back up light. 🤪 SAC rate jumping in class is pretty normal, I noticed that my SAC jumped nearly 50%, slowly making my way down as the skills got easier. Back to nearly normal on the first post-class dive. Heated under garments make thermal management in technical diving easier. In Florida, we work hard going in, then float out, and ends with deco in my case starting to push 15-20 minutes on normal dives. If we layer based on being warm on deco, you get overheated during the entry. If you layer based on being perfectly warm during entry you get cold at deco. But by adding a heated vest you can warm up your deco without overheating on entry. Also Tavo bringing the diapers. 🤌

[@AzulUnlimited]

Great story and advice!

[@SeattleRingHunter]

All the work of going though a cave course with extensive travel and to still put out a quality video, an absolutely beautiful adventure. I have not yet traveled with my drysuit or any extensive dive gear past basic recreational open water kit. It impresses me to see videos of dive travelers and all the gear that has to be transported. One of my bigger concerns is if it's common for some to be shipping larger portions of gear to reduce their airline luggage. Well to someday cross those bridges as necessary. For now warm water diving in Hawaii each year during family vacation is a very easy configuration with standard open circuit gear. To someday travel with a rebreather and drysuit will be a welcome challenge until then I must focus on taking steps today to get where I want to be down the road. Thanks for sharing your adventures they are truly a real inspiration and beautifully composed as you share your real feelings and concerns that if we are honest we all have to deal with as we progress into new situations and learning opportunities. Cheers, #SeattleRingHunter

[@Yggdrasil42]

Most divers will just book extra luggage. Shipping a parcel to countries like Mexico is a recipe for disaster, plus you'd be out of that gear for an extended time which isn't great for avid divers. If you bring it on the flight you can at least partially keep an eye on it. On my recent cave trip to Mexico I brought 35kg of luggage (a drysuit duffel bag and a rolling dive bag) plus I put lots of the heavy stuff in my carry-on trolley (three sets of regs, all batteries for lights including the canister light, computers). That must've been another 10 kg at least, but my carry-on has never been weighed. So usually I'll book 40kg luggage and make it work.

[@SeattleRingHunter]

Like anything it has to be planned out and rehearsed prior to the night before travel day 🤣 of course non-domestic shipping would be an essential plan for a “lost parcel” for sure.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much! Yes, warm water open circuit is much much easier for travel😂 I still have to figure out a better bag situation for myself

[@SeattleRingHunter]

Curious to see my potential desired future I see the preparation of this DiveSoft Liberty pilot as he prepares for his travels! kzbin.info/www/bejne/mKSVq2CFhraDfNk All I can say it’s for the love of diving otherwise we would not go through all the effort. Cheers, #SeattleRingHunter

[@jeanlanglois7892]

The air station in the jungle! Just off the highway, but totally unknown to non-divers with a low-key entrance

[@AzulUnlimited]

Nice!

[@MikeDodds]

So, if I were to ask you how the refresher course went your answer would be “Depends”? 😜😂. Oh snap!!! Just spotted the big sexy dive reel!!! Lastly and on a serious note, for whatever it’s worth I’m very proud of you. It takes courage to face your fears and every bit as much courage to share your vulnerabilities!!! You’re a badass scuba diving ninja rock star!!!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Gotta love a solid dad joke. The best🤣🤣🤣 Thanks so much! I’m just trying to keep things honest on this channel☺️ I appreciate you being here, as always

[@gbsailing9436]

Great episode Sarah! When I was young I really wanted to do cave diving. Back then it was too expensive for me to get all the extra gear. Now I'm older and have the gear, I have a daughter and I'm not willing to face the fact that I could make a mistake and leave her on her own, so no cave diving for me. I love to see and watch others do it though. I love the visibility! Here in Australia we have a very professional association that is the only group allowed to teach cave diving in all of Australia - the CDAA. They teach 4 levels of cave diving; Basic - sink holes and such; Cave diver - roofed environs with limited penetration; Advanced Cave Diver - deeper caves with limited penetration; and the Deep/Extended range courses - multi-stage and deep environments outside the range of normal diving. SO it takes a lot to get to a level where you are competent enough to really take on any decent cave here in Australia. I think this is a good break down of all the necessary elements one needs to pass sufficiently before finally being fully competent. It seems that the courses there amalgamate much of the training into single course structure. That would be a lot to take on for most people I feel. I once dove in Papua New Guinea and had dreadful inability to equalise on a deep dive. As you know relaxation is the key. I completed half the dive popping up a little all the time around 9m to see if I could clear it. Whilst the rest of the dive group were down at 30+m, I knew I had to relax so as the dive progressed I just concentrated on enjoying the marine life. About 25 minutes later I tried a gentle Valsalva manoeuvre and pop they both cleared at the same time easily. Once they popped I was able to race down and join the group. It's almost aways a muscular thing and being relaxed is the key. It's important to enjoy the dives you are doing. Because of you 'self aware' attitude and willingness to admit your strengths and weaknesses (to yourself and others when necessary), I think you make a great instructor and diver in general, and whilst cave diving may not be your thing, it's good to know from a personal point of view that you can handle limited vis and difficult environments, which ultimately makes you and those around you much safer in the long run. Stay safe and enjoy your diving.

[@Yggdrasil42]

Most agencies split cave training into three levels: Cavern (daylight zone, limited penetration), Intro to Cave (actual cave diving but no complex navigation and conservative gas rules) and Full Cave (includes complex navigation and rule of thirds). Most people do Cavern and Intro in one go, then get some experience before doing Full. You can also do all three in about 11 days but that requires a good instructor. After that basic training you can add further training like Cave Stage (bring more tanks to go further), Cave DPV (add a scooter to go even further), Surveying, Cave CCR (in various levels like Normoxic, Hypoxic), Cave Deco, etc.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thank you for jumping in. Yes, the 3 part course split is the normal sequence but a lot of people, at least in the riviera Maya, will go through all three at once

[@gbsailing9436]

WOW keen.@@AzulUnlimited

[@Yggdrasil42]

@@AzulUnlimited Yes, I did all three too. I feel this has to do with the fact that Yucatan caves are mazes so you don't get far without navigation decisions. In France (The Lot) many caves are one line so you can do quite a lot with just Intro.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Good to know!@@Yggdrasil42

[@marisaharris1384]

Hi! my sister in law and I just finished an amazing 5 days of diving here in the Akumal area :) We did The Pit, Barbie line of Dos Ojos, Chikin-Ha, Carwash and Dreamgate! Needless to say, we are cenote lovers! It would have been awesome to run into you in the area, I have learned a lot from you and your videos.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks so much for watching! Maybe we can dive together soon!

[@marisaharris1384]

@@AzulUnlimited Oh I would definitely love that! We are going back to Akumal next March to do more cenote diving, there are new ones opening up and I can't wait to try them out: I also want to do one of your trips but I won't be able to this year. I will keep checking your videos to see what you come up with next year and I sincerely hope to be able to join you and learn in person from you :)

[@AzulUnlimited]

@@marisaharris1384 That would be amazing. If you aren't on my email list, that's the best place to see trip announcements: eepurl.com/dupACr

[@Raphael_NYC]

I so know how you feel and I am simply an amateur. Thank you. raphael nyc

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks for watching!

[@theck672]

Maybe a collapsable wagon to put your bags in when traveling?

[@AzulUnlimited]

That's a good suggestions. Thanks!

[@willsmooth45]

Would be so cool if you collaborated with #divetalk to do a video together! Not training or anything just fun dives!

[@AzulUnlimited]

I’ve met them. Their channel is a little too intimidating to me, tbh. I like staying on my tiny, supportive side of the internet💙

[@huertix4393]

Respect! good vibes first :)

[@Yggdrasil42]

Did you like the Primary Reel? My current Tecline one annoys me so I'm looking for a better one.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I do! It’s a solid piece of equipment

[@ScubaTina67]

🎉🎉🎉

[@AzulUnlimited]

💪💙

[@Teampegleg]

"Five to six years isn't a very long time to be away from cave diving" - It is though. We had a death two years ago, a former cave explorer whose name comes up if you look at some of the publications and maps from that time period. He had moved away from cave country for about a decade. On his second dive of the trip he died due oxygen toxicity a very short distance into the cave, he ended up starting the dive on his oxygen bottle instead of the 32% bottle he intended. He used top mounted stages that prevented doing a proper gas verification for switches, and in the years he was away from cave diving the Florida community largely stopped doing top mounted stages for that reason. It isn't just deaths, but skill degradation as well. Winter is tourist cave diver season with people who might cave dive a couple times of year. And it is a disaster, I understand that no one is perfect, I can be a bit of a silt monster when I have no choice. But god it drives me nuts, running into people entering restrictions while I am exiting or poorly run lines. I think it is good to know you limitations and to take a step back and work on the basics if you are out of the hobby for a while. Take a refresher like you did, or just do some dives with locals that you know are skilled and can be critical. I have a friend that comes down once or twice a year. I am often the first person he dives with on the trip, helping him get his bearings. Heck even I have to take step backs, if I have an injury that keeps me out of the water for a month or twoi I'll take a step back and work my way back to my previous level. So kudos for knowing when to ask for help.

[@AzulUnlimited]

Thanks! It's super important that people people put ego aside and refresh their skills. No one is perfect and no ones skills are perfect. Thanks for your support!

[@user-ob3ob3ii3u]

Can you work on my skills with me? You seem like you were a great instructor. I’m a big fan!

[@AzulUnlimited]

Are you looking for cave diving instruction or other diving skills? I do have a few videos out going over some different basic skills (finning techniques, buoyacy, compass, etc). If you would like more than that, please let me know.

[@mikesbigadventures194]

Oh lord, as soon as I saw the diaper package. 😂😂😂😂. Been there…

[@AzulUnlimited]

It’s so much fuuuuuuuun 😂🤣

[@Monmorrangr]

Braided hose for cave diving? Has the opinion on that changed? Years ago that would never be recommended. Honestly question not trying to come off as a jerk.

[@AzulUnlimited]

I think most people wouldn’t choose it if cave diving was their main interest. I’m definitely more of an ocean diver so I chose the hoses I prefer 😁

[@Monmorrangr]

@@AzulUnlimited do what works for you. I was honestly just curious if the opinions around it had changed.

[@drlangattx3dotnet]

You make a good vieo. I have seen really boring people with 1.5 million subs. GO figure? You should have more subs, but maybe diving does not have the audience that bushcraft/camping/canoeing has. Anyway. Here is a comment to help you generate money?

[@AzulUnlimited]

Every comment helps! 😜 yeah scuba diving is definitely more niche and honestly, I’m not interested in being internet famous. As long as I can help people while building a little community of divers that want to travel with me to cool places, I’m stoked.

[@cobra5088]

I have zero interest in cave diving and your video reinforces that. Especially if diapers are a requirement.

[@AzulUnlimited]

It's not for everyone and that's ok. I wasn't a fan of the diapers!