Exploration

CINDAQ provides underwater cave exploration expertise, and information about the aquifer of our region. Cave diving exploration provides a critical knowledge base by mapping and observing the subterranean waterways, providing a foundation for scientific work.

More about it

Exploration of the aquifer began in the mid 1980’s. Since that time over 1,500 km of underwater cave passageway has been explored and mapped in the area between Playa del Carmen and Chetumal. That is only a fraction of what is thought to exist.

 

Cave exploration represents one of the last frontiers for true physical human exploration. As explorers, we are not here to plant a flag and go home, we are members of the community who genuinely believe that our efforts can help contribute to a better future for this area.

Exploration, documentation and observation of this vast underwater network are the first steps to learning what is there. Once we know what is there we can work with scientists to answer a number of important questions.

Related projects

Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve Punta Pajaros/Bahía de Ascensión, 2023

CINDAQ flew to Punta Pájaros and the Bahía de Ascensión to investigate the presence of caves and the potential for their exploration...

Bacalar 2023

From May 1-5, 2023, CINDAQ assisted Dr. Luisa Falcón (Senior Researcher of Bacterial Ecology, Institute of Ecology, UNAM, Mérida) in her ongoing studies of...

Tuun Ja Cenote, Muyil-Xamach Fire Site Exploration and Documentation

On March 23, 2022, members of the Centro Investigador del Sistema Acuífero de Quintana Roo AC (CINDAQ), flew by helicopter from Puerto Morelos to the Sian Ka’an...