Mayan underworld
With Argonaut safely tucked into an inlet on Isla Mujures and another hurricane tracking across the Caribbean, we turned our focus inland.
An early start had us only just making one of the first fast ferries of the day and in dire need of coffee.
Caffeine and a gutless Chevy Aveo acquired we turned west to negotiate the road infrastructure of prestine new motorways and lesser single lane roads which could be peppered with suspension sheering pot holes of unknown depth.
Not our hire car.
After taking a few blind speed humps at speed and some light whiplash, we soon renamed these speed mountains. Charles’ South African heritage however had us making good time on roads requiring some evasive maneuvering around Pablos, our name for the abudant mexican street dogs, and the craters determined to loose us out hire car deposit.
The handling of the Aveo was quickly likened to a boat wallowing side to side with little reason. “Do we gybe here or tack?” - Alex on nav.
The lawnmower engine being ragged to 5000rpm as we desperately tried to overtake was a regular source of entertainment, interspersed with mild concern when an invisible previously speed mountain loomed right in front of us and the anchors had to be slammed on.
Alex's thorough research pegged us on visiting Cenotes on the road to Valanoid. The first we soon found had been closed for storm maintenance, but after a light rally stage down a jungle track, the next one was about to stun us.
The best natural swimming pool
From the outset we were distracted by a custom MAN expedition vehicle with German reg. We knew we had found a good spot with such good company.
The surface comprised of little more that timber shelters, and after a few hundred pesos traded hands, we were pointed in the direction of the entrance to the cenote. It was all very unassuming from ground level, but descending the slippery steps with crocs in sport mode we were in for a real treat. The cavern opened up before us tastefully lit by a Honda generator humming up on the surface.
As our eyes adjusted, we descended into the refreshingly cool vibrant blue water and began to explore some of nature's finest sculptures in this staggering cathedral. It was quiet, with just our movements and the water leaching through the rock raining down on us from many thousands of stalactites.
Free dive setting engaged on the Suunto watch, I was curious to find the bottom before diving and jumping into the darker parts of the cavern.
Without a mask or torch and feeling around blindly I maxed out at 4.9m finding a sandy layer between the stalagmites.
Satisfied with this we spent another half hour diving in undoubtedly the best swimming pool any of us had ever experienced.
“Where next?”
On the surface I took a moment to speak with Klaus and Suzanne, who after custom building their expedition truck in Germany with a refrigeration container had shipped it to Canada. They were overlanding enroute to Ushuaia with their dog Zora. Check out their website for details.
After refueling with a packed lunch with some extortionately priced Yucatan honey forced upon us by a local, we hit the road for Valanoid to explore the town, it's many hats and check in to our hotel for the night so we could make an early start and beat the crowds to one of the 7 wonders of the world…
