It's late afternoon when Hannes, Attila and me decide to head out for an easy -let's check out that cave- dive. Located on the Santa Cruz ranch, just before Carwash, is the systema Camilo (entrance: 80 Pesos), currently consisting of 6 cenotes, 3 of whom are reachable from the dirt track: Calavera (another one than Temple of Doom), Mud (guess where that name comes from!) and Muchachos.
After gearing up in the middle of a jungle clearing, we head for the latter, a small pool barely big enough to accomodate all three of us. But a soon as we submerge, the tunnel opens up wide and large, into a huge dark tunnel decorated here and there with big old stalactites, stalagmites and columns. Quite a sight.
We follow the main line for about 18' before jumpimg off to the left towards the Black Forest. The tunnel here is lower, but still wide, with lots of dark decorations. We continue till the end of this side line, close a gap and go right. The path gets more restrictive, and with a depth of around 18m, this is no longer a short easy dive. We'll get into deco for sure. I check my gauge again and call the dive, 45' away from day light and free air.
When we finally reach the small entrance hole again, I've got a 35' deco penalty at 3m... That's a very very long stop when you can't move around, there's nothing to do or see and you're tired from two long dives in one day. But, if you can't do the time, don't do the crime!
As the sun sets, day light slowly fades away. When Attila and Hannes exit, thanks to less restrictive dive computers, mine still tells me to wait 20'! Every now and then my body shivers with cold tremors. Time barely seems to pass. It's a question now of controlling the mind's endless spinning. There's only my respiration and the noise of my bubbles rolling along the ceiling, escaping the cenote's hold as I can not yet. Catfish start to check out my face and hands as I lay still and wait. And wait. Till suddenly my time's up and I'm allowed to re-surface as a free man. Mañana descanso!
