7th July 2020
See the sea rx, diving the cenotes
One of the joys of being in the diving industry is diving! Unfortunately, we have to ensure our customers are taken care of, and as we grew tremendously in 2019, I was unable to dive as much as I would like. In December, 2019 (pre covid days), I was able to duck down to Cancun for a quick vacation (just a few hours flight from our base here in Houston). The trip was great, and I want to share a few pointers from it:
- Diving the Cenotes (and open water)
- New Ikelite Housing/Camera Test
- Trying out Atomic Masks
I also put together a video on the diving, which you can check out below:
Diving the Cenotes- Josh’s video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5yWQ_7X-V0
In Cancun, you have two major options for diving: open water and the cenotes. The reefs in Cancun are not as well known as those in Cozumel, but the diving is still pleasant. They also developed an “underwater museum” which allows divers to explore interesting views and sculptures while giving the reefs a break from the divers.
Divers also can head south from Cancun to various cenotes where fresh water diving systems extend throughout the Yucatan. The above video I took focuses mostly on the cenotes. The Cenotes offer access for various skill levels including swimmers through technical cave diving. The diving I conducted on this trip is available for most certified divers and considered “cavern diving”. While there are times the diver cannot ascend immediately above them due to cover, the diver can at all times see an entry and exit point (light). Divers conducted cavern diving should be accompanied by a certified cave diver. On this trip, I dove with Cancun Scuba Center and Juan Carlos. I did not receive any discount for diving with them (or posting about them here), but I always enjoy diving with them.
Testing out cameras
Photography and underwater photography have always been a big passion of mine. In the above video I used my trusty Canon 5DmkIV for the above water shots; however, I tested out a new camera for underwater video and stills. See the Sea RX became Ikelite dealers in 2019, and one of the cameras I have wanted to test is the Sony RX100VI due to its small size and overall great reviews as a travel camera. There are now newer version of the camera available, but it is still compact powerful travel camera. I did use an external ikelite flash. I have included pictures from both the Cenotes and the open water diving I did below for you all to see. As a side note, if you are doing underwater photography (And use bifocals or progressives), you can check out my article on bifocal dive mask lens options for some suggestions.
Testing out masks
I dove two masks on this trip, both Atomic masks, as I have not tried either (and we are the home of ordering Prescription Dive Masks). During the whole trip, I did have stubble/facial hair, and I did not have problems with leaking in either mask. I dove with the both the Atomic Venom and the Atomic Subframe. I have discussed both these masks in my posts on prescription lenses for atomic masks.
While I do personally prefer twin lens masks for aesthetic reasons, I do see why the Atomic Venom (Frameless) has become one of our most popular masks as it was incredibly comfortable with a wide field of view. I have heard some complaints from other divers about fogging in the venom. After a full prep including burnout, I did not have any issues with fogging in the mask. KEEP IN MIND YOU SHOULD NOT DO ANY BURNOUT WITH OUR PRESCRIPTION LENSES, and in general we do a full prep in house.
I also enjoyed diving the Atomic Subframe which is a twin lens mask. I found it to be sturdy and have a comfortable seal. The Subframe will likely remain my personal diving mask for some time.
