Cave Diving Courses
Mexico´s cenotes are the number one cave diving and cave training destination in the world. The Yucatan Peninsula offers a wide variety of cave and cenote diving for various levels of experience. The underwater caves of Mexico are very fragile, not very deep, have little water flow or current and often, a lot of fine sediments. Good buoyancy, trim and propulsion techniques need to be employed in order to protect this fragile cave environment. Cave conservation begins on the surface.
ProTec Dive Centers specializes in cave diving training in Backmount sidemount and CCR, as well as cenote diving. We teach all levels of cave diving, from cavern diver to multi-stage decompression cave diving using DPVs or CCRs. Our team of passionate instructors dive year round in the cenotes and are able to draw upon their real life experiences to give you the most up to date and comprehensive cave and sidemount training in the industry. Learn more about each cave course below.
Cave and cavern diver training in Mexico
Cavern Diver
Offered to all certified divers with an interest in diving in the cavern zone, the area of the cave where natural daylight is still visible.
Intro to Cave Diver
The Intro to Cave Diver course is for the diver who wishes to venture past the limiting daylight zone of a cave.
Cave Diver
This course is designed for divers who already possess their Cavern Diver and Intro to Cave Diver certifications.
Cave Decompression Diver
Decompression diving in caves involves different considerations than open-water deep diving.
Sidemount Diving for the Overhead Environment
Diving in the sidemount configuration can improve some of the logistics of cave diving.
DPV for the Overhead Environment
Designed for experienced, certified cave divers who wish to increase penetration beyond the limits of self-propulsion.
Underwater Cave Survey Workshop
This workshop is designed for certified cave divers who are interested in exploring and surveying cave systems.
Exploration Workshop
Our team of passionate explorers can condense years of knowledge into an easy to digest workshop.
Stage Cave Diver Workshop
The first part of our workshop-based training sequence and is the prerequisite to our Multi-Stage Cave Diver Workshop.
Multi-Stage Cave Diver Workshop
The Multi-Stage Cave Diver Workshop is the second part of our workshop-based training sequence for those wishing to further increase their penetration capabilities and sharpen their skills.
Advanced Sidemount Diver Workshop
We developed this workshop to address a gap in training we discovered whilst pushing incredibly small restrictions and exploring some of the smallest caves ever explored.
Advanced Cave DPV Diver Workshop
The Advanced Cave DPV Diver Workshop focuses on long range penetrations. Conducted rarely and only to people with good reason to engage in this type of diving.
Mental Considerations
Cave diving does carry risk. Divers interested in learning to dive in caves should consider their mental state and whether they possess the mental conditioning and positive attitude required in survival situations. In addition, divers must fully understand the risks they are undertaking and display a willingness to strive for perfection in the art of cave diving. We stress repetition of emergency exercises until they become second nature. Cave diving is not for everyone, however, those divers who demonstrate their aptitude for it will be rewarded with some of the best diving on the planet and a truly unique experience.
Protecting the Environment Starts With Us
Our cave systems are fragile, generally shallow, have little water flow and plenty of fine sediment. For the diver’s safety, and to protect the cave, all divers interested in entering the caves must have precision buoyancy, trim and control in the water. We recommend all divers take our ABC Program: Advanced Control Trim & Technique prior to enrolling in any cave courses.
What to Expect in Class
Our cave courses focus on best practices and procedures to promote safe cave diving. We practice drills and skills in a safe, controlled and supervised environment, both in and out of the water. Divers practice how they would handle worst-case scenarios, such as loss of breathing gas, lights, or even the loss of a team member or the cave guideline in a zero-visibility situation. For us, the training standards are, literally, bare minimums. We include a variety of additional exercises and scenarios, based on our vast and international experience cave diving. You will not find anyone in Mexico with as much experience in different cave diving environments as our team.
ProTec’s instructors are avid cave divers who travel all over the world and participate in high-profile scientific and exploration projects. We are safety enthusiasts who will make sure you finish your training equipped with the skills necessary to dive to your certification level.
If You're Already A Certified Cave Diver
If you are already a certified cave diver, ProTec offers a wide range of cave maps in both retail locations. The cave maps are useful in dive planning as they show flow direction, depth, floor to ceiling height, restrictions, bottom composition and much more. They are great tools for divers wishing to explore a particular cave system.
We highly recommend hiring a cave guide, particularly if this is your first time diving in Mexico. Our cave guides know the area and are happy to teach you about local customs, as they relate to diving, and take you on a tour of the best underwater caves that match your ability level. We can also debrief guided dives (upon request) to help you increase your skill level during our excursions.
Of course, if you are an experienced diver, renting a car and some tanks is a fun way to explore the area on your own. We are happy to help you plan your trip and provide you with any maps or directions you need. Just stay within your training level and if you’d like to take it to the next level, we’re here to help.