Swimming in a Cave: Rio Secreto

Our “batting average” for cruise excursions went up considerably today. This goes on my short lists not only for favorite cruise excursions but also for great travel experiences. 

I’ve had fantastic cave experiences in Australia, Slovenia, the US and perhaps elsewhere. I’ve seen remarkable stalactites (hang down from the ceiling light tights), stalagmites (start on the floor and might reach the ceiling), columns (when a stalactite and a stalagmite meet), soda straws (look like straws because they are hollow inside), flowstone (also known as cave draperies), cave bacon (grows down from the ceiling in “slices” that look like bacon), and other formations. I’ve seen underground rivers and even been on boats on some of them. Today was a first: I got to swim in a cave. 

Here’s where I get to thank Jana for the suggestion to visit Rio Secreto (Secret River)! It did not disappoint. I was with six others from our cruise, and three other people were assigned to our guide with us. Our guide, Cecilia, was great — she shared her sense of humor immediately when she referred to a certain song to make sure we knew her name, and she seemed to appreciate our less-than-spectacular rendition (“Cecilia, you’re breaking my heart, you’re shaking my confidence daily….”)

We’d taken a ferry from Cozumel to the mainland, then took a bus south a bit to reach Rio Secreto. We stored our belongings (including all phones and cameras) in lockers and took mandatory showers.  After fitting and donning gear (mandatory helmets and life jackets, optional wetsuits that the other 9 members of our cave tour group used but I did not which turned out to be an excellent choice, optional PVC-pipe walking sticks that I took two of, and water shoes for those who didn’t have them), we walked a few minutes on uneven terrain over rocks and tree roots. Eventually we reached the cave. 

The formations were impressive. Not necessarily world class on their own, but quite impressive and quite plentiful, and enhanced by getting to swim very close to many of the formations. We also saw bats, their guano, catfish, places without formations, and the water. 

Ah, the water. It was about 73F/23C. The showers were the same temperature and we were advised that if we thought it was cold we should use a wetsuit but apparently swimming in the Tualatin River has prepared me for such temperatures. The water was very clear, though with a film of calcium carbonate (chalk) on the top. Beautiful light blue or green, depending in where we were. More or less still. Calm, peaceful, and delightful. There were places we were ankle deep, knee deep, waist deep, and even two to three meters deep. There were gentle slopes into and out of the water, and there were steep drop offs into the water. There were places where the easiest way to navigate knee-deep water was to swim feet first to navigate below low-hanging formations and around formations on the ground. As is common in caves, Cecilia let us experience total darkness and silence while we’d ere standing in chest-deep water. She did a great job of showing us interesting things, asking us what we knew (I “earned” several shots of tequila for my cave knowledge, though I ended up taking about three sips and gave the rest of my taste to someone who would appreciate it more), building on what we knew, answering our questions, and making sure we all were safe and having a great time. 

We must have been inside the cave for about two hours (a time estimate I just validated with Don) but the experience was so incredible and novel that time went by quickly. 

By the time we returned to the locker area, removed and returned our gear, and got dressed it was time for a late lunch. I had low expectations, especially because we had been told we would receive “a substantial snack.” Substantial indeed. I didn’t try everything, but after being offered a shot of tequila, I had arroz (rice), frijoles (black beans), shredded pollo (chicken), handmade corn tortillas, a hibiscus beverage, and melons. I missed the cactus on the buffet, but tasted some from a friend’s dish (with consent, I might add). Given the choice between lunch in Dominican Republic and the snack in Mexico, there’s no question I would choose the latter every day of the week. 

After lunch we returned to Playa del Carmen for about 90 minutes of free time during which the 7 of us did what we do: found a few geocaches during a long walk. Then we boarded the ferry for the return trip and walked onto the ship. As it turns out, my legs were a wee bit stiff when I stood up at the end of the ferry ride, a bit stiffer after dinner, and even stiffer now. Apparently all of that walking on uneven terrain on land and in the water was more strenuous than I realized at the time.

It’s days like this that are why I travel. It’s hard to imagine what could be better than sharing an amazing new experience in a new place with friends.