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Cenote Angelita – the dive site of the clouds

Cenote Angelita, the dive site of the clouds

Map cenote Angelita
Map cenote Angelita

Difficulty: advanced

Maximum depth: 40 meters

Features: hydrogen sulfide cloud, small cave

Angelita is a magical cenote that is often described as mysterious and a bit spooky. At first, the cenote appears to be unassuming, just a small pond in the middle of a very thick jungle. However, the deepest parts of the cenote go down to 204 ft (66 m). Its most amazing feature is a 4.5 ft (1.5 m) thick hydrogen sulfide cloud that starts at 83 ft (27 m). This cloud is made up of gases that have leaked out of decomposing trees and leaves that fall from the jungle into the cenote. This gas accumulates where the fresh and the salt water meet (the halocline). This creates a false floor at the bottom, which can be traversed to reach a dark, otherworldly chamber that is full of jungle detritus. The base of this mountain of detritus starts below but reaches above the cloud. Rising again from below the cloud, the peak of the mountain of detritus takes on a new face, as if one is ascending a cloud-topped mountain. On the way out of the cenote, there is a small cave loop, and at the surface, one can get an appreciation for all of the trees that provide this cenote with its hydrogen sulfide cloud.

The dive lasts about half an hour. It requires experience in deep diving and cavern diving.

Scuba diving video shot in Cenote Angelita, Tulum by Agua Clara Diving Tulum diveshop located in Tulum. The video shows the amazing “clouds” that form in the cenote depths. Angelita in Spanish means “Little Angel”.

 

List of the Cenotes near Tulum

All of these cenotes are part of our guided eco tours both for snorkeling and scuba diving