Ox Bel Ha cave system
Area: Tulum South
Length: 258,791 m
Maximum depth: 57.3 m
Sistema Ox Bel Ha came from the Mayan language which means "three paths of water." It is a classic example of a coastal cave. Its main feature is a higher fresh water layer flowing on top of a near-static saltwater layer, one that intrudes from the nearby Caribbean Sea. This creates a halocline, or a mixing zone, between unequal water densities. The halocline can be found at different depths; depths gradually increase as the distance to the ocean increases. For this reason, fresh water layers will be thicker inland where the salt water is less intrusive. In Ox Bel Ha, the halocline can be found anywhere between 25 ft-50 ft deep.
A change in water level due to daily tidal change is visually apparent in the numerous cenotes. In reality, however, only a few of the area cave systems connect directly with the Caribbean Sea. Many empty into mangrove beds and wetland savannah, others in caletas (small bays), and still others eventually reach the ocean, but only through a myriad of small voids in the limestone bedrock.
Exploration
1998-05 - GEO (Grupo de Exploración Ox Bel Ha): Bernd Birnbach, Fred Devos, Christophe Le Maillot, Sam Meacham, Bil Phillips, Daniel Riordan, Sabine Schnittger
Exploration of Sistema Ox Bel Ha began, from Cenotes Esmeralda and Amber Sun: 38,000+ ft explored and surveyed in 5 weeks.
1998-1999 - GEO (Grupo de Exploración Ox Bel Ha): Bernd Birnbach, Fred Devos, Christophe Le Maillot, Sam Meacham, Bil Phillips, Daniel Riordan, Sabine Schnittger
From Cenote Del Mar (Chikin Ha): 4,000 ft of existing lines resurveyed and 61,000+ ft added (71,000+ ft in all); 3 vents established to the Caribbean Sea and a connection made to the lines from Esmeralda. Dates as given on the map: 1998-06 - 1999-04.
1999-05 - GEO (Grupo de Exploración Ox Bel Ha): Bernd Birnbach, Fred Devos, Christophe Le Maillot, Sam Meacham, Bil Phillips, Daniel Riordan, Sabine Schnittger
From Cenote Ya'ax Kai: 46,000 ft of passage explored in 23 days of diving.
1999-12 - GEO (Grupo de Exploración Ox Bel Ha): Bernd Birnbach, Fred Devos, Christophe Le Maillot, Sam Meacham, Bil Phillips, Daniel Riordan, Sabine Schnittger
From Cenote Xuux: 78,810 ft explored and surveyed in 13 days and 59 dives, 18,900 ft of it from Cenote Moonpod, establishing the northernmost and southernmost points of the system. Total 231,792 ft; 44 cenotes interconnected.
2003-02
New exploration from Cenote Ak Al Ché and Cenote Ix Tikia Kax Tik (in black on the map).
2003-11
New discoveries (grey on the map) from Cenotes Sinaan, Jade Pearl, Soso'ok, Box Hi, Two Tarpon, Bek'ech, Twins, Aluxe, Tucha Ha, Box Ha, Rivendell and Chikin Ek.
2004
Ox Bel Ha - Yax Chen connection.
2011
Connection with the Naranjal region. Length 221,252 m, depth 34.7 m (May 2011).
2016-02 - Steve Bogaerts, Broad, Dan Lins, Bil Phillips
Caves
- Aak
- Air
- Ak Al Che
- Amber Sun
- Ayim
- Ayim Chi
- Barrier
- Bath Hole
- Bek’ech
- Bend
- Blackfoot
- Bo'ox
- Bolams
- Box Ha
- Box Hi
- Bronx
- Canales Norte
- Chac Che
- Chikin Ek
- Chup Lich
- Coka Ha
- Corey
- Crack
- Del Mar
- Dim
- Esmeralda (north)
- Esmeralda (south)
- Espejo
- Este
- Hideaway
- Ix Tikia Kax Tik
- Kansa’ Chich
- Keh
- Kubil
- Kupic
- La Familia
- La Mesa
- Labyrinth
- Las Perlas
- Libby
- Little Maya
- Los Canales
- Lost Twin
- Luz
- Mangrove
- Marin
- Matchbox
- Moonpod
- Morena
- Odyssey
- Perla
- Sac Ek
- Sac U
- San Andres
- Soso’ok
- Stilt
- Sunaan
- Tall Trees
- Tarpon
- Teapot
- Tucha Ha
- Twin
- Two Tarpon
- Victoria
- Wakax
- Xaan Kuna
- Xeh
- Xiix
- Xux
- Yax Chen region cenote (south-east)
- Yax Chen region cenote (west)
- Yax Kai
- Zacil Dzonot
- Zapata