scubacenote

the mixture of two words: scuba, which means self contained breathing aparatus, a divice invented by j.i. cousteau that allows people to breath under water down to 200 feet when their tank contains air.

and the word cenote: millions of years ago, the yucatan peninsula was a giant reef set under several feet of ocean water. during the ice age, the ocean level dropped, exposing the reef to the surface. the coral died, and jungle grew over the mile thick limestone platform created by the coral reef. in time, the rain filtered through the soil, carving tunnels through the softer limestone creating a giant network of caves and tunnels.

when the ice age was over, the ocean rose back to today’s current level, partially submerging the cave network with crystal clear fresh water and sometimes collapsing the limestone creating sinkholes. a “cenote” is a natural sinkhole created where a cave ceiling has collapsed, a window to this spectacular world. the mayans first called these sinkholes “dznot” or sacred well. a word which had been perverted into “cenote” by the spanish “conquistadors.”
it was the conbination of words that were chosen by a mexican blogger, writer, cave diver and eco activist to spread his ideas through the internet. so more often that not if you google this word together, it will lead you to him.
besides directing his company scubacenote, “spelunker” and underwater film maker, broadcasts “eco-propaganda” through his you tube virtual channel. p-ssionate about preserving the local enviroment, battles large greedy corporations to save the reefs, the cenotes and the mangroves of the not yet over exploited “riviera maya”.