With one leg forward and one arm extending above my head, my other hand used my tripod as a walking stick to feel the ground ahead. Once I established that my head was not as hard as the low-hanging stalactites, I began to settle into a rhythm of slowly advancing into the abyss.
My first experience of inching forward over slimy rocks was both frightening and intriguing. For photographers, working in total darkness is a challenge of the highest order. To experience this underworld, one must check the senses at the door. There, pollution can also take a heavy toll. Not only does the polluted water despoil this underground labyrinth, the natural waters collected in the tropical forest reach into the vast coastal wetlands and the second largest coral reef system. Unfortunately, the story they tell is not good.īurgeoning hotel growth in the Yucatan and Quintana Roo with only partial sewage treatment is destroying the water that sustained early Mayan civilizations. These sink holes are also a barometer of the aquatic health of the region. Stalactites and stalagmites bear witness to the passage of eons of calcium-laden waters migrating through the stone as flowing rivers. These virtual gardens lie hidden with plants growing toward a small shaft of light. My part was to focus on cenotes, subsurface portals to an underworld of turquoise waters and hanging roots, using my landscape photography. We came to the Yucatan Peninsula to document its incredible fragile beauty. Photographers specializing in landscapes, aerial, underwater, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects donate their talents to provide professional, high-quality imagery to environmental groups. RAVEs represent a coming together of talented photographers from around the world to document environmental issues. So, when I received an invitation to take part in an International League of Conservation Photographers (ILCP) Rapid Assessment Visual Expedition (RAVE) to the Yucatan, I was eager. Although I had been to Mexico many times, I never ventured into the Yucatan backcountry. When I first heard the word “cenote” I had no idea what it was.
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