Cenote Coop One is part of the K’oox Baal cave system (including the Tux Kapaxa system).
Between 2006 and 2011, cave divers explored more than 30 km of new cave passages in the K’oox Baal system. On December 9, 2011, the two cave systems merged and became known as K’oox Baal. Already boasting an impressive total cave line length of 75,140 meters, it was subsequently extended to 102,901 meters and is now proudly considered the fourth-longest underwater cave system in the world.
Historic Connection: “Mother of All Cenotes” Linked to K’oox Baal System
On June 22, 2025, Phillip Lehman, Patrick Widmann, Rosso Rivera, and Robbie Schmittner successfully connected the “Mother of All Cenotes” to the K’oox Baal cave system. This achievement followed the discovery of a navigable passage between the two systems, which lie approximately 1.5 kilometers apart.
To bridge the gap, the team laid over 8 kilometers of guideline, establishing a permanent connection between the cave networks. The exploratory dive lasted 425 minutes and was conducted using Seacraft scooters, mNemo mapping tools, and Sidewinder rebreathers, enabling the team to navigate, map, and document the newly accessed sections with precision.
With this connection, the total surveyed length of the K’oox Baal system now reaches 123 kilometers, marking a significant milestone in the exploration of underwater cave systems in the region.
By the way, the first (Ox Bel Ha) and second (Sac Actun-Nohoch-Dos Ojos) underwater cave systems in the world are also located here on the Rivera Maya and we can dive them as well
Establishing this connection is the culmination of years of effort by cave divers worldwide. Researchers have conducted hundreds of dives in the region’s caves and spent thousands of hours underwater. They spent hundreds more hours exploring and navigating the treacherous jungle. They transported and maintained diving equipment, drove cars, and oversaw their endless repairs.
Today, the K’oox Baal is the world’s longest cave system, whose entire surface, including contours and cave lines, has been fully mapped.
Our K’oox Baal cave diving video
Cenote Coop One (Big Hole), a.k.a. Tam Hol in Maya
The maximum depth of the Coop One section of the cave system is 45 ft (13.7 m). You will find the permanent line on the far side from where you walk down a ramp and past the wooden deck with a ladder leading straight up to the surface.
K’oox Baal Cave system map
Coop One Cenote location map
The first explorers of the Sistema Tux Kapaxa side were Gunnar Wagner and Robbie Schmittner.
Bill Philips and Robbie Schmittner were the first explorers of the K’oox Baal System.
Other explorers were Steve Bogearts, Petr Chmel, Miloslav Dvoracek, Harry Hicks, Radoslav Husak, Daniel Hutnan, Martin Hutnan, Karol Kyska, Radek Jancar, Andres Labarthe, Miroslav Manhunt, Michal Megela, Theirry Minet, Zdenek Motycka, Bil Philips, Sabine Schnittger, Wulf Schubert, Jan Sirotek, Sarka Stepanova, Kamila Svobodova, and Radoslav Teichmann, Phillip Lehman, Patrick Widmann, Rosso Rivera, Max and Laura Tobey.
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