Cave Diving, Cave Exploration and Cave Mapping in Yucatan, Mexico

Hans Kaspersetz

My name is Hans Kaspersetz and I like to scuba dive. I discovered diving through my parents and Jacques-Yves Cousteau. When I was young, we would go to the Florida Keys and dive Loo Key and the canals. We would pick up some lobsters and chase Parrot fish and French Angel fish all over the reef. I loved diving from the very start. I always wanted one of those boxes that Cousteau wore on his back in his movies in the 80’s. In my teens I had to suspend that dream as I turned into a bratty young adult. Diving ceased to be a priority and I didn’t dive for about 15 years.

My wife, Allie, and I got certified by Tom Lee of Hoboken Dive Center in May 2003. We immediately did Advanced Open Water and Nitrox. Then we did Rescue diver. At this point we had a decision to make; were we going to be dive professionals or not? We decided against becoming dive masters as we watched many of our friends descend into PADI hell. Instead of diving for themselves, they teach teach and teach. We decided to pursue a technical path. Our inspiration was a friend name Paul and some really cool pictures and stories about cave diving. I am one of those bozos that read all of the recent hero dive books. Those stories really amped me up and got me excited.

Allie and I got our Advanced Nitrox and Deco Procedures from Elite Divers in Rockaway, NJ. Then we went on to get Cavern and Intro to Cave Diving training from Michael O’leary. A year later, I finished my Full Cave with a friend named Jeff under the tutelage of Michael.

Then at the end of 2006 I got the bug to get a rebreather. I did a discover CCR class with Andrew Driver of Blue Foot Diving. We tried the Kiss and the Meg. At the end of the day, I was sold on the Meg. I ordered one. Three months later and I got it. Two months later and I was trained and making hours on the unit.

While all of this was going on, in 2006 Allie and I decided we should move to Mexico. We had been traveling to Mexico and other beautiful places and we didn’t really want to go home after 7 days. So we started to make preparations. The original plan was to move in 2007. Due to work and other life issues, it took us until January of 2008 to make the move.

That is how I got here. Here is living in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico cave diving three or four days a week. Diving has really shaped our life. It has taken us all over the world and I expect it will continue too.

Since we arrived here, Allie and I have gotten hooked up with Pietro of Karst Diving, Patrick, Scott, Matt and the crew at Protec, and Steve Bogaerts.  I completed sidemount, advanced sidemount and survey class with Steve Bogaerts.  Sidemounting has really changed the way I dive and I can’t really imagine open circuit cave diving any other way.

It is my hope that Quiet Diver is entertaining and educational.  It is my philosophy that I should share my mistakes as well as my successes in the hope that my readers can learn from them.  I know that writing about my mistakes has been very helpful to me.

I hope you enjoy our publication and look I forward to your comments and emails!

About Hans’ Training

If you read any of my posts, you will realize that I am a big advocate of training.  Training can be: directly mentoring under a more experienced diver or it can be taking a sanctioned class with an instructor.  I think the key is to keep learning and to have an open mind.   The day my mind snaps shut to new ideas, is the day I need to start to worry.

I know for a fact that both Steve and Andrew are constantly evolving their styles and rigs.  They adapt as new ideas and new technologies come to bear on our sport.  I have watched both of them go through evolutions and share that knowledge with their students and other divers.  It is really cool to witness.

Following is a list of the courses and training that I have undertaken in my quest for excellence.   There is more training to come.  I plan to take:  Cave DPV, Sidemount Stage and Apnea/Freediving.

Hans’ Completed Courses

  • Padi
    • Open Water (Tom Lee)
    • Advanced Open Water (Tom Lee)
    • Rescue (Tom Lee)
    • Nitrox (Tom Lee)
    • Ice Diver (Pat Iapeca)
  • TDI
    • Advanced Nitrox (Frank & Barbara Krzeszowski)
    • Decompression Procedures (Frank & Barbara Krzeszowski)
  • NACD
  • IANTD
  • Advanced Side-Mount (Steve Bogaerts)
  • DPV (Andrew Driver)

Participant in the following exploration, expeditions and projects:

  • 2008-2009 Xunaan Ha Resurvey and Exploration; the project started in 2009 and in three years the team brought the cave system to over 50 km of extension.  The team is responsible for the connections of XH with cenote Palomita, Sistema X-Casel and Sistema Pitch among others. The exploration is still active, getting further inland, looking for a new entrance for an easier access to the upstream End Of Line 11.890 feet from air
  • 2008 Project Manager and Deep Support – “The Pit” Deep Cave Diving Project (105MSW/350FT) Playa del Carmen, Mexico
  • 2008 Safety Deiver – AIDA sponsored international free diving competition deep safety diver, Bacalar, Mexico
  • 2009 Project Manager and Deep Support – “The Pit” Deep Cave Diving Project, one hour bottom time at an average depth of 90MSW/300FT with use of decompression habitat, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
  • 2009 Cenote 307 Exploration Project, Playa del Carmen, Mexico
  • 2009 Exploration Project Cenote Chan Chemuyil Norte, Chemuyil, Mexico
  • 2010 Exploration Project Sistema Three Holes, Chemuyil, Mexico
  • 2011 Exploration Project Sistema Lycka, Tulum, Mexico
  • 2011 Exploration Project Sistema Ek Be, Akumal, Chemuyil, Mexico