Caution on Cave Tubing

[ChBoxers800]

I'm not trying to be a know it all as I've never cave tubed in my life. And, in spite of what I read and have posted below, I still think it would be a neat tour.

 

However, I stumbled across this post (from quite a while ago) and thought it let people see how cave tubing MIGHT be for those who are taking children, are afraid of the water, and don't realize that the water can be cold. Also thinks that it shows how important it is to pick the right guide.

 

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Tuesday was our second port-Belize. I was really looking forward to this one because of the (mostly) good reviews I had read of the cave tubing. Turns out I should have paid more attention to the bad reviews because I got sucked under the water and almost drowned :eek:

 

We had booked with Reggie's and we met them a little ways away from the pier. It was a pretty yucky day, cloudy and a little rainy. The bus driver seemed to be on a mission to pass every other car and tour bus on the road, no matter how much water he had to go through to do it. The hike to the caves was terrible that day because it had just rained. There was mud everywhere and it was really really slippery. We ended up in the back with another couple because we were walking slowly so we wouldn't fall, like one lady did. For awhile one guide was at the front and one was at the back but then the one at the back just went up ahead and never came back. We finally see him again about 10 min later and he's just telling us to hurry up. I thought that was a pretty crappy thing for a guide to do, someone should always stay at the back to make sure everyone is ok and they should never tell you to hurry when it's as slippery as it was that day.

 

One thing I never saw anyone mention on here-the water is FREEZING!!! Everyone was screaming when we first stepped in it. Once we all got our tubes in the water, the people from X-stream came up right behind us and their guide told them to get in before most of us had even left. I thought that was dumb for them to do that since it's hard enough to keep track of everyone and they made it worse by putting us all together. My tube started to float down the river before I had a change to turn my self feet first and I hit this huge rock that was sticking up and my light flew off my head. Someone found it later for me but my bf and I ended up trying to stay linked together the whole time because we were already having bad feelings about this. We didn't really like being on the tubes because you don't really have much control of where you are going. It's easy to just slam into rocks or the walls and even if you are able to paddle away someone can still bump into you and knock you back to the rocks.

 

Once we got out of the cave I thought things would be better but then the guides were telling everyone to stay to the left. We tried to paddle to that side but the current was really strong and we were pulled to the other side. There was a couple of thick tree branches that were stretching horizontally a few inches above the water. My bf got to the branches first and started to get pulled under but was able to pull himself up on the side. My tube was going toward the braches and the guide was

standing on them telling me to get out of the tube. I started to get out and the current pulled me and the tube under the water. I was holding onto the branch underwater as tight as I could and trying to decide if it would be better to let go and hope there were no more branches and I'd pop up on the other side, or just stay put and try to find a way to the surface. I kept holding on the guide managed to pull me up out of the water. I just stood on the branch shivering and scared out of my mind because I never thought I'd almost drown on an excursion. Then we see a few more people heading toward the branches we were on. We yelled at them to paddle away but it was too late since they were already sucked into the current. A girl that was about 10 hit the branches first and her and her tube got sucked under right where I did. There were 3 of us trying to pull her up for what seemed like forever because her tube was behind her and it was pushing her down away from us. We finally got her up on the branch with us and I think her mom either was on there or was just sitting in her tube holding on. Then this huge lady comes up on the side where my bf is and grabbed onto his arm as hard as she could. She almost pulled him under because she was so heavy that he couldn't hold her up. The guide ended up putting us in tubes one by one and pushing us over to the side where the rest of the people were. Then we had to get back in the water AGAIN to get back to the beginning. I was terrified to go back in that water but luckily the rest of the ride was ok.

 

I can see how this excursion may be kinda fun if the weather is ok and there isn't a strong current. But the problem is you never know what the river is going to be like or what may happen. Since it's a 3rd-world country there are absolutely no safety regulations for this excursion so it can end up being very dangerous depending on the conditions. Be VERY CAREFUL if you go on this excursion and I would not bring anyone on this that is not in pretty good shape because you never know what might happen.

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[rainbow08]

I am glad you are sharing this with us since I'm seriously considering doing this cave tubing next week, and I will have my parents and child with me!

[rainbow08]

I am glad you are sharing this with us since I'm seriously considering doing this cave tubing next week, and I will have my parents and child with me!

[driftwood]

. . . next week the water won't be "freezing." Sheila and I went with Major Tom in the first weeks of January 2008, and if the water temperature was below 75º F. I would be VERY surprised, as I notoriously do NOT like cold water. After hearing all the noise on the Cruise Critic Boards I was afraid to go. Then I was very much surprised to find none of what I had read was true: in fact all the negatives were baloney, and I enjoyed the cave tubing more than almost everything else we did for our two week stay in Belize. Don't listen to ANYONE who tells you the cave tubing is "dangerous" or "frightening" or "cold." It is the bunk. It is dark--which is why you are supplied with waterproof flashlights. There has been too much of this kind of negative posting of late, and I have no idea where the motivation is coming from, but it ought to be stopped dead, because it simply is not true. There are a couple of irresponsible tour operators, who may even now be being dealt with by the courts in Belize, but I don't think even they created hazardous conditions for their guests--one of them evidently failed to pay for the registration for his vehicles, as he is that sort of a fellow; and another attempted to murder another tour operator--purely a personal matter in the competitve atmosphere--, but there are over seventy responsible tour operators. And I will personally guarantee Major Tom for a safe and intelligent tour experience for anyone, because that is the kind of person he is.

 

The Caves Branch River passes through the caves that we visited, and the "current" which propels you through the caves (at a very comfortable pace) is the ordinary flow of the river. Anyone on top of an inner tube anywhere in the world will have some difficulty getting a "purchase" on water that is underneath him, as only his hands and feet will reach the water, and he will have more trouble moving in any given direction than a dog paddling. This is one reason some tour operators suggest that the tubes be linked together. You will find that most tour guides will leave their own tubes at a number of points in and out of the caves to help steer the tubes of their clients; and this they can do because at most points in and out of the caves the water is shallow enough--and the "current" is unimpressive enough--to allow them to do so easily. They have made it through the caves many a time before, and so will you. Only after massive rains does the water get deep enough to create even a moderate hazard--and this is NOT the rainy season, and will not be for many more months. A good tour guide--such as Major Tom--will NOT put you at risk. :cool: