What would it be like to search for a lost Mayan city underwater? Well, in Guatemala this is possible. Lake Atitlan in Guatemala offers lake diving at its best. This is altitude diving so it is reserved for experienced divers, but the rewards can be great, particularly when considering the lost relics of an ancient village that one might find beneath the waves.
The word “Atitlan” is Mayan for where the rainbow gets its colors. The lake itself is surrounded by beautiful colors: the lush green of the forest, the deep blues of the lake, and the bright colors of the flowers and villages. It is truly a paradise and Aldous Huxley referred to it as the most beautiful lake in the world. Formed by a caldera eruption that resulted in a collapsed volcanic cone 84,000 years ago, this lake is very large and very deep, going to an estimated depth of 335 m (1100 feet) at its center.
The lake has its stories and its legends, including, as has every large lake in the world, its own resident monster. This is reportedly a large serpent that lures boats into the middle of the lake on windy days when the water is angry; the serpent sucks the boats down where they are never to be seen again. This is a very good way of explaining the disappearance of boats and an even better way to keep the locals close to the safety of the shore. After all, if you grew up hearing those stories, would you take your boat too far out?
It has also been reported for hundreds of years that an ancient Mayan village lay beneath the waves of Lake Atitlan. This has been confirmed. The site was found in 1997 and has been surveyed, although not excavated. Many divers have found artifacts from an ancient time, but it wasn’t until the village itself was found, with its religious monuments and alters, that its presence was confirmed. The exact location of the village has not been released, but it is believed that it once sat on an island in the lake and it probably wouldn’t take divers too much effort to determine some possible locations.
Aside from hunting for the submerged Mayan village, Lake Atitlan has many other sites to behold. The petrified forest is one such site. This perfectly preserved forest of petrified trees is like a dream world. After all, how many people get to swim through the forest? There are also giant boulders and rock formations, formed by volcanic eruptions. The lake bottom offers up a giant fissure where the heat from the center of the earth can be felt in the hot volcanic mud that lies there. It is in this environment that crabs, fish, and a variety of other lake creatures can be seen scuttling to a fro.
What do you need to know about diving in Lake Atitlan? Lake Atitlan’s main base of operations when it comes to diving is Iguana. Diving in the lake is high altitude diving, which means divers have to have experience and the proper gear. Diving at altitude carries extra risks so you must be certified for it. Be sure to get the proper training! There is a higher risk of decompression sickness, hypothermia, and hypoxia. It is possible to be more buoyant at altitude and computer equipment must be corrected for altitude.
Lake Atitlan’s water temperature is fairly steady year round at 21 C (70 F). It is recommended to use a dry suit or a 5 mm wet suit at minimum for diving in the lake. When diving it is important to be on the lookout for boats. The lake is the primary method of transportation for the natives and their boats are generally seen dotting the lake. These are generally handmade canoes they have made by hollowing out a log, allowing it to cure, and then nailing wooden panels to form the sides of the boat.
What is perhaps very significant for divers in Lake Atitlan, particularly those looking for ancient Mayan artifacts, is the change in water level that has occurred over the past few decades, centuries, and millennia. Geologists estimate that the water level in the lake has risen approximately 30 m (100 feet) over the past 1000 years. This is significant because this much of a rise in water levels could easily cover parts of entire villages, especially if they were located on an island.
Volcan Atitlan is still an active volcano, one that has grown up over the past 10,000 years, and its last eruption was in 1853. However, in 1976 a 7.5 magnitude earthquake hit Guatemala. This earthquake killed 26,000 people and it also fractured the lakebed of Lake Atitlan, causing the drainage of water, which in turn caused a drop in the water level of 7.6 m (25 feet) over the period of a month. This is significant because whatever Mayan artifacts there are buried beneath the surface of the lake would be at a shallower depth and easier for divers to find.
No matter what your reason for diving or wanting to dive in Lake Atitlan, there is definitely a magic in the air and in the water. The people are truly magnificent and the beauty of the area will live in your memory for the rest of your life. Just be sure to pay your respects to the Mayan Saint Maximon, located in different place each year. This is a life size wooden doll dressed in colorful clothing and given offerings of cigarettes, liquor, cigars, and money. If you give your offering, maybe, just maybe, you will make the next big find in Lake Atitlan.