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Dominican Republic

Sonador I (Nacimiento del Río Sonador)

  • Max depth101 m (331 ft)
  • CertificationFull cave
  • Water temperature≈ 24–26 °C (75–79 °F)estimated, no reports yet
  • SpecialExperienced divers
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The dive

The deepest flooded cave in the country, the source of the Río Sonador. The DRSS exploration reached the planned -100 m and half a kilometre of penetration, with heated vests and booster pumps for the deep gas.

Expedition dive: -101 m, a day's travel from any help and no hyperbaric chamber in the country. Only with a team that knows the cave.
Source: DRSS – Sonador I ↗
Profile and sections

The deepest flooded cave in the country, the source of the Río Sonador.

The DRSS exploration reached the planned -100 m and half a kilometre of penetration, with heated vests and booster pumps for the deep gas. The DRSS calls it a very demanding site because of its remote location, needing fixed procedures.

Not a site for a holiday week; listed so you know it exists.

Source: DRSS – Sonador I ↗
Depth and profile
Explored to -101 m and about 500 m in (DRSS)
Configuration
Deep spring: trimix, heating and a lot of gas; CCR suits it but without local support.
Gas
Trimix from 40 m (131 ft)
Who can dive where
  • CaveAt least Full cave
  • Whole caveConfigurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR
  • Whole caveGoes down to 101 m (trimix or deco may be needed) · doesn't decide who may dive
  • Whole caveExperienced divers only · doesn't decide who may dive
Experienced diversDepends on water level or swell

This is how the planner decides who in your team may dive this cave. Rules your own trip adds (organizer, a mail, the AI) show with your trip.

Source: DRSS – Sonador I ↗

How to get there

Yásica Arriba: the trek to the entrance and back takes almost a full day, with villagers and horses for the gear. Expedition only, through the cave centres on request.

Plan your route ↗

Around Sonador I (Nacimiento del Río Sonador)

FillsNo fill station known nearby
Other sites6

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Sources, sharing and disclaimer

Sources

Source: DRSS – Sonador I ↗

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Certification requirements, configurations and trimix depths are estimates for planning. Always check them locally and dive within your training. Compiled from web research (DRSS dr-ss.com, Dive Dominicana, Dominican Divers, Scuba Diving, Advanced Diver, World Nomads, divemasteraustin.com, showcaves.com, godominicanrepublic.com, Dominican press, DAN; Oct 2026), the book Las cuevas sumergidas de República Dominicana (environment ministry / Fundación Espeleobuceo Hispaniola, 2003; facts only); Dive Dominicana's gases and prices confirmed by Dive Dominicana, and Golden Arrow's details by Golden Arrow (Oct 2026). Oleg's Bat House and Sistema La Negra were added in Nov 2026 (DRSS, Dive Dominicana, Dominican Divers, and for Oleg's Bat House Caving News and DR1 after Listín Diario, 2011). The DRSS descriptions date from around 2013. Pins only where a source gives them; the caves on private land around Santo Domingo deliberately without a pin. Rules, prices and access change — check with your guide.