Tamaulipas
Sistema San Rafael (San Rafael de los Castros)
Info · exploration
Expeditions only: no dive centre on site; according to Nitrox (IANTD) divers are guarded by state police because of insecurity, and all gear comes from Mexico City.
- Max depth91 m (299 ft)
- CertificationFull cave
- SpecialExperienced divers
Diving and fills
Dive here with
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Now at Sistema San Rafael (San Rafael de los Castros)
The dive
A complex system where visibility is close to zero. In March 2026 Osama Gobara's team added about 500 m of new passage, bringing the explored part to about a kilometre.
Profile and sections
A complex system where visibility is close to zero. In March 2026 Osama Gobara's team added about 500 m of new passage, bringing the explored part to about a kilometre.
Practical: information only; an expedition site with no dive centre.
- Depth and profile
- About 1 km explored after March 2026, with ~500 m of new passage at 91 m depth; no end found (POSTA, InDEPTH).
- Configuration
- Expedition dives on rebreathers; configuration not published.
Who can dive where
- At least Full cave
- Configurations: Backmount / twinset / Sidemount / CCR
- Configuration unknown — research beforehand
- Goes down to 91 m (trimix or deco may be needed)
- Experienced divers only
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.
How to get there
Near San Rafael de los Castros in the municipality of El Mante; the exact entrance is not published.
Around Sistema San Rafael (San Rafael de los Castros)
FillsNo fill station known nearby
News
Access and rules change: check what applies locally right before your trip. Source: GDELT Project and the news feeds of diving magazines. Search for more news ↗ Searched automatically, last on 11 Nov 2026.
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The caves here are listed as information only: we don't know a dive centre, guide or club yet that takes visitors, so you can't plan a trip here yet. Do you know one, or are you one? Let us know.