Riviera Maya Cave Diving & 450ft Guadalcanal Wrecks with Instructor-Trainer Matt from ProTec

In this extended episode of Pod Diver Radio, host Joe Cocozza sits down on the Riviera Maya with Matt, co-owner of ProTec and one of the few instructor-trainer-trainers in technical and cave diving—he's the guy who trains the teachers who train the teachers. Matt traces his path from open water instructor in Thailand, Egypt, and Honduras to high-end tech and cave explorer. He shares stories from classic Cambrian Foundation expeditions with Terrence Tysall, including deep trimix dives on the Blue Hole and open-circuit exploration of the USS Atlanta around 425–450 feet in the Solomon Islands' Iron Bottom Sound. Then the conversation moves underground to Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula—why he moved there, what makes Riviera Maya cenote caves so unique (warm, clear water, easy access, massive speleothems, surreal haloclines), and how landowner relations, Mayan beliefs, and cave conservation all intersect. If you're into tech, wrecks, or Mexican cave diving, this episode is a must-listen.