Peter Matambanadzo Features Writer
Beneath the blue majestic pool is a unique world that is dream-like, magical, filled with unexpected colour and haunted by shadows of myth. This was said by one of the visiting 12 South African professional divers, Johan Boshoff, who is the editor and publisher of an international magazine, Dive Spot.
Boshoff is leading a team of divers who have been to over 200 countries, and are in Zimbabwe on a mission to explore the mysterious “Sleeping Pool” at the Chinhoyi Caves known to locals as Chirorodziva.
The Chinhoyi Caves are located some 115 kilometres from Harare, in the Mashonaland West capital of the same name.
The professional divers, who are on a week-long diving expedition, say the geographical spectacle and the clarity of the water at the Sleeping Pool is mind-blowing, unique and cannot be compared to any other natural phenomenon.
Boshoff said: “We are out of words to describe this pool. But from our two dives to about 91 metres it is a magnificent pool. It has clear water and we could clearly see trees, people and cameras flashing from as deep as 50 metres,” said Boshoff.
Another diver said it was an “unbelievable experience” as he emerged from a 90-minute underwater expedition. The divers also expressed high hopes to unravel the secrets of the sacred pool.
Parks and Wildlife Management Authority commercial services director Mrs Tariro Musonza said information from the expedition would be beneficial to Zimbabwe and would go a long way in marketing the Chinhoyi Caves as a world-class tourist attraction.
“We are happy with this exploration and we are                    looking forward to the findings of the expedition,” she said.
The Sleeping Pool is believed to be 172 metres deep with the divers who have explored deeper — the United States Navy — having only managed 135 metres.
About 58 metres down the pool, it is reported that there is another tunnel and a third tunnel lower is yet to be explored.
There are several underwater passages from the Sleeping Pool and explorers have always found their way back to the main pool. The water levels in the sleeping pool maintain the same level even if there are floods anywhere in Zimbabwe. Strangely, the temperature at any given time remains at a constant 22 degrees Celsius.
Meteorologists have failed to explain this phenomenon. Two people have drowned in the pool with the first drowning being recorded in 1978 when a diver also                 tried you go beyond the 60 metres prescribed by Government.
Many people, especially native Zimbabweans, continue to view the Chinhoyi Caves and the pool as sacred, however, science and modern “thinking” seems to have taken over as most of the zviera (myths and mysteries) of the caves seem to have been ignored.
On the other hand, the “Sleeping Pool” could as well be a sleeping tourism giant, capable of raking in much revenue.
However, Zimbabwe has failed to fully market the “Sleeping Giant” which can contribute to tourist arrivals and boost business including hotel accommodation, shuttle services and even create employment.  
With proper marketing, combined national effort and international exposure, this sleeping pool can change the face of Zimbabwe’s tourism with this untapped underwater tourism. This fascinating geological splendour holds such allure for explorers, scientists, vacationers and even eco-tourists.
People all over the globe have gone to great lengths doing “nutty” things underwater.
Some underwater activities, like scuba diving and underwater photography, are fairly common.
However, some aquatic enthusiasts take their antics to extremes, even staging underwater weddings, creating underwater sculpture or, in the case of wealthy English business magnate Richard Branson, building an underwater plane.
According to authoritative sources, underwater tourism has generated billions of dollars in revenue for many countries in some of the top underwater tourist attractions.
In tropical and sub-tropical parts of the world, there is a large market in “holiday divers” — people who train and dive while on holiday.
Recreational diving is increasing, particularly in areas of the world where deeper wreck diving is the main underwater attraction.
Generally, recreational diving depths are limited to a maximum of between 30 and 40 metres, beyond which a variety of safety issues (oxygen toxicity, nitrogen narcosis to name but a few) make it unsafe to dive using recreation diving equipment and practices, and specialised training and equipment for technical diving is needed.
For example, in the US, reef-related recreation and tourism account for an estimated US$364 million in added value to Hawaii’s economy each year and its near-shore reefs annually contribute nearly one billion dollars in gross revenues for the State.
Caribbean countries, which attract millions of visitors annually to their reefs, derive, on average, half of their gross domestic product from the tourism industry.
Belize — a country located on the northeastern coast of Central America — has coral reef  and mangrove-associated tourism contributed an estimated US$150 million–US$196 million to the national economy in 2007, representing between 12 and 15 percent of Belize’s gross domestic product.
Tourists spent an estimated US$150 to US$196 million on accommodation, reef recreation and other expenses; they spent US$30–US$37 million on sport fishing and diving alone.
Additional indirect economic impacts, including locally manufactured materials that support the industry, contribute another US$26 million-US$69 million a year.
Zimbabwe could draw lessons from these countries and promote the Sleeping Pool as an underwater tourist attraction.

peter.matambanadzo@zimpapers.co.zw