A large blue hole is a general term applied to a series of similar formations located below sea level. The result of such a union is a visual illusion that on the surface of the sea surface there is a gigantic-sized empty space. The spectacle is so impressive that interest in the blue hole does not fade away, but only increases every year. Moreover, curious inhabitants of the planet are interested not only to see the funnel, but also to find out exactly how it appeared.
Hypothesis of occurrence
The blue hole is a huge karst funnel filled with water. A kind of cave has a vertical arrangement and goes deep into the bowels of the sea.
The beginning of the process of formation of the depression refers to the times of the last ice age (about 15 thousand years BC), when the water level was much lower than now.
The approximate difference is 100-120 m. Then, in separate land areas as a result of erosion, numerous limestone caves formed in the system.
After the ocean rose to the present limit due to melting ice, geological formations were flooded. The result was the collapse of the vaults. As a result, the very same karst craters arose, later called blue holes. Moreover, each of the existing underwater caves has numerous tunnels, interconnected.
Interesting fact: the unscientific theory of the occurrence of depressions says that they were created by representatives of a certain ancient civilization as storage vessels. In favor of the assumption is the fact that the walls of the recesses are too smooth, while a natural formation cannot be formed with such accuracy and impeccability.
Blue hole in belize
There are several dozen blue holes on the planet. Gigantic depressions are found in different places of the world - in Egypt, the Bahamas, and Malta.
However, the Great Blue Hole, located in Belize (a state in Central America), is considered the most famous of all. The hollow is located in the center of the Lighthouse Reef atoll, which is part of the Belize Reef. Usually, when referring to such formations, they mean exactly this funnel.
Outwardly, the blue hole looks like a kind of foundation pit filled with dark water and surrounded by a ring of corals. Interestingly, the circle has an almost perfect shape. At the same time, the coral reef does not close to the end, leaving a couple of narrow channels as a passage.
A large blue hole is considered the largest only in diameter. Its size is 300 m. But the depth of education is 124 m. By the way, the final parameters were revealed by the world famous Jacques-Yves Cousteau back in 1972. Then he and his team discovered massive stalactites located in a funnel.
Interesting fact: a blue hole in Belize is recognized as extremely dangerous. During tides, numerous whirlpools form in its place, dragging everything into its depths without exception.People who are at this moment within the boundaries of the hollow risk their lives in attempts to see the miracle of nature with their own eyes. In addition, several types of dangerous fish live in the cave. Despite the threat and inaccessibility, the giant funnel is still one of the favorite places for divers.
World famous blue holes
The Dragon Hole is considered the largest deep blue hole. The hollow is located in the South China Sea. Its depth is 301 m. About 2 dozen species of living creatures live on the surface of the Dragon Hole. But at a depth of 100 m, where there is no oxygen, no life was recorded.
Dean's blue hole is a funnel with a depth of 202 m. The diameter of the depression varies. Closer to the surface, its size is 25-35 m., And at a depth of 20 m, the cave expands significantly, forming a dome. Here, the diameter can reach 100 m. A Dean hole is located in the Bahamas. Near Long Island.
In the Red Sea, near the coast of Egypt, there is another formation with a depth of 130 m. At a depth of about 50-55 m, a depression connects the trench to the sea. Corals hanging above it form a kind of arch. Hence another name for the blue hole - Arch.
Interesting fact: in the winter of 2010, William Trubridge (freediving world champion) went down into Dean's blue hole to a depth of 101 m. At the same time, he dived without the use of fins, which became a world-wide record.
A large, or great, blue hole is a giant karst funnel located vertically under water.The deepening arose even during the ice age (about 15 thousand years BC) and originally had the appearance of a limestone cave. The cavity acquired the appearance of a funnel after the ocean level rose, provoking the collapse of the arch. Moreover, there are more than a dozen such entities on the planet. The most notable of all is the blue hole located within the borders of the state of Belize. Its diameter is 300 m and the depth is 124 m. The depression is included in the UNESCO heritage list, and among the inhabitants a unique phenomenon is considered a recognized miracle of the oceans.
