Description of the attraction
The Great Blue Hole is a giant, naturally occurring underwater well located off the coast of Belize. It is located practically in the center of Lighthouse Reef, 70 km from the nearest coast and the city of Belize City.
This hole of regular circular shape - more than 300 m wide and 124 m deep - was formed during several episodes of the Quaternary glaciation, when the sea level was significantly lower. Analysis of stalactites found in the Great Blue Hole shows that its formation took place in stages - 153 thousand, 66 thousand, 60 thousand and 15 thousand years ago. The cave was flooded due to the increase in the area of the ocean.
The Great Blue Hole is the site of a number of Belizean reefs and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This site was explored by Jacques-Yves Cousteau and named one of the top ten diving sets in the world. In 1971, Cousteau descended into the crater on the Calypso submarine to determine its depth. Research by this expedition confirmed the karst origin of the limestone formations in four stages, finding scarps at depths of 21 m, 49 m, and 91 meters. The stalactites were recovered from the flooded cave and their analysis confirmed the original crater formation above sea level.
Now it is a popular place among recreational divers, an excellent opportunity to dive into absolutely clear water and meet rare species of fish, midnight parrots, and the Caribbean reef shark. Other types of sharks sometimes appear in these places - bull shark and hammerhead fish. Diving in the Great Blue Hole during high tides poses a great danger, because powerful eddies form on the surface, and geysers erupt at low tides. Registration for diving is carried out only if you have a certain qualification.
