Great Blue Hole

The Great Blue Hole is a large sinkhole of the Belize Barrier Reef in the Atlantic Ocean, located near the coast of the small Central American nation. Diving into it is a serious challenge to which only experienced divers are allowed. The dusky beauty of deep-water limestone caves overgrown with stalactites, deadly funnels formed by the tides, swarms of nurse sharks that have taken up residence in the vicinity of the Big Blue Hole, make descending into it a truly exciting adventure for the true extreme divers.

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Video: Big Blue Hole

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The geologic history of the Big Blue Hole

The Belize Barrier Reef occupies almost a third of the 900-kilometer Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second largest in the world after the Australian Barrier Reef. Three atolls are concentrated in its eastern part with great depths. In the center of one of them, Lighthouse Reef, and lies the Big Blue Hole – its dark blue stain contrasts spectacularly with the azure waters around.

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During the last ice age, sea levels were lower, and the bottom and walls of today’s sinkhole were part of a system of terrestrial limestone caves. After the ice melted, this part of the atoll went underwater, the brittle limestone was eroded and it failed, forming a 124-125 meter deep sinkhole. For the coast of Belize this geological phenomenon is typical, but the Big Blue Hole is unique in its size. According to scientists, the process of erosion of the walls and bottom continues, and the depth of the funnel will gradually increase.

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Big Blue Hole discovery and research

The giant sinkhole was popularized by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, who conducted his research here in 1972. The famous Frenchman confirmed its diameter – 318 meters, and for the first time was able to name the depth of the Big Blue Hole, taking measurements from his ship “Calypso”. In Cousteau’s personal ranking, the sinkhole with underwater caves was among the ten most attractive places for diving in the world. At the bottom, which the explorers reached in single-seat submarines, they found sloping stalactites that indicated the direction of plate shifts. Cousteau and his associates determined that there were at least 4 stages in the destruction of the caves – this can be seen by the protrusions at depths of 21, 49 and 91 meters.

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The depression explored by Cousteau’s team in 1988, Ned Middleton gave a loud name in his book “Ten Years Under the Sea”. He also subsequently wrote a guidebook for divers in Belize, focusing on the Big Blue Hole as the Barrier Reef’s main natural attraction.

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Diving

Athletes from all over the world come to Belize for diving – it is the main tourist destination of this small country. More than 130,000 people dive every year, but not all of them are ready to experience the hardships of descending into the Big Blue Hole. In the record of the diver must be at least 24 dives to the local travel agency to organize a trip for him. It is impossible to undertake the trip on your own – divers must be accompanied by experienced guides who correlate the travel time with the tides, when whirlpools are formed that can swallow not only a person, but also a small vessel. At low tide, it is no less dangerous: the blue hole fountains, spitting out the debris captured earlier.

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The Underwater World of the Great Blue Hole

Experts warn that lovers of clear waters with flocks of colorful fish scurrying back and forth, it is better to choose other areas of Lighthouse Reef for diving. The main inhabitants of the Big Blue Hole are giant grouper, reaching a length of 2.7 meters, nurse sharks and reef sharks, theoretically capable of harming humans, but without provocation do not attack him, with some luck you can meet and hammerhead fish. As you dive, the sea creatures disappear, and at a depth of about 45 meters dark caves with dim stalactites begin.

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Tourist information

Water temperature off the coast of Belize is comfortable all year round: in summer it’s about +26 °C, in winter – a couple of degrees lower. In the Big Blue Hole, of course, the indicators are different – according to the depth, they require from the diver appropriate equipment and sportswear. The cost of the dive depends on the composition of the group and the hired transportation. On average, it costs 250 dollars. Those who are not skilled in diving, can admire the hole from the air, hiring a light-engine airplane for about $ 600 per person. The entire excursion will take no more than an hour.

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Where to stay

Ambergris Caye is an island with beaches and a mangrove swamp in the center. Its hotels stay mostly divers, so everything is created here for their convenience: at every step there are tour agencies specializing in trips to the reefs, and stores with specialized equipment. There is no special entertainment on the island, only excellent beaches, upscale hotels and restaurants. Popular among tourists is Ocean Tide Beach Resort with views of the reefs, which costs about 6 thousand rubles per night, more democratic hotel Corona del Mar costs 1000 rubles cheaper. Renting a villa costs at least 30000 rubles per day. Cheap hostels costing from 2000 rubles per night are closer to the center of San Pedro, outside the island of Ambergris Caye.

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How to get there

Foreign tourists usually arrive in the country via the Belize City Airport, which receives regular flights from Canada, the United States, and neighboring Central American countries. From there, visitors travel to the city of San Pedro lying an hour and a half north by ferry. The crossing costs about $40. From here, from the island of Ambergris Caye, divers are taken to the Big Blue Hole by motorboat or boat. San Pedro has its own airport, but it receives mostly local flights and charters from North and South America and Western Europe.

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