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The Great Blue Hole of Belize is an Amazing Place on Earth

The Discovery Channel has named the great Blue Hole of Belize an amazing place on Earth.

Formed during the last ice age, the great Blue Hole of Belize is a submarine sinkhole that is 300 meters wide and 124 meters deep. It’s made up of karst limestone formations, which, over the years, have evolved into ledges that fall away into the chasm of darkness beneath.

“From the air, the Great Blue Hole of Belize resembles an otherworldly maw, intent on drinking down the surrounding Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Geologists believe that an underlying cave system collapsed under increased pressure some 10,000 years ago due to rising sea levels. The dark hole descends 412 feet, terminating in lightless depths where a lack of oxygen prevents most forms of life from thriving.

Divers rarely plunge these depths, however, as most are content to explore the stalactite-rich caverns accessible from depths of some 130 feet below the surface” states the article which was written by Robert Lamb and Amanda Arnold.

Discovering the Blue Hole,  Belize Barrier Reef

The Blue Hole is part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage Site of UNESCO and lies approximately 60 miles off the mainland out of Belize City.

The clear water is best suitable for advanced divers only and multi-colored stalactites and stalagmites, submerged caves and fish sheltering can be found between the steep-walled depressions and dark blue shadows.

Giant groupers, nurse sharks and Caribbean reef sharks can also be expected swimming in this natural wonder.

The site was popularized by Jean-Jacques Cousteau, a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist and scientist, who explored the Blue Hole in 1970 and declared it one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world.

For anyone interested in diving into the geologic past, exploring the Blue Hole is guaranteed to be a rewarding and unforgettable experience.

The icon of Belize is waiting for you to reveal its mystery…..

See also:

CNN International lists the Great Blue Hole of Belize a top diving site in the world

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