Tuesday, June 22, 2010

GREAT BLUE HOLE OF BELIZE

Strange Places - Blue Hole Bahamas


The Great Blue Hole is located in the Light House Reef aproximately halfway between Long Caye and Sandbore Caye. It is about 60 miles east from the mainland of Belize (city). In 1997 it was designated as a World Heritage site.

Found on both land and in the ocean throughout the Bahamas and the national waters of Belize are deep circular cavities known as Blue Holes which are often the entrances to cave networks, some of them up to 14 kilometres in length. Divers have reported a vast number of aquatic creatures some of which are still new to science. In addition, they’ve recorded chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites which only form in dry caves. For the explorers this was proof that at one time, nearly 65,000 years ago, when the world was in the grip of the last major ice age, the sea level of the Bahamas was up to 150 metres lower than it is today. Over time the limestone of the islands was eroded by water and vast cave networks created. When sea levels rose again about 10,000 years ago some of these collapsed inwards and the Blue Holes were formed

1 comment:

  1. Hello,

    The blue hole is part of the Belize barrier reef reserve system, which covers more than 200,000 acres. The shape is the almost perfect circular shape makes it very popular among tourists who frequently visit this place. This is the most attractive place for divers who explore the depths of these holes. Thank you...

    Belize hotels

    ReplyDelete