Can you dive to the bottom of the Blue Hole in Belize?
Can you dive to the bottom of the Blue Hole in Belize? Spoiler alert: you can't dive to the bottom of The Blue Hole. It's about 122 metres/400 feet deep, way beyond recreational limits. The dive begins on the shallow reef that rings the Blue Hole (about 10m/30 ft below the surface). Next, you'll descend down the inner wall of the hole.
What is the most famous Blue Hole in the world?
Believed to be the world's largest feature of its kind, the Great Blue Hole is part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a World Heritage site of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
Can you swim to the bottom of the Blue Hole?
About The Belize Blue Hole A nearly perfectly circular body of water, the Belize Blue Hole is surrounded by the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Divers can use the shallow waters of the atoll's lagoon to begin their descent to the now-flooded cave that contains stalactites and stalagmites up to 40 feet (12 meters) in length.
How many divers have died in the Blue Hole Belize?
The dive site is reputed to have the most diver fatalities in the world with estimates of between 130 and 200 fatalities in recent years. The reasons for why this site has such a high number of fatalities are not clearly understood.
Has anyone ever been to the bottom of the Blue Hole?
Virgin founder Richard Branson and ocean conservationist Fabien Cousteau went on the journey, which was broadcast globally on the Discovery Channel. It was the first submersible dive to the bottom of the hole, which is found along the Mesoamerican Reef, the second largest barrier reef network in the world.
What is the mystery of the blue hole?
Scientists believe the cave formed during the last Ice Age, which ended about 14,000 years ago. The cave flooded and collapsed as the Ice Age ended and sea levels began to rise, leaving behind the Blue Hole we see today. Researchers also predict it won't be around forever.
Can you dive in the Blue Hole?
Spoiler alert: you can't dive to the bottom of The Blue Hole. It's about 122 metres/400 feet deep, way beyond recreational limits. The dive begins on the shallow reef that rings the Blue Hole (about 10m/30 ft below the surface). Next, you'll descend down the inner wall of the hole.
Why is the Blue Hole so deep?
The hole is perfectly circular in shape, over 300 meters (1000 ft) across, 3140 feet circumference and 125 meters (410 ft) deep. It was formed as a limestone cave system during the last glacial period when the sea level was 400 to 500 feet below present time and was dry land.
How deep is Blue Hole ok?
The main big swimming hole when you first enter the park is absolutely deep enough to swim in. Divers have reportedly measured some spots as deep as 20 feet. But it's so freezing cold, between 50-60 degrees in the midst of summer, that you won't want to stay shoulder-deep for long.
How cold is the water in the Blue Hole?
Description. The Blue Hole is a clear blue body of water with a constant 62 °F (17 °C) temperature and constant inflow of 3,000 US gallons per minute (11 m3/min; 2,500 imp gal/min), enough to cycle out the water every six hours.