While sometimes it may seem like we know a lot about our planet, the truth is that we have barely scratched the surface, and that is quite literal, there are so many wonders left to discover in the sea, that we could spend an entire lifetime trying and still come up short. There are so many mysteries in the ocean that we still have not learned that every time technology advances and we get the possibility to make a new scientific discovery someone takes the chance and jumps in with both feet to try and see what more we can understand and uncover.
The new sea expedition that has shown us wonders
One of the most striking locations on Earth, and where this new expedition took place is the Great Blue Hole. Located off the coast of Belize, in the Caribbean Sea it has been the object of fascination for many nature and photography enthusiasts due to its natural beauty. It is, for lack of better words, a sinkhole in the middle of the ocean that holds so many secrets that cannot wait to be uncovered.
Discovered by Jacques Cousteau, in 1991 he sailed his research vessel, the Calypso, to explore the site’s depth and geological structure. His team confirmed that the sinkhole had formed through typical karst processes in limestone and that it had been shaped over several stages as sea levels rose. They identified distinct ledges at depths of 21, 49, and 91 meters which revealed this multi-phase formation, and the presence of stalactites. The Great Blue Hole’s depth was initially measured at approximately 125 meters, but while the measurement has never been confirmed 100%.
In 1997, a team of specially trained cave divers embarked on an expedition to collect core samples and document the submerged cave network and due to the extreme conditions, all divers were certified in both cave diving and mixed-gas techniques. The expedition was a success and they brought back lot of interesting information about the caves.
When technology improved once again, another expedition this time using submersibles was launched in 2018. They attempted to map the interior of the hole using sonar technology, and they produced a nearly complete 3D scan of the sinkhole, which spans about 300 meters in diameter. One striking find was a dense layer of hydrogen sulfide around 91 meters deep, beneath which the environment becomes entirely dark, oxygen-deprived, and lifeless. The crew also discovered the remains of two divers at the bottom, believed to be among three previously reported missing. They chose not to disturb the remains, notifying Belizean authorities and leaving the divers at rest in the depths.
And now, just seven years later, another expedition has taken place, this time led by content creator Will Mitchell, who has stated that he has been fascinated by this hole for a very long time. Since drone technology has improved vastly and now cameras can withstand a lot of pressure, he decided to mount a GoPro camera on a drone with the goal of mapping the depths of the hole.
The footage is amazing, he managed to capture the change from a vibrant underwater world to a dark, barren landscape where the lack of sunlight determines what is able to grow and survive. He managed to reach a depth of 90 meters, which is really quite impressive considering the lack of specific equipment that was used to film this underwater marvel, and those that saw the footage were even treated to a scary shark encounter.
For now, this is enough, but it seems like the Great Blue Hole will keep some of secrets hidden for a little while longer, as the bottom has still not been reached.