The Great Blue Hole
Some say Belize’s famed scuba dive, “The Blue Hole”, is all hype. Nothing more then a giant, lifeless sea cave. And in some ways, I agree. It’s definitely big and it is theoretically a cave, but when it comes to life and energy, the Hole is intoxicating!
From the surface, “The Hole” is an anti-climatic destination. Located in the middle of nowhere Caribbean, an untrained eye would pass right over the site. Good thing we had local seaman and one hell of a GPS on our side. Carefully maneuvering over the shallow coral surrounds, we drifted into the deep blue center.
Formed over years of glaciation and climate change, the giant sinkhole was once an expansive, dry cave. Home to thousands of ancient stalactites, scientist’s trace the caves age to over 150,00 years ago. But everything changed after the last ice age when sea levels rose and swallowed the Hole whole! Now the only way to see it, is diving! Wetsuits on, mask cleared and dive gear engaged…SPLASH! |
Breaking the watery plane revealed an entirely new world. Rows of colorful coral, giant sea fans and schools of lively fish greeted our descent but the true intrigue lay a few meters ahead. Following a curious team of grouper down the gently sloping sea floor, we soon arrived at the world’s end. The Ledge - A vertical 400-foot drop into the sea caves dark abyss.
Peering over the ledge into the inky darkness was nerve racking to say the least but the Hole has a way of sucking you in. Curiosity and intrigue overtaking reason and logic. Using the smooth limestone wall as our only reference point, we began the descent to 40 meters (135-feet). A journey that didn’t take very long due to the building water pressure bearing down from above. A strange sensation soon washed over. Vertigo. Swimming through layers of sea particles and deceitful shadows from both above and below, a black hole effect consumes you. If you weren’t careful and watching your gages, the descent could have sucked you into the bowels of the Blue Hole, a place very few have gone before. |
Reaching our maximum depth first, I balanced out my buoyancy and turned my sights from the ominous black below to the shadows above. Like spirits caught in a pool of lost souls, the other divers hung high overhead. Backlit by the prisms of the heavens above, they drifted down to the depths of hell in a surreal, almost choreographed show of limbs, fins and bubbles. It was in this moment that another sensation washed over, euphoria. A feeling not only caused by the incredible surrounds but by narcosis. The dive master warned us on the effects of narcosis and said the “high” feeling is normal but if you find yourself feeling “too good”, or “too bad” for that matter, signal him for a safe ascent. I was in a perfectly balanced narcosis and decided to thoroughly enjoy the “trip”.
With our team of divers assembled, the exploration could begin. The limestone wall we had so reliantly followed down, now made an incredible bite inward. The large gap filled in with rows of colossal stalactites. Ranging from 20-50 feet in height, these ominous limestone formations resembled turrets of a once thriving underwater kingdom. As if some grave catastrophe wiped out a civilization of mermaids and only left the bones for discovery. Weaving in and out of these ancient pillars, small coral growths, similar to barnacles on pylons, were now the only signs of life.
After only a short 8 minutes at 135 feet our dive master signaled to begin our slow ascent. What? Didn’t we just get here? Euphoria was speaking louder then rationality at this point and if it wasn’t for my engrained PADI knowledge of depth vs. air, I would have continued a solo exploration. However, if I wanted to return to life as I once knew it, a timely ascent was mandatory. |
A slight right angle ascent carried us out of the stalactite jungle and into the abyss. Visibility was relatively good, most divers outlines discernable, but beyond our immediate company, the surrounds were just a hazy shade of blue. Squinting into the darkness, I tried to spot the big sea life known to live there. Reef sharks, hammerheads, barracuda, etc. but the harder I stared the more blurred my vision became.
Suddenly, a silvery sleek creature cut into my line of vision below. As if an artist was painting the creature into every frame, it moved flawlessly against the black canvas below. Like a hot knife through butter its distinct S-like swimming pattern was unmistakable…SHARK! Momentarily abandoning my ascent, I hovered there mesmerized until it finally veered out of sight.
Again, whether it was the narcosis or the knowledge that sharks are friends, not enemies, I was not afraid of its disappearing act. Only intrigued and wanting to see more of its kind. Unfortunately, the white tip reef shark was the only sea life I saw at that depth and it wasn’t until returning to the more vibrant 20-meters limestone shelf, that sea life flourished once more. Cruising over the coral outcropping and ascending to our 5-meter safety stop, my mind was not on the views in front of me, but on the views before. Reliving those incredible moments in the hole and cementing mental pictures in my mind forever.
Suddenly, a silvery sleek creature cut into my line of vision below. As if an artist was painting the creature into every frame, it moved flawlessly against the black canvas below. Like a hot knife through butter its distinct S-like swimming pattern was unmistakable…SHARK! Momentarily abandoning my ascent, I hovered there mesmerized until it finally veered out of sight.
Again, whether it was the narcosis or the knowledge that sharks are friends, not enemies, I was not afraid of its disappearing act. Only intrigued and wanting to see more of its kind. Unfortunately, the white tip reef shark was the only sea life I saw at that depth and it wasn’t until returning to the more vibrant 20-meters limestone shelf, that sea life flourished once more. Cruising over the coral outcropping and ascending to our 5-meter safety stop, my mind was not on the views in front of me, but on the views before. Reliving those incredible moments in the hole and cementing mental pictures in my mind forever.
All photos were found online and credits due to the incredible photographers who have the
equipment, money and capabilities to capture such amazing shots! Thanks ;)
equipment, money and capabilities to capture such amazing shots! Thanks ;)