The Mystery of the Bermuda Triangle
Here at Oyster Diving, we are just as fascinated as everyone else with the mystery of the Bermuda Triangle. This strange region, that lies in the North Atlantic Ocean, is often referred to as the Devil’s Triangle. The Triangle has been the presumed cause of dozens of mind-boggling disappearances of ships and planes.
The earliest suggestion of unusual disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle appeared in a September 17, 1950 article published in The Miami Herald by Edward Van Winkle Jones. From that moment on, lives continued being lost in the area, with ships and planes going down and mysteriously disappearing forever. The disappearances have been attributed to various things, including paranormal activity and extra-terrestrial beings.
Let’s look at some of the most common explanations for these mysterious disappearances.
Paranormal Explanations
Many people have assumed that the Bermuda Triangle is explained by numerous paranormal events. Some think that paranormal explanation is that technology from the mythical lost continent of Atlantis had been leftover and was somehow connected to the Atlantis story.
Others, writers included, have attributed the disappearances to UFOs and alien abductions. These may seem far-fetched but, for some, they are the only explanation.
Compass Variations
Let’s look at a more natural explanation; Compass Variations. Compass problems are commonly reported in many Triangle incidents. While some have theorised, that unusual magnetic irregularities may exist in the area, these have yet to be found. Compasses have magnetic variations in relation to the magnetic poles, a fact navigators’ have known for centuries. However, when people are travelling through the Bermuda Triangle, it is common for their compasses to go awry, ‘changing’ across the area and causing travellers to become lost.
Gulf Stream
The Gulf Stream is another explanation for the unusual disappearances. A major surface current, driven by a thermohaline circulation, the Gulf Stream originates in the Gulf of Mexico and flows into the North Atlantic. It is particularly strong, with a velocity of 2.5 metres a second and it can carry numerous objects away in its current. This is the explanation many people give for the disappearance of planes and ships in the Bermuda Triangle.
Violent Weather
The ocean is a dangerous place and it is also subject to some violent weather, particularly hurricanes. Violent weather in the form of tropical storms has historically cost thousands of people their lives. In the past, these storms have caused numerous incidents around the Bermuda Triangle and they are thought to be the explanation for many disappearances in the area. This may be the reason so many fallen planes and sunken ships were never found as they were carried away by the Gulf Stream.
The Methane Theory
It has been hypothesised that the Bermuda Triangle is susceptible to large methane hydrates (a form of natural gas) which causes occasional methane eruptions and mud volcanoes. This can cause the water to become extremely frothy, no longer capable of maintaining the buoyancy of ships. The foaming around ships would cause vessels to sink very rapidly and without much warning. However, this does not explain why planes are known to have fallen from the sky.
Diving in the Bermuda Triangle
For the lovers of diving among us, the Bermuda Triangle is a treasure trove of sunken ships and buried planes. The area is famous as the wreck capital of the Atlantic, with over 300 wreck sites to explore! There are numerous intact and historic wreck sites dotted along the shorelines, encouraging a myriad of aquatic life to call this area home. Be sure to put this one on your list and explore one of the best diving locations in the world.
Final Words
What do you think about the Bermuda Triangle? Have you got any theories about what may be causing these mysterious disappearances? Here at Oyster Diving, we are fascinated by the Bermuda Triangle and we are always interested in people’s theories. If you have been diving in this area, please let us know about your experience in the comments below.