The Great Blue Hole Nature’s Underwater Marvel
The Great Blue Hole: A Window to the Earth’s Past
Off the coast of Belize lies one of the most breathtaking geological features of the underwater world: the Great Blue Hole. This massive underwater sinkhole, circular in shape, is renowned for its stark deep blue color surrounded by the lighter blue of the shallow waters near the Lighthouse Reef.
Geological Formation
The Great Blue Hole was originally a limestone cave that started to form about 150,000 years ago. Geologists believe that during several episodes of glacial and interglacial periods, the sea levels changed, leading to the flooding and eventual collapse of the cave. What remains now is a vertical cave in the ocean, its depth creating the intense blue color that gives the hole its name.
