Arch. underwater reef between the blue hole (blue hole) and the red sea, dahab. Mysterious Phenomena: Red Sea Blue Hole and Divers' Graveyard

Blue Hall, (blue hole) is a unique, mysterious place located 15 kilometers from Dahab, and only two hours from Sharm El Sheikh. Like a magnet it attracts divers from different countries peace. It is always crowded and lively here. If you climb to the top of the cliff, you can observe the activity of the diving community, see really unique beauty and a breathtaking view of a huge well, alluring and bewitching. Unfortunately, this place makes many divers "walk on the knife's edge".

Legend of Blue Hall

Like all popular places, Blue Hall also has its own beautiful and at the same time tragic legend. They say that in old times one of the daughters of the local emir ordered to dump her objectionable lovers into these waters. But after a while, the father found out about the obscene behavior of his daughter and ordered her to be drowned herself at the bottom of the well. Before her death, the woman promised from the abyss to take the men she liked to her. Since then, accidents have been happening. Some scientists “twist” tectonic faults to tragedies, as well as magnetic fields, due to which all tragedies are aggravated.

What is going on?

In fact, in the overwhelming majority of cases, the cause of tragedies is the so-called human factor, namely, one's own self-confidence. Mistakes in dive planning, illusory savings on equipment configuration and competent training, the desire to go through the arch at any cost despite insufficient technical training, overestimation of one's capabilities, do their job and often lead to sad consequences. Evidence of this is the memorial from the tablets on the rock - a tragic memory of the carelessness of divers, which the arch did not forgive.

Description of the recreational route Bells - Blue Hall.

For amateur diving, a fairly safe Bells - Blue Hole route has been developed in this place. Bells is translated from English as bells. The route begins with a vertical descent along a kind of well 3 meters wide to a depth of 27 meters. The well has the shape of a horseshoe, and if desired, at any time, each diver has the opportunity to exit from it to the open sea. Many divers periodically hit its walls with their tanks, making a characteristic sound. Hence the name Bells (bell).
At 27 meters we dive through the bridge of the well, and find ourselves in the open sea, opposite a sheer wall, very picturesque and overgrown with a huge variety of corals. It is possible to descend to a depth of 30 meters. Then the dive goes along the wall along right hand, with a gradual decrease in depth. On the left, in the "blue water" we can observe huge tunas and flocks of barracudas. After about 20 minutes, we go to a depth of 8-10 meters and see a saddle in the reef, this is the entrance to the Blue Hole well. After entering inside, we move along the left side, swim along the perimeter, watching the training of freedivers in the center of the well along the way. Soon there are bridges, opposite which we carry out a safety stop and go to the surface.

Technical dive with the passage of the arch

The dive for technical divers begins in the Blue Hall well itself. The entrance to the water is carried out from a wooden platform, and stages, previously prepared on the edge of the reef, are fastened there. Further, we move along the surface closer to the left edge of the well, the reference point is the buoy located on the left side. A rope for free divers is attached to it, going into the abyss. The dive begins with a fall along the wall up to 54 meters. There, we will see the upper vault of the arch and a 26 meter tunnel through it into the open sea. The width of the tunnel reaches 25 meters, and its lower part is deeper than 100 meters. The configuration of equipment and gas mixtures depend on the route and the planned depth of passage.

Among the most mysterious places on our planet includes natural formations in sea ​​depths ah - the so-called blue holes. They are vertical caves that are part of underwater cave systems. From above, they look like dark blue spots, contrasting with the general background of the water surface. One of the most attractive for divers is a sea well located off the coast. Egyptian city Dahab.

blue hole(Red is also one of the most dangerous vertical sea ​​caves on the planet, for which it received its second name - "Cemetery of divers". It can be called "Everest" for divers: it is both beautiful and scary. This article will tell you about this beautiful, mysterious and dangerous place for scuba diving.

Blue hole in Egypt: how to find

To get to one of the most dangerous "attractions" for divers, you need to direct your way to the city which is located in the eastern part. This city has up to 60 diving training centers, so it is a place of concentration for divers.

From the city of Dahab, the cave is located at a distance of 15 km. It only takes a few minutes to get to it by sightseeing bus or taxi. As in the waters of other countries, the Blue Hole (Red Sea) has a cafe, a toilet and parking on the nearby coastal territory. Anyone who wants to dive underwater for the first time has the opportunity to choose one of the nearby diving clubs, where they will be explained the basic rules for using equipment and behavior underwater.

Brief description of the Blue Hole in Egypt

The depth of this vertical cave is 130 m, the diameter is at least 50 m, and it is surrounded by coral reefs. Approximately at a depth of 56 meters above the passage connecting the cave with the Red Sea, corals hang, forming the so-called Arch. The traditional route allows divers to start penetrating the cave at a depth of 6 m. In order to go out to sea through it, a lot of experience and special training is required.

Apart from the immediate pleasure of diving deep and achieving big or small personal bests, a blue hole, or blue hole near Dahab, opens up a magnificent living underwater world for divers. Inside the cave they can see unusual marine life.

Blue hole turned graveyard

Many underwater caves sooner or later become a cemetery for someone. There will always be a few inexperienced divers who want to prove something to themselves or others, and the result of their outrageous arrogance will be a tragic end to their lives and a stain on their reputation great place for diving. Some experienced divers died here because they simply did not calculate their strength. Thus, the Blue Hole (Red Sea) has already buried more than a hundred divers in its waters.

The stain on the reputation of the blue hole in Egypt became especially obvious after memorial plaques with inscriptions containing the names of the divers who died in the cave began to be installed on the coast near it. True, although this cave still sometimes becomes a cemetery for some, the tablets coastal rocks stop installing. “This is a very depressing picture for tourists enriching the city and the country,” the authorities probably thought, and forbade expanding the coastal memorial.

Why the blue hole in Egypt attracts divers

Divers from all over the world flock to Dahab to admire the inside beautiful cave, raise the level of adrenaline, fill every cell of the body with new sensations and improve your skills. Divers love this sea hole because it is easily accessible from the shore. In addition, the water in this area is always calm both on the surface and at depth.

To a depth of 80 m, the cave approaches straight vertically, and then at a slight slope it reaches the mark of 100 m. The exit from the tunnel is located at a depth of 130 m. The structure of the cave is very convenient for both divers and free divers.

Main routes for divers

Beginners can easily descend into the cave along a chord or coral wall, and then get out of the water without any problems using a wooden bridge. Due to the fact that the entrance to the cave is not deep, inexperienced divers can get acquainted with it when diving only 20-30 m. Coral growths and schools of bright fish will be a great sight for them.

Experienced divers diving with nitrox dive to a depth of 54-55 m and go out to sea through the Arch. get down on great depth approaching the bottom of the cave, only the most experienced divers are at risk. For the inexperienced, such a dive often ends tragically. In addition to natural dangers when diving to great depths, at a depth of 50 meters, divers run the risk of coming face to face with a hammerhead shark.

Records in the Blue Hole

The blue hole was tough enough for only a few professional freedivers. Herbert Nietzsch from Austria, Alexander Bubenchikov from Ukraine, Konstantin Novikov from Russia were able to overcome the tunnel while holding their breath. And a diver from Canada named William Trubridge went through the hole not only without an oxygen tank, but even without fins.

The only woman who was able to pass through the Blue Hole Arch while holding her breath - In addition, she is known for being the only woman in the world who was able to hold her breath for 9 minutes, and her free diving depth record is 100 m.

Legend of the Blue Hole in Egypt

There is a folk tale that describes the life and death of a young girl. It is said that she was the daughter of an emir who lived on the coast, and when her father went to battle, she arranged a wild life for herself. Young people with whom she had an intimacy were drowned in the sea by the time her father arrived. So they tried to hide the truth from him.

However, the father eventually became aware of everything, and he ordered the execution of his daughter. The girl did not wait for the verdict and drowned herself in a blue hole. Before her death, she declared that she would drown everyone who was in the water at the place where she died. Some people try to explain this with this story. a large number of death in the cave.

Why divers drown

The cause of divers' deaths while crossing the Blue Hole in Egypt is the same as when trying to overcome others big holes. At depth, they are comprehended by the inevitable effect of "nitrogen intoxication". A diver begins to feel a state of slight intoxication at a depth of 60 m. At a depth of 80 m, he may lose his ability to reason, become prone to reckless behavior and lose his bearings. And going even deeper, the diver can fall into a state of uncontrollable panic.

What caused such a reaction? When on land or at shallow depths, a person does not experience any effect of nitrogen on his condition. But when it is at a decent depth, water pressure leads to a change in the properties of this substance and the penetration of a large amount of it into the blood. This is how nitrogen anesthesia works.

Despite its notoriety, the Blue Hole (Red Sea, Egypt), which still has more than 100 meters deep, still attracts divers like a magnet. Some of them use it to achieve new records, others acquire in this extreme place their first experience of scuba diving, and someone dives there just to admire the mesmerizing scenery. With good preparation, this cave is not as scary as it seems to many.

A unique place in Egypt is the Blue Hole, which is located in Dahab. To that unique place amateurs aspire to get thrill And ordinary tourists. Scientists even today have not come to the same opinion on the formation of such a sheer cliff in the middle of the Red Sea. The depth of the Blue Hole is approximately one hundred meters, and this is with a minimum diameter of fifty meters. Especially if you climb to a height, then the view of the Blue Hole is simply mesmerizing. Attracts tourists.

It is enough to imagine for a moment what this spectacle looks like. In the heart of the greenish-blue sea lies a dark almost black giant spot which is surrounded by beautiful coral reefs. Very handsome . Travelers and tourists tend to get here to see with their own eyes from the deck of the boat sea ​​abyss. At the same time, the most daring tourists prefer diving into the mysterious underwater world. To get to Dahab to the Blue Hole, you need to take a taxi, and there are sightseeing buses for group excursions.

Once explored the Blue Hole famous traveler Jacques-Yves Cousteau. Today there are many divers here. However, not all scuba divers remember the safety rules, and this leads to bad consequences. To avoid such consequences, it is necessary for divers to dive with good experience and together with an experienced diver. Compare.

Features of the Blue Hole

It should be noted that the Blue Hole became popular thanks to freedivers who dived into the abyss without using special equipment. In other words, they only used a mask and snorkel. These Russian tourists successfully completed such extreme dives. But it is worth repeating once again that it is necessary to take swimming seriously, remember the rules and safety measures, and dive only with experienced divers. This will allow you to get the most out of your vacation.

Coming to the big Blue Hole is already very interesting and unique. And for the most vivid impressions, it is worth plunging into its depths. Divers enjoy the beauty of the underwater world by diving to a depth of 40 meters. Here you can see colorful exotic fish that scurry in different directions. At the bottom of the Blue Hole, there are really beautiful underwater landscapes. Many tourists tend to come to Dahab to witness such amazing beauty. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the complexity of the underwater route, and follow the mandatory rules.

Security measures

Unfortunately, the Blue Hole is also known as the "Diver's Cemetery", because it is a fairly large lagoon that is surrounded by various coral reefs on all sides. The most deep point The blue hole is approximately one hundred meters. A small strait connects the sea to the cave, and the strait itself is 55 meters deep. Above the Blue Hole from the side of the strait there are rocks, they are called the Arch. Near the underwater cave, right on the shore, there is a memorial dedicated to the dead divers, their names can be read on the plates.

Some time ago, the Egyptian government forbade leaving such signs, because this could negatively affect tourist attraction Blue hole, as it is unusual and dangerous natural object. To date, the list of people who were able to overcome the arch, holding their breath, is quite short, it only consists of several surnames. Among them are such professional divers as Austrian Herbert Nietzsch, Bifin from South Africa, and Russians Alexei and Natalya Molchanov. By the way, Natalia Molchanova is the only woman who swam this complex Arch in one breath.

It is quite difficult to find the entrance under the Arch, as the angle is not clear between the hole, the water, and the arch. Also, dim lighting plays a role, because of it it seems that the path is shorter. Therefore, in without fail it is worth using the services of experienced divers. This is especially true for beginners or amateurs. In any case, by remaining vigilant, you can make your vacation in the Blue Hole unique.

Black holes in space attract everything that moves even at the speed of light, and blue holes in the earth's seas attract human curiosity with great force, and first of all, of course, divers - brave explorers of the sea depths. One such place is the Egyptian Blue Hole (Red Sea).

Blue hole on the map

From above, blue holes look like dark spots against the background of a lighter water surface.

Where is?

There are very few such vertical underwater caves in nature, one of them is a sea well located not far from the Egyptian city Dahab.

By its nature, this sinkhole, a failure, the depth of which is approximately 130 meters.

Somewhere in the middle of this distance, the cave and the sea are united by a passage, over which the corals have created a kind of arch (by the way, arch, it is customary to call this underwater area).

The Blue Hole in the Red Sea is included in top 10 places on the planet that are especially risky for diving. Sometimes it is compared with Everest, people's desire to conquer this underwater "top" and the risk associated with diving are so great.

The largest blue hole is located in the Belize region, it is called the Great (or Great) Blue Hole. Read about this place at.

The city of Dahab is located on east Sinai Peninsula, a hundred kilometers from Sharm el-Sheikh (chosen by tourists). In Dahab, winds from the north prevail, so on the coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, where divers arrive, there is no heat traditional for Egypt.

In Dahab itself, which is not a seasonal, but a year-round resort, there are about 60 centers for learning to dive. Both beginners and those who consider themselves experienced depth explorers can always get the necessary diving skills in them: The Blue Hole is still a special place, traditional knowledge may not be enough here.

How to get there?

To get from Russia to Dahab, you must first purchase tickets to Sharm el-Sheikh. Dahab and Sharm are separated by about 90 km, which can be overcome by pre-ordering a transfer or taxi, as well as by bus.

The underwater cave is separated from Dahab by 15 kilometers. They can be overcome in a few minutes on bus or taxi. Part of the journey can be done on camels, a service offered by the Bedouin who do their business here. Such "transport", as well as sightseeing buses, are mainly used by tourists.

Divers have their own interest - they choose a taxi or a rented jeep, because they know: it is advisable to arrive here early in order to find a free parking space and calmly sort out the equipment.

The flow of divers and just curious people who want to see with their own eyes what this hole is like is always great.

It's nice that people who come here do not feel cut off from the benefits of civilization, there is:

• cafe;
• the shops;
• toilets.

Mysterious funnel

Of course, it is important to know in advance what awaits a person at depth, so divers study the descriptions of these places, the recommendations of those who have already dived into the Blue Hole.

Version of occurrence

Scientists, on the basis of research, have established a picture of the occurrence of this unusual place. According to them, millions of years ago underwater coral wall, having reached a height of two meters, it stopped its growth, however, it continued along the edges - thanks to this, after another hundreds of thousands of years, the rounded "flanks" of the wall met and connected. Thus, a kind of well was formed, the diameter of which is rather wide in the upper part, and narrows downwards.

Depth the well exceeds a hundred meters; only the most experienced divers can conquer this “height”. History has not preserved the names of the first daredevils. As for the very fact of the discovery of an underwater cave, here the primacy of the discovery most likely belongs to the Israelis - it is believed that it was they who, with the help of sonars, studied the body of the reef and found voids in it.

While traveling, anything can happen, from getting a simple scratch to serious symptoms of acclimatization, so it is worth taking the necessary medicines and other medical paraphernalia with you. Read what to put in the first aid kit for a trip to Egypt.

Description

The underwater "architecture" of the Blue Hole is amazing. The grandiose reef itself is protected from the sea by an oval-shaped lagoon. In the wall of the reef, a huge arch, the arch of which is inclined towards the sea: the smallest distance from the sea surface to the arch is 49 m, the largest is 54 m.

"Foundation" the arches are also quite a steep slope. Starting in the shore area from a depth of 90 m, it drops towards the outer side of the reef to 120 m. To make it easier to imagine the size of the underwater “structure”, the following figure will also come in handy - the thickness of the reef in the upper part of the arch is 26 m.

From the point of view of safety, the mark in 6 m, from which the underwater route repeatedly worked out by professionals begins. But in order to overcome the distance required to exit the cave into the open sea, you need special training and sufficient diving experience.

Peculiarities

Features of the Blue Hole near Dahab are primarily due to uniqueness the Red Sea itself. It is the saltiest (after Dead Sea) and on the planet. If in ordinary reservoirs the rule applies - the deeper, the colder, then the opposite is true here.

At greater depths, the water becomes warmer, so all living organisms are comfortable in it, including, of course, the person who dives.

And this sea is amazing water transparency which allows you to fully enjoy its beauties. It is clean because not a single river flows into the Red Sea, and, as a rule, it is the rivers that carry sand and silt with them.

As for the Blue Hole itself, here, thanks to the unusual "architecture", the impressions are especially vivid, and the reputation dangerous place adds adrenaline- for what, in fact, daredevils come here from all over the world.

And another amazing moment: the sea is here always calm both above and at great depths. This is very convenient, as well as the fact that diving into the hole is carried out directly from the shore.

Attractiveness of the underwater arch

I didn’t pass by the beauties and mysteries of the Blue Hole at one time famous traveler, filmmaker underwater world — Jacques Yves Cousteau. And this is the best recommendation.

Why does it attract scuba divers?

The Red Sea is home to 400 species of fish and a huge number of other living creatures - about 800 species. Many of them can be observed by scuba divers diving into the Blue Hole. It is noteworthy that it is difficult to find such representatives of flora and fauna anywhere else. Experts call them endemics - that is, animals and plants that live in rather limited geographical areas.

In the area of ​​one of Bahamas there is also a similar place - Dean's Blue Hole. Read more about this funnel in.

Until the time when the Suez Canal was laid, the fauna of these places was considered unique. Today, some representatives of the animal and flora presented in the Red Sea are listed in Red Book.

Here is a small list of those who scuba divers meet in these places:

1. butterfly sailfish;
2. parrot fish;
3. octopus;
4. turtle;
5. glass fish;
6. triggerfish;
7. royal angel;
8. surgeon fish;
9. clown fish;
10. striped sergeant;
11. gold fish(scientifically - pseudoantias).

Makes a great impression sheer wall, where gorgonians, alcyonaria, black corals have found shelter, around which reef fish scurry tirelessly.

Among corals, polyps called "elephant skin", unlike similar marine inhabitants, they do not have pronounced tentacles, they, like a carpet, line a part of the wall, which thanks to them looks wavy, and in its structure really resembles the skin of an earthly giant.

According to scuba divers, during diving they feel like in a huge aquarium, there are so many outlandish and bright inhabitants around.

Main routes for divers

The route is chosen depending on the experience of the diver. Beginners start their dive 200 m from the Blue Hole, move along the reef wall and enter the hole through the so-called Saddle Arches(or upper isthmus). In this place, the depth is from 6 to 7 m. Then, without deviating from the wall, you can move along the Blue Hole without diving more than 20-30 m into the sea.

For experienced drivers, diving is provided 55 m and exit through the arch to the open sea. To the possible deep-sea dangers here is added the risk of meeting with a rather dangerous fish - the hammerhead shark.

Record dives

The records of the Blue Hole belong to freedivers - those who descend to great depths without special equipment. The only woman who managed to descend to a depth of 100 m, holding her breath for 9 minutes, and exit the arch into the sea, was a Russian woman. Natalia Molchanova.

Among men Russians Konstantin Novikov, Yuri Shmatko, Natalia Molchanova's son Alexei, Austrian diver Herbert Nietzsch, New Zealander William Trubridge (unlike his colleagues, even without fins) achieved similar success.

Secrets of the deep sea

The terrible secret of the Blue Hole is death many divers. As a rule, wanting to challenge themselves, they discarded caution - and then their journey ended tragically. More than a hundred divers have already become victims of the Blue Hole.

Why do people drown?

killed many "deep air"- a situation that happens to a diver when he dives to depths not provided for by the capabilities of his underwater vehicle.

If the cylinder is filled with an air mixture containing nitrogen, then it must be borne in mind that at great depths, where the pressure exceeds atmospheric pressure, nitrogen begins to put to sleep a person, and the more meters remain above the diver's head, the faster and more mercilessly nitrogen acts.

The danger comes already at around 70 m, and if the swimmer fell asleep, his legs automatically continue to work and dangerous dive continues.

Another one of possible causes death in the blue hole disorientation when passing from the arch to the sea. The lack of sufficient illumination leads to the fact that a person begins to panic and rows in the wrong direction, often towards the bottom.

Divers Cemetery

The names of the dead can be seen on makeshift cemetery near the coastal rocks. It is believed (although in fact this figure is higher) that the Blue Hole swallowed up 40 lives.

And although the tragedy continues, the authorities banned expand the mournful memorial so as not to escalate the situation.

Egyptian legend

The inhabitants of Egypt with the Blue Hole in the Red Sea have one rather terrible legend. Once upon a time, the emir, the father of an adult daughter, lived in these places. Every now and then he went on military campaigns, and his daughter gave herself complete freedom- invited gentlemen and had fun with them.

Before the return of the father, the unfortunate were drowned in the sea in order to hide everything that had happened from the emir. However, as you know, everything secret becomes clear: the emir, who learned the truth, ordered the execution of his daughter, and she decided to commit suicide herself, throwing herself into blue hole.

Why, after justice has triumphed, do people continue to drown here? The fact is that a young woman, before deciding to take a terrible step, swore that will drag along to the bottom of everyone who ends up where she once died.

It turns out that, according to legend, innocent people have to pay for the sins of others.

However, there is another version, which is followed by researchers of different natural anomalies. Based on the stories of divers who almost died in the Blue Hole, but were miraculously saved, they claim that reminiscent mermaids creatures that destroy the reckless daredevils who find themselves on their territory.

One of the most mysterious phenomena of our planet are blue holes. Many of them appeared millennia ago, and now they are very popular among divers and amateurs. extreme recreation. Today you will learn about Dean's Blue Hole.

Mystery of the water depths

blue holes beautiful and mysterious by its nature, because scientists still cannot agree on the origin of such a phenomenon.

There are several theories of the origin of such phenomena, among which the most popular is the formation during karst changes.

What is it?

Blue holes are vertical depressions that look like large water funnels. funnels have karst origin and are below sea level. In some cases, they take the form of an underwater cave. The funnels got their name because of the difference in the color of the water in the middle of the hole and along its edges.

Formation of unusual funnels

Blue holes have been around since ice age in the course of washing out by rain and melt waters of calcareous rocks. At that time, the water level was lower than the current one by 150-300 meters.

funnels have different depth, shape and diameter. The most visited blue funnels are located:

• V Egypt;
• on ;
• on Bahamas.

Dean's blue hole - photo

Until recently it was considered deepest of all known blue holes in the world.

Dean's Blue Hole got its name from the name of the landowner of the territory next to which the funnel is located.

Where is?

Dean's blue hole is located near the town Clarence Town in the lagoon of Long Island, part of the Bahamas.

You can get to the ground as if by plane (there is its own airport), and by water - there are several ferries from the central island of Nassau.

Characteristics

Depth funnel is 202 meters. On the surface, the diameter of the funnel is 20-30 meters, at a depth it increases to 100 meters, thereby forming a kind of dome. Also on the surface, the funnel has the shape of an oval.

Historical information

The first dive to great depths was made Jim King("King Jimmy") in 1992, shortly before his death. And in 2010, W. Trubridge dived to 101 meters, thereby breaking the record of J. King.

Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas is extremely popular with divers and is the training and training base for all freedivers. Gives here every winter master classes W. Trubridge himself, as well as festivals and competitions.

Features of local diving

The passion for diving is fashionable and popular business for a couple of decades now. For diving to great depths, there is nothing better than a blue hole.

What attracts divers?

Dean's Blue Hole attracts hobbyists for many reasons:

1. possibility of diving great depth;
2. beautiful underwater landscapes;
3. safety diving;
4. opportunity acquaintance with like-minded and outstanding divers;
5. freediving base on the coast.

Is diving dangerous?

Compared to other blue holes, this one can be considered safe- there has not been a single death officially recorded in it.

It is always worth remembering that diving without the appropriate knowledge and equipment can be deadly.

But, for example, in the blue hole Dahab there is a so-called "divers' graveyard", where, according to official figures, about forty people died. There are memorial plaques on the shore for the dead.

See exciting video Dive into Dean's Blue Hole: