The address: Belize
Length: 280 km
Coordinates: 17°15"45.0"N 88°02"53.8"W

blue hole

Surprisingly, despite the richness of flora and fauna, its famous "blue hole", more than 90% of its territory and the underwater world has not yet been studied by scientists. It is for this reason that up to 140,000 divers come here every year who want to be the first to discover any unfamiliar modern science a species of underwater animal or plant, and become famous for this throughout the world. Naturally, not everyone is so vain, and come to the Belize Barrier Reef to become pioneers. Wonderful nature, the distance of the reef from the coast at a distance of 14 to 25 kilometers, the purest water and, as mentioned above, the life that “boils” under water both during the day and at night, attract tourists here who appreciate high-quality and exciting diving.

Belize Barrier Reef Blue Hole

Not so long ago, just in 1972, the greatest oceanologist who invented scuba gear, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, discovered a unique “Blue Hole” on the Belize Barrier Reef, which modern scientists call the “Great Blue Hole”. This is one of the most interesting places all over the reef. One has only to imagine what feelings a tourist experiences when, while walking along the turquoise sea, in front of him, as if from nowhere, a blue, even with a hint of black, hole appears, which seems to have no bottom at all. The dumb shock of an inexperienced visitor to the Belize Barrier Reef is also introduced by the fact that this hole has an almost perfect circle shape. “How to explain this miracle of nature?” - an inexperienced tourist may ask a question.

In fact, there is no mysticism here. Everything is quite simple and prosaic. The origin of the "great blue hole", whose diameter is 300 meters, was described by the same great explorer of the 20th century, Jacques-Yves Cousteau. He did not put forward a number of theories in order to dispel all doubts, he personally descended in a single bathyscaphe to the bottom of a blue hole and described everything he saw there, his notes and allowed him to draw conclusions about how this one of the 7 wonders of the underwater world appeared. Yes, yes, you heard right, the bottom of the blue hole, which at first seems bottomless, still exists, and it is “only” 120 meters below the level of the water mirror.

In ancient times, the level of the world's seas was much lower than at present. The blue hole is an old ordinary dry cave, by the way, shallow by modern standards. During the time that the water arrived, it was flooded. As a result, today it looks blue-black, because its depth is much greater than the depth of the Belize Barrier Reef.

Although, it is worth noting, despite the lack of a fantastic background, the blue hole is quite an impressive sight. Firstly, this is facilitated by crystal clear water, visibility here is 60 meters at calm, which is much more than on famous lake Baikal; and secondly, multi-colored corals attract attention, which, like a necklace, border the correct deep “circle”.

If you go down 35 meters into the blue hole, you can see bizarrely shaped stalactites on its walls, which have been preserved since the time when the cave was not flooded. Alas, it is not worth counting on the fact that in this hollow you can see a riot of colors and a lot of underwater inhabitants. Sharks are the only blue hole fauna on the Belize Barrier Reef.. Here they feel in their native element, and most of their species do not pose a threat to humans. Any scuba diver who decides to personally see the world of the Blue Hole must undergo special training and have the appropriate certificate: due to a sharp drop in depth, a person may experience decompression, which poses a danger to the health and life of the diver. However, many ships offer their clients not to sink into a frightening dark waters"great blue hole" and snorkel and scuba at its edge. It is in these places that you can find a lot of exotic fish, algae, corals and outlandish mollusks. It is worth noting that the Great Blue Hole is included in one of the seven reserves of the state of Belize and its territory is under the vigilant protection of special services.

On the Belize Barrier Reef

As mentioned above, the Belize Barrier Reef is perfect place for diving enthusiasts, for people who want to soak up the gentle sun and plunge into warm waters Atlantic Ocean. An amazing feature of the reef is its very location: thanks to the warm currents and tropical climate, the water temperature here does not drop even in the winter months, below + 25 degrees Celsius. In summer, the waters washing the Belize Barrier Reef are real "fresh milk", their temperature does not fall below +28 degrees. Such temperature regime and excellent conditions for recreation (luxury hotels have been built on many small islands) attract hundreds of thousands of tourists every year. Naturally, the state of Belize receives huge profits from the developed tourism infrastructure, but, as they say, “any medal has back side". With tons of garbage that tourists leave behind, local residents and special organizations, which include the vast majority of volunteers, can hardly cope.

Huge damage to the Belize Barrier Reef, which is devoted to entire cycles of special television programs, is also caused by poachers who fish using cyanide. In addition to valuable fish species, this deadly poison kills the rarest turtles that have survived only in these places, as well as corals, which are the main component of the ecosystem. Without them, all life in Belize will simply perish. Scientists give horrific figures. On one of the 7 wonders of the underwater world, 40% of corals died in 2009 alone. An area where corals die en masse is called a coral graveyard. This sight can make a depressing impression even on a not particularly impressionable person: in the place where until recently the corals shimmered with all the colors of the rainbow, and life was in full swing around them, everything turns gray, and to see even one fish in this place is a rare success.

Observing this state of affairs, the Belizean authorities, together with the UNESCO organization that has listed the Belize Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site, are conducting whole line measures aimed at preserving all this amazing beauty for our descendants. Seven marine reserves have already been created, which include part of the coastal zone, three atolls and more than 450 reefs are under special protection. Naturally, in the future this will bear fruit and the Belize Barrier Reef will sparkle again with all its colors. True, he is threatened by another danger, which, alas, scientists cannot cope with - global warming.

The Belize Barrier Reef is the main tourist attraction of Belize, it is visited by up to 130 thousand tourists a year. The reef is also important from a fishing point of view. The seabed between the reef and the mainland is sandy, in some places there are islands overgrown with mangroves. In the eastern part, where the depth of the sea increases dramatically, there are three separate atolls - Turnef, Glovers Reef and Lighthouse Reef.

The water temperature in the reef area fluctuates slightly throughout the year - 23-25 ​​° C in winter, and 25-28 ° C in summer. On the islands there are sea resorts with diving centers. The famous Great Blue Hole is located in Lighthouse Reef - a large karst funnel flooded by the sea.

Biodiversity

The coastal ecosystems of Belize have been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1996 as one of the richest ecosystems in the world. In seven sites of the object, the process of the evolutionary development of reefs is presented, as well as rare species such as sea turtles, the manatee, and the American crocodile. In addition, the reef is inhabited by:

• 70 types of hard corals
• 36 types of soft corals
• 500 kinds of fish
• hundreds of species of invertebrates

At the same time, according to scientists, only 10% of the species diversity of the reef has been discovered.

Environment protection

The Belize Barrier Reef reserves include seven marine reserves, 450 reefs and three atolls. The total area of ​​protected areas reaches 960 km². They include:

• Glovers Reef Marine Reserve
• great blue hole
• Half Moon Key Natural Monument
• Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Despite protective measures, the reef ecosystem is constantly under the threat of pollution and destruction due to uncontrolled tourism, shipping and fishing. Hurricanes, global warming and the resulting increase in water temperatures are also a threat, leading to coral bleaching. More than 40% of Belize's reefs have been damaged since 1998, according to scientists.

In 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef was inscribed on the World Heritage List. Now this reef has the same status as Machu Picchu in Peru, the Grand Canyon in the United States and other outstanding monuments of nature and culture. Why is this reef classified as an "Outstanding World Value"?

Preservation of valuable heritage

The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest coral reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia and is considered the largest in the Western Hemisphere. It stretches for 300 kilometers along the Yucatan Peninsula, including most of the coast of the Central American country of Belize. The reef (actually a whole series of reefs) consists of about 450 shoals, or islets, and three coral atolls - ring-shaped reefs with picturesque lagoons. The seven water areas of this reserve, covering an area of ​​960 square kilometers, are under the special care of the World Heritage Convention.

Coral reefs need to be protected because they contain a quarter of all marine plants and animals. By biodiversity The coral reef ecosystem is second only to tropical rainforests. However, scientists warn that if we continue to pollute the seas, use cyanide to fish and do not control tourism, then within 20-40 years, 70 percent of all corals on the planet will die.

There are 70 species of hard and 36 species of soft corals and 500 species of fish in the protected area of ​​the Belize Barrier Reef. Rare and endangered species of animals live in the waters of the reef, such as the loggerhead and green sea turtles, the hawksbill turtle, as well as the manatee and the sharp-snouted crocodile. Talking about amazing variety of the marine life of this corner of the ocean, coral reef explorer Julian Robinson noted: “The Belize Barrier Reef provides many unique opportunities for explorers and tourists alike. […] This is one of the few places where you can still observe the pristine nature in all its glory, but even here it is in danger.”

One of the most beautiful places for underwater walks, this is the Blue Hole, located on the Lighthouse Reef, about 100 kilometers from the coast of Belize. This part of the reserve is also under the protection of the World Heritage. French oceanographer Jacques-Yves Cousteau told the world about it during an expedition to the Calypso in 1970. Nestled in the middle of a turquoise sea, the Blue Hole is a limestone sinkhole with dark blue water fringed by living corals. It reaches approximately 300 meters in diameter and more than 120 meters deep. Previously, before the sea level rose, there was a dry cave in the place of the Hole. Over time, the ceiling of the cave collapsed. The walls of the funnel go down vertically by about 35 meters. At this depth, you can see ledges on the walls from which huge stalactites hang. From here a stunning panorama opens - in this place the visibility is 60 meters. In addition to sharks, there is almost no living creatures in the Blue Hole. Scuba divers should take into account that such a dive can cause decompression - it is not for beginners. But crystal clear waters at the edge of the Blue Hole are ideal for snorkelling.

Nearby is another site that is inscribed on the World Heritage List - the quiet islet of Half Moon Key, a refuge for the rare red-footed booby. About 98 other bird species also live here. Half Moon Key extends 1,000 meters deep and is covered with magnificent soft corals. These underwater landscapes leave no one indifferent.

As we have seen from this article, the Belize Barrier Reef is a valuable heritage that must be preserved for future generations. The destruction of the reef could lead to "dangerous impoverishment of the heritage of all peoples."

Included in the system of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, stretching from the northeastern tip of the peninsula North America, to the southern coast of Honduras. The Mesoamerican reef (its total length is 943 km) is the largest in the Atlantic Ocean and is inferior in length only near the northeast coast of Australia (2500 km). The Belize Barrier Reef is the most remarkable part of the Mesoamerican Reef for its richness of coral species, as well as other animals living in and above the coral labyrinths.
All encyclopedic and gazetteers duplicate the same figures: more than 500 species of fish, 70 species of hard and 36 species of soft corals, hundreds of species of invertebrates, as well as such rare species as manatees, sea turtles, live in the area of ​​the Belize Barrier Reef, among which loggerhead and green sea turtles, Byss and Hawksbill turtles; American sharp-nosed crocodile. The figures are impressive, but approximate: today, about 90% of the fauna of the region remain unexplored, that is, undescribed, unclassified and even unidentified. It is also not known exactly how much the reef fauna is a closed environment or, on the contrary, is subject to changes due to migration. different types, how many endemics live in the region, etc. In a word, from a biological point of view, the Belize Barrier Reef is an unknown world. Just not because scientists are “lazy and incurious.” The reason here is completely different - unusually intense biological environment coral reefs as such, the Belize Barrier Reef among them, if anything differs, it is the stability of the water temperature, it is here all year round- +25-27°C, which favorably affects the photosynthesis of unicellular symbiont algae living in coral polyps, or corals - microscopic intestinal animals. And then everything - in chains, mainly (as in any zoological community) food.
Algae supply corals with oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide from them. Corals live in colonies. Over time, the colonies die off, turning into mineralized skeletons. New colonies settle on them. Coral slime is an ideal substrate for the development of bacterial plankton, the one for zooplankton. Phyto- and zooplankton feed on fish and benthic invertebrates, and they are hunted by predators. Another branch of the chain: algae eat manatees, and they are hunted by crocodiles. Sea turtles, which feed mainly on small fish, are chased by sharks. The coral reef ecosystem is the most diverse and densely populated in the world's oceans. Its biomass is estimated at hundreds of grams per square meter bottom, and total amount reef animal species can reach a million. Theoretically, but with a high degree of probability.
The very first scientific (and admiring!) description of the reef in 1842 was made by Charles Darwin (1809-1882), he, in fact, discovered this reef for scientific world. Another important discovery was made in 1972.
Jacques-Yves Cousteau (1910-1997). Most atolls are located in the Pacific Ocean, where they are the product of underwater volcanoes. The three atolls of the Belize Barrier Reef are of non-volcanic origin, proved Cousteau using the example of the Great Blue Hole he discovered - a karst funnel in the center of Lighthouse Reef, 120 m deep and 305 m in diameter. This is a collapse in the system of karst caves formed during the last ice age. Before its end, approximately 10,000 - 15,000 years ago, the ocean level was lower by 120-135 m, but when it rose, "holes" similar to this one formed in the karsts - with piercing blue water.
Approximately 450 islets, large and small coral reef formations are united by the general geographical concept of the Belize Barrier Reef, which, in turn, is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef. The Belize Barrier Reef stretches along the mainland coast of Belize for a distance of approximately 3 km in the north to 40 km in the south. The prevailing currents in this part caribbean- southwest direction. In the southeastern, deepest part of the region, there are three ring-shaped coral atolls with lagoons: these are Turnef, Glovers Reef and Aitehouse Reef.
The Belize Barrier Reef received the highest score from UNESCO in 1996 - seven of its protected areas were included in the World Natural Heritage List.
Before that, it was popular both among experienced divers and beginners in snorkeling - swimming with a mask, snorkel and fins. But after receiving the prestigious certificate of world attractions, the reef experienced a real tourist boom. And today up to 140,000 people a year come here (the population of Belize is 334,300 people, 2013).
As a resort region, the Belize Barrier Reef began to develop in the second half of the 20th century, but even before that it had its own history. There is archaeological evidence that the Maya, who came to the territory of Belize in the III millennium BC. e., in the area of ​​the Belize Barrier Reef fished in the period from about 300 BC. e. to 900 AD e., after which the bulk of the "Belizean" Maya moved to the territory of present-day Mexico.
From the beginning of the 17th century the islands (kaye) of the reef were ruled by pirates, by origin English and Scots. All kaye are islands of greenery - mostly mangrove vegetation, a total of 178 land plants, 247 species of coastal marine flora and about 200 species of birds nesting on the shores. TO late XVIII in. the descendants of pirates became fishermen, whose catch was bought by merchants of the Mosquito Coast (now - the territory of Nicaragua). The Caye then experienced several waves of migration. Garifuna Indians and other tribes from Mexico moved here, and from about the middle of the 19th century. more and more white North Americans began to appear, who came to rest.
Most of the shark species that live within the Belize Barrier Reef are not dangerous to humans, as evidenced by the statistics of their encounters with humans, which is maintained by the local conservation service. A well-fed shark is not interested in a person, and the local sharks are almost always full, although, of course, it is impossible to completely exclude the possibility of their attack. There are several serious dangers for the fauna of the reef. One of them is a wave-like process in time, most often called "whitening", or discoloration: the reefs lose their characteristic color. This is a sign that the natural immunity of corals is declining, and they begin to get sick, often dying from these diseases. Coral bleaching is most affected by rising ocean temperatures, especially during the passage of hurricanes. In 1995, 10% of corals noticeably faded in this situation. Hurricane Mitch in October 1998 is believed to have caused the death of more than 40% of the corals in this area of ​​the Caribbean. Reefs have the ability to regenerate - thanks to the emergence of new colonies of corals, but the more often phenomena such as bleaching repeat, the less chance reefs have to recover.
Other threats to the Great Belize Reef ecosystem come from humans. This is, first of all, the use by poachers, who are engaged in the so-called aquarium fishing, of poisons of reversible action, immobilizing marine hydrobionts for a while. Once and for all, to stop poaching in this highly profitable business is, admittedly, a practically impossible task: after all, most reef fish and invertebrates do not breed under artificial conditions, and the demand for them is only growing. And no matter how rich the local undersea world, and poaching "mows down" entire fish schools and coral colonies. The process of bleaching of coral reefs, of course, is also affected by pollution of the World Ocean with agrochemical effluents, uncontrolled underwater tourism, shipping and fishing.
IN Lately the area of ​​"bleached" places in the area of ​​the Belize Barrier Reef is declining. A significant role in this is played by the measures taken by the UNESCO Commission for the control of protected areas of our planet. In addition, a special coordination program has been developed in Belize to protect the natural resources of the reef. At the end of 2010, he became the first country in the world to categorically ban this method fishing like bottom trawling.

general information

Coral reef system that is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef.

State affiliation: Belize.

Official language of Belize: English.

Currency unit: Belize dollar, legal tender is the US dollar.
largest island: Ambergris Caye (resort).

The largest peninsula, one of the resorts closest to the reef: Placencia.

largest locality : City of San Pedro on the island of Ambergris Caye (13,500 people, 2012).

Other major islands: Caulker Caye, Chapel Caye, Carrie Bow Caye, St. George's Caye, English Caye, Rendezvous Caye, Gladden Caye, Ranguana Caye, Long Caye, Maho Caye, Blackbird Caye, Tre Corner Caye, Northern Caye, Tobacco Caye, Sandborough Caye.

Nearest airport: Philip-Goldson in Belize City (International).

Numbers

Length: 290 km.
Total area of ​​protected areas: about 960 km2.
Number of islands: about 450.
Number of atolls: 3.

Average water depth: in the north of the region - 2-3 m (maximum - 6 m), in the south - 20-25 m.

Maximum Depth (Great Blue Hole): 120 m.
Average tidal wave height: 0.5 m.

highest point: 5 m above sea level.

Climate and weather

Tropical trade winds, hot and humid.

Rainy season: from the end of May to November.

Average monthly air and water temperature throughout the year: +26°С, with slight deviations in different parts region.
Average annual rainfall: 1800 mm.
Hurricanes are likely between August and October.
When the northern trade winds blow, the sea rises with excitement (from mid-December to early March), visibility under water becomes worse.

Economy

Fishing, extraction of crustaceans and mollusks.
Tourism, including cruise, when tourists stop at the resort islands of the reef for 1-2 days.

Attractions

■ Glovers Reef Marine Reserve.
■ Great Blue Hole (national park St. Hermann Blue Hole).
■ Natural Monument Half Moon Caye Island- a habitat for about 100 species of birds (among them the red booby sula-sula listed in the Red Book, several species of sea frigates), more than 1000-meter strip of soft corals.
■ Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
■ Sapodilla Caye Marine Reserve.
■ Ambergris Caye Island.
■ Mayan civilization monuments: the archaeological complex of Altun-Kha, the ruins of the cities of Karakol, Lamanai, Num-Li-Punit, the city-fortress of Shunantunich, the ceremonial sanctuary of Chukil-Baalum.
■ Belmopan(the capital of Belize, built in the 1970s): Art Box (constantly updated exposition of contemporary art), city museum, sculptural ensemble "Belize Go!", parks, nearby - Guanacaste Nature Reserve.
■ Belize City(the largest city in the country): St. John's Cathedral (1847), the National Museum in the building of the former colonial prison of the 18th century. (Mayan art), Maritime Museum (history of navigation), Coastal Zone Museum (reef ecosystem), national center crafts, the lighthouse-monument of Baron Bliss, 35 km from the city - the Belize Zoo, 50 km - the Center. J. Darrell.

Curious facts

■ The best place to dive into the underwater world is the island of Ambergris Caye. In several places the reef wall comes close to the shore.
■ On the walls of the Great Blue Hole, you can see huge stalactites and stalagmites, formed in ancient times in caves that collapsed later.
■ At the resorts of the Belize Barrier Reef, it is common special kind gambling entertainment, which can be conditionally called "chicken loto". A large sheet of cardboard is drawn into squares marked with numbers, then the playing field is fenced off with a mesh barrier, and ... chickens are released onto it. Tourists make bets on which square will have the most products of their vital activity. Before receiving the prize, the winner must carefully remove what brought him good luck.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a coral reef system that occupies the coastline of Belize, which belongs to Central America. This barrier reef in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean is the second largest in the world. Its length is close to 300 kilometers. It belongs to the list of outstanding natural attractions and is protected by UNESCO.

The Belize Barrier Reef is the main natural value of Belize, which is visited by about 130 thousand tourists annually.

The coral reef is a whole system of shoals, islets, as well as attols (ring-shaped reefs, where colorful lagoons are located).

Coral reefs must be protected by the state, since about a quarter of all marine flora and fauna are located here. Experts have calculated that if we leave things to chance and do not control sea water pollution, fishing and tourism, then in about 30 years more than half of the corals will disappear from our Earth.

The Belize Barrier Reef Protected Area has approximately 70 species of hard corals and at least 35 soft corals. Nearly 500 species of fish are found in this area. There are also representatives of endangered species of animals, among which there is more than one species of turtles.

Among all the dangers to the corals of the Belize Reef is very high level their bleaching. This is a natural procedure in which they discolor and become light. In 1997, the largest coral bleaching occurred here, which coincided with squally winds. At this time, their reduction was recorded by about 45 percent. Scientists have determined that Negative influence on marine coral reefs fever environment in which they live, as well as ultraviolet light.

The local colorful places have long been chosen by tourists. This is favorably influenced by the temperature of the water, as well as the richness of the underwater world.

One of the most beautiful places to dive into the water kingdom is the area that became famous thanks to the Blue Hole. Its location is the natural reef Lighthouse, which is located a hundred kilometers from the coastline of Belize. It was discovered by an underwater expedition in 1970 and has been attracting many tourists ever since. The blue hole looks like a funnel made of limestone, which is filled with dark blue water. Its diameter is close to 300 meters, and the depth is at least 120. The inhabitants of the Blue Hole are sharks. Diving in this area for divers without much experience is not recommended as decompression may occur. Sea water near the funnel itself is very transparent and is ideal for walking with a mask and snorkel.

As you can see, the Belize Barrier Reef is a real treasure of nature, which requires careful treatment on the part of mankind.