The ‘Great Blue Hole’ which has become one of the most famous dive sites in the world, appears to be the kind of place you actually want to get lost in. The water is perfectly clear, which gives divers an amazing view of the reefs, and marine life that find themselves living in the area. However, after a dive mission led by Sir Richard Branson, and Fabien Cousteau began in the area, they found something dark lurking within the ‘hole’ itself. This would change the way the world saw this picturesque diving haven, and instead raise awareness of a much larger problem that needs to be tackled.
Meet Fabien Cousteau
With a grandfather like famed researcher, Jacques Cousteau, it is no surprise his grandchild, Fabien Cousteau decided to continue with his ocean explorations. As a well-known researcher, Fabien has been wandering around the oceans of the world, unearthing rare sites, and trying to unravel the mystery that is this underwater world we know so little about.
Conservation has always been one of his key areas of interest, and what he found in the Blue Hole would only make this more important for him.
The Belize Barrier Reef
Belize is a small nation, found in the Caribbean, and as it contains the Belize Barrier Reef, has quickly become a hotspot for divers, snorkelers, and ocean research. This area has seen a lot of traffic since the 1800s. In fact, Charles Darwin, the naturalist who penned The Voyage of the Beagle, an account of his time exploring the world, and the wonders he found, was a visitor to the Blue Hole.
While he was incredibly well-traveled, even he admitted in his diaries that it was unlike any place he had ever seen before. The Belize Barrier Reef is simply put, the most magnificent reef in the area, and a must visit for any reef enthusiast.
Into The Deep
The Belize Barrier Reef stretches for miles, but the Blue Hole itself is found in a portion called the Lighthouse Reef. The Lighthouse Reef is located to the far east of the reef, with the crowning glory being the Blue Hole. What makes the Blue Hole so special, aside from the fact that it is simply amazing to gaze down at, is the fact that it is 420 feet deep.
Diving down that far is no walk in the park, and it takes years of experience to prepare to take the ultimate plunge into the abyss. What all divers want to know, is what lies at the bottom of this hole? Are there some rare sea creatures? Or maybe even some forgotten pirate treasure?
Jacques Cousteau
Jacques Cousteau was known for his adventurous lifestyle, and zest for exploring unknown regions of the world. He had visited the Blue Hole in the early 1970s, and it left a big impact on him. As a diver himself, he decided to head into the hole and see how far he could get.
Since it was 1971, the diving equipment that was available to Jacques and his group of intrepid researchers, only allowed them to scratch the surface of the Blue Hole. Fabien wanted to continue where Jacques left off, and see if he could find some answers to the questions his grandfather had been unable to.
Sir Richard Branson
As the owner of the Virgin Group, which includes an airline, space travel, telecommunications, and a ton of other services, Sir Richard Branson decided to embark on this voyage as well. Fabien, Sir Richard, and an ocean researcher by the name of Erika Bergman prepared to go on the ultimate ocean journey.
They procured a submarine that was built to withstand the pressure of diving hundreds of feet into the ocean, and it was called the Aquatica.
The Fight Against Climate Change
Sir Richard Branson, with his vast fortune, has made it a personal mission to draw attention towards the dangers of climate change, and is actively fighting to slow it down.
He viewed this mission, as a fact finding one that would allow him to shine a light on some of the issues that are affecting the world’s oceans, which cover a whopping 70 percent of the Earth. Sir Richard needed to know what was at the bottom of the ocean.
Uncharted Territory
No one had ever managed to make it to the bottom of the Blue Hole, and see what is waiting in the depths of the ocean. Due to this, The Discovery Channel decided to get on board for what they were sure would be a historic moment.
The Aquatica was fitted with cameras, that would allow the descent to be filmed in real time and then broadcast live. Viewers tuned in to see just what these three ocean pioneers would find.
A Bit Of A Squeeze
The Aquatica could just fit Fabien, Sir Richard, and Erika. They began to make their descent, and as viewers watched, they could see the Blue Hole clearly through the thick glass covering that made up the top of the submarine.
It took just under 15 minutes for the Aquatica to reach the start of the Blue Hole, and for the 420-foot descent to begin. Everyone was in good spirits as they got ready to see what was in the mysterious depths.
The Darkness
Slowly, the sunlight filtering in from the top of the Blue Hole began to fade, and the shadowy depths of the Blue Hole could be seen. The water was not clear the way it had been at the top, instead, the water was full of small organisms.
Then gigantic stalactites began to emerge, which was odd, as they can only be found on land. The team found themselves with more questions than answers.
Rising Water Levels
As soon as the stalactites emerged, Sir Richard knew what he was seeing. Since they could only occur on land, clearly this structure had become submerged in water, which could only mean one thing.
The water levels had risen sometime over the last few centuries, just as they are doing now. This was the wake-up call, he felt the world needed, and he was glad that this was being aired on live television, for all to see.
Understanding The Past
While this was a well-publicized mission, it was not the first. A few years ago, a group of scientists from Rice University and Louisiana State University, both from the United States, decided to examine what the walls of the Blue Hole are made of.
The land of what is now Belize had experienced a rapid population decrease at one point, and they wanted to know if the Blue Hole could have been the cause.
The Maya
The people who lived on the land that makes up Belize were known as the Maya. These people were considered to be an ancient civilization, and remnants of them had been found by archeologists. The only thing they could not discover is what had caused them to leave the area, and never return.
After studying the composition of sediment found within the vicinity of the Blue Hole, it told the scientists that there was a drought. No water was what forced them to leave.
Getting Stuck
Back in the Aquatica with Sir Richard, Fabien, and Erika, they found themselves about to hit something potentially deadly: hydrogen sulfide. This thick substance is what a lot of sea creatures had found themselves hitting, and then being unable to get out of it, dying.
With no oxygen within the hydrogen sulfide, the marine life had been unable to breathe, which had caused them to pass away. As the three humans, were safe within their submarine, they decided to continue.
Rock Bottom
After what felt like hours of descent, the Aquatica touched down on the bottom of the Blue Hole. The crew was filled with anticipation. Years of research had gone into this moment, and they were finally going to see what was there.
Everyone was curious to see what kind of marine life was living down there. Would there be blind fish, with lanterns to shine the way? Or would they find something much more sinister?
A Pile Of Plastic
Erika slowly began to pilot the submarine around the bottom of the Blue Hole. They all wanted to see what the land looked like and if there was anything unknown living down there.
As the Aquatica slowly began to skim the area, they came across something astounding. It would seem that plastic tossed into the ocean, had found its way into the Blue Hole, and settled at the bottom. They were looking at the ocean’s equivalent of a landfill.
Pollution
The entire team was horrified by what they had found in one of nature’s most beautiful diving spots. Sir Richard decided that this was the perfect time to begin raising even more awareness for how humans have systematically worked to use the ocean as a landfill.
Ocean Unite, a conservation organization that Sir Richard works with, decided to get involved and provide advice on what the public can do to help stop the spread of pollution.
Protecting An International Resource
In countries, certain natural areas are designated as parks that need to be protected. This means that no building, mining, or other processes that could harm nature can be done there.
Ocean Unite and Sir Richard decided to promote the idea of something similar, but for the ocean. They want to protect 30 percent of the ocean, if not more. He decided the best person to start this job, would be the Prime Minister of Belize, and he did.
Protecting Belize
After discussing what could be done to protect the Blue Hole, and it’s surrounding, Sir Richard and the Prime Minister, Dean Barrow, developed a plan. If just a small percentage of Belize could be deemed a national park or ocean, then it would prevent people from dumping garbage in the area.
Sir Richard also proposed the idea of stopping the use of grill nets in the fishing industry. These measures would help protect the area.
Change From Within
Virgin Airlines, has been a long-time user of plastic, in the form of glasses for serving drinks, straws, and other food packaging during their flights. Sir Richard decided to lead by example, and ban the usage of single-use plastic on his airline.
He wants to leave the world a better place, and not watch its continual decline. As he has many children and grandchild, he hopes that they will enjoy a bright future on a cleaner planet.
Always Helping
Sir Richard has been working to make the world a better place since he first began to make his fortune. With billions at his disposal, he has been able to fund non-governmental organizations, as well as creating some that target specific areas.
He has a soft spot for lemurs, and with their numbers dwindling has decided to try and get an island for them in which they can breed, and increase their numbers. No project is too small for him.
International Awareness
Plastic has long been a problem in the world’s oceans. With an island about the size of Texas, conservationists have been working on ways in which to clean up the oceans. One of the best ways to do this is to raise awareness but to also be conscious of the products you use, and the waste you create.
The Plastic Solutions Fund, which is funded by actor, Leonardo DiCaprio, is also working to tackle this issue.
Other Reefs
Within the Middle East, the Red Sea is also an area known for its beauty and diving spots. It has its own Blue Hole-esque area within the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. With the Blue Hole being found to be full of plastic, it is the hope that this other diving spot stays clear of the stuff.
Conservation is easier to do if preventative measures are in place, which is why NGOs are working to raise awareness in the area.
Lead By Example
We may not all be able to go on ocean missions, but we can do our part to minimize the amount of waste we create. If you can avoid buying plastic containers, using plastic cutlery, and buying non-reusable water bottles, then you will be able to effect some small changes.
Eventually, this will trickle down and more and more people will follow suit. If we all work together, we can help to keep our planet safe for future generations.