Halloween Special Part 1: Bermuda – the ultimate destination for spooky dives
Just in time for Halloween, we take a deep dive with PADI into spooky Bermuda… check back for part 2 on Monday.
Are you a thrill-seeker who loves the call of adventure and doesn’t mind a good scare? If you’re looking for something mesmerising, intriguing, and downright creepy then look no further than Bermuda, the ultimate destination for a spooky dive.
Why Bermuda? Mysterious disappearances, real-life underwater monsters, hundreds of shipwrecks to explore – the list goes on. Found in the North Atlantic Ocean and surrounded by fringing coral reefs, Bermuda already offers fantastic diving for anyone delighted by diverse and stunning aquatic species. But if it’s the eerie and uncanny you’re after, Bermuda hits the mark too!
You may already be familiar with strange stories about the Bermuda Triangle – a peculiar region where planes and ships seem to disappear into thin air – but did you know that Bermuda is also known as the Wreck Capital of the Atlantic?
There are over 300 sunken ships scattered around Bermuda. Some even date back to the 1600’s thanks to Bermuda’s extra shallow reefs. With so many ghostly shipwrecks to explore, it’s easy to see why the Bermuda Triangle has become the stuff of myth (and no doubt nightmare for some).
Dive deep with PADI for the frightful and freaky scoop about Bermuda – read on with caution and don’t say we didn’t warn you!
PADI’s 8 Spooky Fun Facts About Bermuda
- Strange Weather and Extra Deep Waters
Bermuda is known for all kinds of bizarre natural phenomena. From ultra-extreme weather and uneven seafloors to strong electromagnetic field pulls (ever heard of electronic fog?!) and unpredictable rogue waves, it’s no wonder there have been so many shipwrecks around the island over the years. At a depth of 27,493 feet, the Bermuda Triangle is home to the deepest point of the Atlantic Ocean at the Puerto Rico Trench in the Milwaukee Depth.
- Mysterious Disappearances
The Bermuda Triangle has long been renowned as a creepy spot that pilots and ship captains alike would prefer to avoid. There are countless tales of ships, planes, and submarines that have gone missing without a trace, and while there are over 300 wrecks found on the ocean floor, many disappearances remain a mystery. It’s estimated that at least 50 airplanes and 20 ships are unaccounted for to this day.
- Magnetic Anomalies
The Bimini vortex often comes up as an oddity connected to the Bermuda Triangle. It’s described as a unique spot where compasses spin, and electronics fail to work properly. Even more strange are reports of dolphins that appear very suddenly and come right up to divers. Some attribute the anomalies to “electronic fog” which is described as an electromagnetic field that appears as a cloud over the ocean, engulfing a ship and causing its electronics to malfunction. While pilots and coast guards have indeed reported uncanny fog in the area, electronic fog remains a supernatural theory that makes the Bermuda Triangle even more mysterious.
- Fact or Fiction?
The city of Atlantis is a fictional story that originated with Plato about a lost civilization that was wise and powerful. Some of the stranger myths about the Bermuda Triangle suggest that the inexplicable magnetic anomalies found in the area are connected to ancient technologies left behind from Atlantis. Paranormal writer Charles Berlitz brought this idea to life, also suggesting that Atlantis was the cause of the many mysterious disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle.
- Supernatural Lighting
Dive on the east end of Bermuda and you’ll discover the Cathedral site, where a beautiful and ethereal series of coral formations are inhabited by a host of spectacular fish. What makes the Cathedral so special is its vaulted reef structure that creates a natural skylight when you’re in the depths of your dive – talk about mood lighting! A single shaft of light through a hole at the top of the reef illuminates the otherwise dark and spooky waters at depths of 55 feet.
- Surprise Visitors
To the west you’ll find Eel Garden, named after garden eels, where the critters will jump out and try to give you a fright as you delve through shallow and deep waters at depths from 30 to 70 feet. Not to worry – although they may startle you, these eels simply want to wave hello when they pop their heads out from the sand.
- Shoot Real-Life Monsters
The real monsters in Bermuda aren’t the friendly garden eels. Instead, you need to watch out for lionfish, an invasive species in the Atlantic that reproduces quickly (laying up to 2 million eggs a year!) and feeds on small crustaceans and fish. Because they have such an impact on the local ecosystem, lionfish culling is a common practice in Bermuda. You can help in the hunt to take down these real-life monsters with the PADI Bermuda Invasive Lionfish Culler Distinctive Specialty.
- More Than Shipwrecks Underwater
While Bermuda is famous for the extensive number of shipwrecks scattered around the island, there’s more to be found in the deep blue. Divers can also visit the skeleton of a B-50 Bomber that crashed into the watery depths of the Atlantic in 1963. The airplane went down after its jet engine exploded and to this day divers can find the remains of bent propellers, wings, and fuselage at a depth of 25 feet.
Check back on Monday for… PADI’s Top 7 Wrecks to Dive in Bermuda!
Images: DIVE BERMUDA
