(Re)-Discovering the Deep Blue

Just when you think the Great Blue Hole could not instill any more fascination, ocean explorers are determined to find what lies at the very bottom this fall. You know it from the travel brochures, the NatGeo-worthy Instagram posts, the “Best Places to Dive” lists. The cobalt-colored sinkhole has been on travelers’ bucket lists for decades, ever since Jacques Cousteau shared the natural wonder with the world. Now his grandson Fabien Cousteau, Richard Branson from Virgin Mobile, along with Aquatica, will venture into the very depths of this underwater marvel. And you’ll be right along with them via Livestream.

Ocean exploration is a venture that is both exhilarating and necessary. As the company Aquatica Submarine states, “the more that is known about the Blue Hole and its surrounding reef system, the better equipped experts are to protect it.” The Blue Hole sits right on the Lighthouse Reef off the coast of Belize and is 407 feet deep. This historic expedition will entail an entire sonar scan of the sinkhole along with the collection of scientific data. Filmmakers will accompany the scientists and explorers, all to document the mysteries that lie at the bottom of this curiosity.

This breakthrough endeavor includes the partnering efforts of many NGO’s like the Belize Audubon Society, Government of Belize, Ocean Unite, Oceana Belize and the endorsement of submarine partner the Roatan Institute of Deep Sea exploration. Two submarines are expected to plunge into the depths.

Belize continues to be a magnet to steadfast explorers, those who leave no crevice unnoticed, even if that means heading straight down to the bottom of the earth. As for those who can’t wait to see what else is unearthed in Belize’s waters, you’ll be brought along for the ride via livestream. It’d be a mistake not to witness it; you wouldn’t want to miss what turns up, would you?