Nugget & The Blue Holes

Looking for an underwater adventure? Blue holes are usually found in shallow coastal areas and the darker the shade of blue, the deeper it goes. The Travel Nugget won't venture into these depths for 2 reasons. Firstly, diving in these places has a prerequisite of logging over 25 dives so an extreme amateur, like the Travel Nugget, can't. Secondly, the mystery of the creatures that lurk in dark, deep waters scare me.

GREAT BLUE HOLE, BELIZE

The Great Blue Hole of Belize is the most popular blue hole and I have no idea what its appearance reminds me of. It measures over 300 meters across and 124 meters deep. The blue hole rests in the middle of Lighthouse Reef where an island of corals encircles the shallow area, giving it a beautiful turquoise colour. Many visit by boat and aerial tours while the more adventurous opt for skydiving into the waters. I imagine myself screaming at the top of my voice until I touch the water if I ever attempt that one but maybe, just maybe, it's an option.

UNESCO World Heritage Site - Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System

DEAN'S BLUE HOLE, BAHAMAS

Of all the blue holes, the contrast of lush trees and turquoise and blue waters makes this one the most attractive in my opinion. Found near Clarence Town on Long island, Bahamas, is Dean's Blue Hole, the deepest one known to man. It plunges over 200 meters with an opening diameter of 25 to 35 meters, which expands to 100 meters as you descend. This blue hole has also become very famous as it's a site for world-class free-diving competitions. 

BLUE HOLE, GOZO

Unlike the aforementioned, the Blue Hole of Gozo is connected to the open sea through an underwater tunnel. It is 10 meters wide and goes 15 meters deep into the cliff. Part of the beauty of this blue hole is the natural rock formation which was carved by constant erosion out over centuries.

Viewing this blue hole while standing on top of the Azure Window, the limestone arch, would be so thrilling. No, I do not want to plunge 92 feet into the water. It's just for viewing purposes. The Azure Window,  was a major attraction of near this blue hole, but unfortunately for me, it crashed into the sea in March 2017. The arch was featured in the HBO series, Game of Thrones and many movies such as Clash of the Titans.

BLUE HOLE, EGYPT

The most dangerous dive site in the world is located in Dahab, Egypt. It has claimed the lives of over 150 divers over the past 15 years and makes me very unlikely to visit. Many divers die in attempt to find "the arch" which connects the blue hole to open waters, found a little over 50 meters below the surface. The Blue hole can be accessed from the shore and is 130 meters deep. Admits the shades of green, Dean's Blue Hole looks like the missing piece of a puzzle which completes the coral shores picture.

Viewing these blue holes from an aerial tour is so much more appealing to me than jumping into them. I cannot imagine myself scuba diving into these depths, but just seeing these shades of blue water is what I need to scratch them off my to-travel list. Comment below and share some other blue holes that I missed!