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In the heart of the Caribbean, off the coast of Belize, lies a near-perfect underwater sinkhole. In ... More 1971, Jacques Cousteau’s expedition mapped its depths, uncovering clues to its ancient origins.
Sinkholes are natural depressions that form when rock dissolves or collapses, creating deep voids in the ground. While they are commonly found on land, they also exist in the ocean, often appearing as deep, circular pits in shallow coastal waters. These oceanic sinkholes typically originate from limestone caves that formed thousands of years ago, when sea levels were much lower. Over time, as rising waters flooded these caves, some collapsed, leaving behind the massive, submerged sinkholes we see today.
One of the largest and most famous of these is the Great Blue Hole, located off the coast of Belize. Measuring over 1,043 feet across and about 407 feet deep, this massive submarine sinkhole was known to local fishermen for generations. However, it wasn’t until the mid-20th century, as ocean exploration advanced, that it gained international attention.
As interest in the world’s oceans grew, so did the curiosity surrounding this geological anomaly.
Jacques Cousteau Introduced Millions To The Great Blue Hole, Thanks To His TV Show
By the late 1960s, ocean exploration was undergoing a transformation. Advancements in scuba technology, underwater photography and submersibles were making the deep sea more accessible than ever, while a surge in public fascination — driven by television and scientific curiosity — was pushing marine research into the mainstream.
At the forefront of this movement was Jacques Cousteau, a former French naval officer turned oceanographer, filmmaker and conservationist. Having already brought global attention to remote reefs, ancient shipwrecks and ecologically vital marine habitats, Cousteau had become a household name, blending scientific discovery with visual storytelling in ways no one had done before.
In 1971, Jacques Cousteau and his crew aboard the research vessel Calypso arrived in Belize to explore the Great Blue Hole — a massive, perfectly circular submarine sinkhole located in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. This expedition was part of their renowned television series, The Undersea World of Jacques Cousteau.
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