The Great Barrier Reef still holds many surprises and discoveries. One of them might well have remained a secret if a marine biologist, Johnny Gaskell, had not used Google Map to explore the area.
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A huge 'blue hole' was spotted in 2017, in the heart of the world's largest coral reef. A natural wonder, filmed to the delight of our eyes.
The coral reef, a world underwater
The discovery did not end there, as the biologist and his team decided to confirm their find by going to the site, 'much further' than where they were used to going.
The expedition was marked by fascination, as Johnny Gaskell explained on his Instagram account, which read:
What we found inside (editor's note: the blue hole) was hard to believe, given that five months ago a category 4 cyclone passed directly over it.
At about 15 - 20 metres depth there were huge Seriatopora and stag horn corals (Acropora), which were some of the largest and most delicate colonies I have ever seen.
The 'blue hole'
A 'blue hole' represents a cavity, a chasm dug in the ocean. Also known as a 'sea hole,' this formation appears generally as a result of erosion, which creates a crator that is covered by water.
The majority of these underwater cavities are thought to have formed during the Ice Age, eventually filling up with coral. And, the dark blue colour is explained by the fact that the water (in the deep sea) is deeper than the surrounding water.
The blue hole highlighted by Johnny Gaskell would not be as deep as the famous Great Blue Hole in Belize, but it is'a truly unique place,' says the biologist.
