Imagine that you are swimming in the ocean and suddenly you are sucked into a huge underwater waterfall! If you visit the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean, you can make it a reality ... Well, or almost 🙂 After all, the “underwater waterfall” is just an illusion and it cannot suck you in. But it looks like the real thing! Nature itself did its best and created this beautiful picture: which can only be seen from above.
Mauritius is a relatively young island compared to most of the world, having been formed about 8 million years ago (assuming the Earth itself is estimated to be around 4.6 billion years old). Volcanic activity under the ocean was responsible for the formation of Mauritius along with other islands (including La Reunion) collectively known as the Mascarene Islands. Mauritius is surrounded by a kind of ring or "reef skirt". In Le Morne, this ring is interrupted - there is a channel through which water flows into the ocean. And this channel smoothly descends from a shallow depth to the endless abyss of the Indian Ocean.
Due to the movement of white sand and the blue color of the water, it seems as if this is really an "underwater waterfall". You can only see it from a great height and on a large scale. Therefore, swimming there in Le Morne, you can not worry about being dragged into the ocean.
UNDERWATER FALLS ON VIDEO
Well, how? Really very beautiful indeed! If you want to see this miracle live, then fly to our island. In order to familiarize yourself with
Waterfalls catch the eye, fascinate with their power and beauty. You can endlessly watch a huge body of water rushing down with a roar. The largest waterfall on Earth is 3.5 kilometers high. True, it is unlikely that you will be able to enjoy its view, because the waterfall is ... underwater.
Underwater record holder
The Denmark Strait Falls is located in a small part of the ocean between Greenland and Iceland. Its dimensions are about 160 km, and the water falls 3,505 meters from the Greenland Sea into the Irminger Sea, carrying about 5 million cubic meters of water per second. With such characteristics, it outshines all giant waterfalls on land. For example, Angel Falls, the highest above sea level located in Venezuela, is three times shorter than the Denmark Strait Falls, and Niagara Falls carry 2,000 times less water even during peak flows.
How can such streams of water fall down while under water?
The secret lies in the temperature difference between the very cold Arctic waters of the Greenland Sea and the slightly warmer Irminger Sea. Since the molecules in cold water are less active and take up less space than in warm water, they "snuggle" together, making cold water denser (and therefore heavier). Therefore, when water from the Greenland Sea meets water in the Irminger Sea, it flows under its own weight down to the bottom.
Reaching the bottom, the water from the Denmark Strait Falls forms a massive stream that moves south, replacing the warmer water near the surface that flows north. The amount of water in this massive stream is 20-40 times the volume of all river waters flowing into the Atlantic.
With one eye
Although the Denmark Strait Falls are hidden from human eyes, the illusion of an underwater waterfall can still be admired. To do this, you need to go to the tropical island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. Off the coast of the Le Morne Brabant peninsula in the southwest, unusual underwater landscapes and strong undercurrents carrying streams of silt and sand give the impression that a real underwater waterfall is flowing there.
The phrase "underwater waterfall" sounds absurd. Approximately like "oil oil" or "transitional transition". But this is not an empty tautology. Underwater waterfalls actually exist, and there is no other way to call them. This is a unique miracle of nature, worthy to look at at least once in a lifetime. The impression of what you see will remain for a long time. Our article is dedicated to this miracle of nature.
Underwater waterfall - what is it?
Despite the fact that man has already studied the planet up and down, there are still many unique unexplored places on it. These are the underwater waterfalls.
This amazing thing happens for two reasons:
- uneven;
- uneven in density (due to different salt content and temperature differences in neighboring areas).
Everything happens like this: when there are water zones of different densities nearby, and the bottom is relief in this place, denser streams "fall" down, and the lungs rush up. And the effect of falling water is created.
largest underwater waterfall
To date, scientists have identified 7 such places at the bottom of the oceans (but, most likely, there are many more). It is noteworthy that some underwater waterfalls are many times larger than their land-based "brothers". The largest of them is located in the Atlantic Ocean between Iceland and Greenland (it was discovered, by the way, by the Russians). It is 350 times higher than the "tallest" land giant - Venezuelan (its height is 979 meters). The width of the Atlantic giant is 150 kilometers, and the water flow is 30 thousand cubic meters per second.
Naturally, people are sorry to leave such power unclaimed, and humanity is already making plans for it, gradually developing projects for underwater hydroelectric power plants. In the meantime, underwater waterfalls have no industrial value. We can only admire them, admiring their beauty.
Beautiful underwater waterfall, Mauritius island
One of the most magnificent sights of the planet is the waterfall, which is located near the Le Morne Brabant peninsula. This is in the state of Mauritius. In fact, the local underwater waterfall is just an illusion. The visual effect of falling water is created by a combination of sand, silt, coral deposits, the strongest current in this place and the refraction of light.
The ingenious magician, which is our nature, has created such a miracle, from which it is difficult to take your eyes off. It is difficult to describe it in words. Even in photographs, the landscape looks quite bewitching, and what can we say about contemplation live!
How can you see it?
True, you can see the underwater waterfall of Mauritius only from above (by the way, it can be seen even from space). But if you are not an astronaut, but an ordinary tourist, then you will have to get into a helicopter, soar into the sky over the Indian Ocean and get into a parallel reality with a fantastic world spread out below, under a thin layer of water.
The ocean shelves in these places are several million years old, but the bottom has risen relatively recently. Nearby were areas with different water depths (from eight to several hundred meters). This was the reason for the birth of a delightful and amazing natural phenomenon.
Thanks to its treasure, an underwater waterfall, the Le Morne Brabant peninsula is included in the UNESCO list. In fact, there are not so many sights worthy of a tourist's eye on this peninsula. The main one is this underwater waterfall. Mauritius is a popular holiday destination. If you are planning a trip there, be sure to visit the Le Morne Brabant peninsula and admire the wonder of nature.
In the southwest of the island of Mauritius, which is located in Indian Ocean, you can see an unusual natural phenomenon, which, by mistake, many skeptics consider an anomaly.
Coral Reef Mauritius
Coral reefs, moving under the influence of underwater currents, under the thick water, create the illusion of a waterfall that flows "inside" the ocean. This is an ideal place for lovers of extreme diving under water. Huge coral reef near the island Mauritius- one of the longest reefs in the whole world. We advise you to relax with the company "AV Holiday" - hey, see holidays reviews. A large number of tours and very reasonable prices!
An underwater waterfall is a grandiose "work" of the underwater world, which has been created for centuries. This unusual phenomenon is best seen from a bird's eye view, so when visiting the islands in the Indian Ocean, be sure to go on a sightseeing tour of the nearby peninsula by helicopter.
So you will fully enjoy the beautiful view of the island and see the underwater waterfall Mauritius!
Helicopter tour
The price for a tour for two is not small, for a 15-minute walk you will need to pay about $ 450, for a long hour trip - $ 1100. And for those who cannot afford such entertainment, you can turn to the search engine of the world-famous electronic maps Google Maps. Even from a satellite you can see an extraordinary phenomenon planets.
At a short distance from the natural ocean waterfall, there is a peninsula Le Morne Brabant, where hotels of world-famous chains are located. This peninsula has been on the World Heritage List since 2008. UNESCO. The incredible beauty of nature, created by silty deposits, corals and underwater currents, will not leave anyone indifferent.
An unusual natural anomaly - the illusion of an underwater waterfall, can be found in the waters of the Indian Ocean. You can observe it not far from the most beautiful peninsula in Mauritius - Le - Morne - Brabant. The visual illusion is nothing more than a landscape formed by a coral reef, in addition to the deposition of silt and sand. It is driven by a powerful undercurrent. An underwater waterfall in Mauritius is best seen during a sightseeing tour conducted by helicopter. There, from a bird's eye view, tempting cascades, whirlwind jets falling to the very bottom of the ocean, make an indelible impression.
If you want to see this miracle of nature, you need to go to the Le Morne Brabant peninsula, which, by the way, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. You can get to it along the highway, which is located along the coast. It bears the designation No. 89. Directly from the peninsula, and excursions are conducted. The cost of the walk will vary.
For example, for a 15-minute tour, for two persons, you will have to pay from 448 dollars. To watch an underwater waterfall in Mauritius for an hour, you will need to pay from 1165 dollars. On average, the price of a tour per tourist ranges from 140 to 450 dollars, and it depends primarily on the duration of the trip itself.
The tour is planned according to all the requirements of travelers. Agreed, as well as such nuances as the place of the end and the beginning of the tour. As a rule, the tour starts from the heliport closest to the hotel, where tourists live.
But, there is a possibility save a lot and go to an underwater waterfall for a more reasonable price. You can do this by going on an excursion, the departure for which is carried out from the international airport, which is located on the island. In this case, a visit to this unusual natural phenomenon will cost from $ 245 for two. The duration of the trip will be from 15 minutes.
An underwater waterfall is such an impressive and unforgettable natural phenomenon that it is simply impossible to describe it. If you are in Mauritius, be sure to visit it. Such a natural phenomenon, you will not find anywhere else in the world. Believe me, the money spent is worth it. The resulting delight and unforgettable impressions, from the power of the natural elements, and its beauty, cannot be compared with anything else. Even experienced tourists are sure to come to admire this unusual visual illusion.
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