A big area of the ocean between, Puerto Rico, Florida and Bermuda, is what makes up the Bermuda Triangle. It has been thought that over the last few centuries, tons of airplanes and ships have disappeared from mysterious happenings in the area. The Bermuda Triangle has been deemed “The Devil’s Triangle.” Some people have even said that it is an area of extra terrestrial activity and that some bizarre natural scientific reasoning has caused the region to be harmful. More than likely this area is an area in which people have experienced more than their fair share of bad luck.
It all began when Christopher Columbus looked down at his compass and realized that it was giving unusual readings. He didn’t warn anybody just yet because having a compass that could not point to magnetic north may have sent the crew into panic mode since they were already on edge. This was most likely a very good decision because, three days after, Christopher Columbus noticed a weird light, then the crew threatened to return back to Spain.
There are other reported issues with compass readings in the region. This gave rise to the myth that compasses will all be off if you are in the Bermuda Triangle. This is not true at all, or at least, it’s an exaggeration of what really is happening.
The United States Coast Guard tried to explain the reasonings they had for the disappearances. He said: “First, The Devils Triangle is one of the two places on earth that a magnetic compass does point toward true north. Normally it points toward magnetic north. The difference between the two is known as compass variation. The amount of variation changes by as much as 20 degrees as one circumnavigates the earth. If this compass variation or error is not compensated for, a navigator could find himself far off ourse and in deep trouble.”
This issue was revisited after a TV producer in London inquired about it for a television show that he was working on. They then, changed their attitude toward the magnetic field by saying:
“Many explanations have cited unusual magnetic properties within the boundaries of the Triangle. Although the worlds magnetic fields are in constant flux, the “Bermuda Triangle” has remained relatively undisturbed. It is true that some exceptional magnetic values have reported within the Triangle, but none to make the Triangle more unusual than any other place on Earth.”
Because the number of disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle is not any greater than any other trafficked area of the worlds oceans, they don’t need an explanation. If you are still convinced that the the Bermuda Traingle is a graveyard for planes and ships, here are a few explanations from the Coast Guard to negate some of the fantastical stories.
The majority of disappearances can be attributed to the area’s unique features. The Gulf Stream, a warm ocean current flowing from the Gulf of Mexico around the Florida Straits northeastward toward Europe is extremely swift and turbulent. It can quickly erase any evidence of a disaster.
The unpredictable Caribbean-Atlantic storms that give birth to waves of great size as well as waterspouts often spell disaster for pilots and mariners. (Not to mention that the area is in “hurricane alley.”) The topography of the ocean floor varies from extensive shoals to some of the deepest marine trenches in the world. With the interaction of strong currents over reefs, the topography is in a constant state of flux and breeds development of new navigational hazards.
Not to be underestimated is the human factor. A large number of pleasure boats travel the water between Florida’s Gold Coast and the Bahamas. All to often, crossings are attempted with too small a boat, insufficient knowledge of the area’s hazards and lack of good seamanship.
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