18 NAT GEO KIDS^ • JUNE / JULY 2022
A
bizarre world
lies under the
sparkling Atlantic
Ocean off the islands of
the Bahamas, a world few
have seen. Here, a system
of super-deep under-
water caves called blue
holes contain odd-looking
creatures, six-story-high
rock formations, and even
ancient human remains.
Scuba-diving scientists
must dodge whirlpools
and squeeze through
narrow tunnels to study
blue holes—but their
risky expeditions uncover
amazing secrets.BY KRISTIN BAIRD RATTINIWEIRD WATER
Dive about 30 feet into some blue holes, and
the water turns pink. It looks nice—but
it’s poisonous. Because of a weak current
here, rainwater and salt water mix in a
way that traps a layer of toxic gas where
pink bacteria thrive. To avoid getting ill,
divers don’t linger here.
In other blue holes, ocean tides can
whip up whirlpools that look like giant
bathtub drains. Scientists must circle
carefully or else risk being sucked in.DARING SCIENTISTS SEARCH FOR C
CREATURE FEATURE
Plunging farther down, the caves become dark and
twisty. Anthropologist and National Geographic
Explorer Kenny Broad and his team have found
many odd species here, including a tiny, trans-
parent crustacean ... that’s venomous (right).
Blue holes also contain fossils of animals—
even birds. During the last ice age, these areas
were dry and made perfect perches for the
fliers. In one watery cave, a 12,000-year-old
owl’s nest was found surrounded by lizard
bones—leftovers from the owl’s meals.SSECRETS ECRETS
OOF THEF THE
NEON PINK
CAVE WATER!WATCH A NAT GEO EXPLORER
DIVE INTO A BLUE HOLE.
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