Incredibly beautiful underwater caves from around the world
American photojournalist Kurt Bowen specializes in extreme underwater photography. He participated in many expeditions to various parts of our planet and more than once photographed places where no human had ever set foot. Kurt came up with an unusual way to photograph underwater caves. By installing artificial light sources underwater, he creates stunningly beautiful photographs.
Salt Lake, Florida
Renowned photojournalist Kurt Bowen specializes in extreme underwater photography. He took part in dozens of expeditions in different parts of our planet, photographing places where no one had ever set foot.
Vicki Wachee Cave, Florida
In his works, Kurt Bowen uses his own photography technology, which includes the installation of underwater LED lights, time-lapse photography and other techniques that allow him to obtain amazing night photographs of mysterious underwater caves and springs.
Wards Well, Florida
Dominican Republic. The cave pool was illuminated using a large number of underwater LED lights.
Crocodile Cave, Bahamas
El Chicho Cave, Dominican Republic
Ginny Springs Cave
Complex lighting allows you to see the underwater beauty of the reservoir at night.
Cenote, Yucatan
Cenote, Yucatan
Mineral Springs, Florida
Entrance to Norman Cave, Bahamas
The report is available in high definition .
Acclaimed photojournalist Kurt Bowen specializes in extreme underwater photography. He took part in dozens of expeditions in different parts of our planet, photographing different places where no one had ever set foot.
In his works, Kurt Bowen uses his own photography technology, which includes the installation of underwater LED lights, time-lapse photography and other techniques that allow him to obtain amazing night photographs of mysterious underwater caves and springs.
The Bahamas is one of the richest places in the world in terms of diversity of diving sites, level of difficulty and abundance of experiences. This underwater cave is located on Abaco Island. Its depth is 94 meters and it has many side branches. To obtain a night photograph of the entrance to the caves, about 70 frames were taken:
To photograph this cave, Kurt Bowen used only natural light and time-lapse photography:
Dominican Republic. The pool in the cave was illuminated using a large number of underwater LED lights:
Cave entrance. The photo is made up of 100 individual frames. There are people in the frame for scale:
Weeki Wachee Springs Amusement Park in Florida. Limestone underground caves serve as a natural pool here:
Emerald green waters grotto "forty fathoms" in Florida. Underwater LED lights were used for illumination at night:
Bahamas. Emerald green waters Crocodile Cave and Luna. Let us emphasize once again that this very complex shots from a staging point of view. To get such photos, you need to install a large number of LED lights under the water, as well as illuminate the shores:
El Chicho Cave in the Dominican Republic:
Ginnie Springs, Florida:
Natural well(cenote) on the Yucatan Peninsula:
Small salty spring, Florida:
Complex lighting allows you to see the underwater beauty of the reservoir at night:
Warm mineral springs against the background of stars, Florida:
The Yucatan Peninsula attracts divers and scientists like a magnet. The reason for this popularity is cenotes - sinkholes in limestone grottoes that form underwater caves. About 2 thousand such formations are officially registered. They are accessible to visit, explored and safe. In fact, there are much more cenotes - about six thousand. However, there are enough affordable ones for an exciting pastime.
Source of legends. Underwater caves
The Indians called it Maya underwater caves– cenotes are the gateway to the afterlife. It was in these caves that they performed various magical rituals and sacrifices (including human ones). However, if there weren’t so many legends about these voids, they would be worth inventing. We can safely say that a trip to America will not be good enough if you do not visit at least one entrance to the abyss.
Gran Cenote: the most beautiful of the magnificent
Despite the fact that the lakes enchant with their unique beauty, there is a rating of “the most”. The top five published by National Geographic includes Lake Gran Cenote.
Located four kilometers from the ancient Indian city of Tulum, the giant failure makes an indelible impression. The most are forgotten, you just have to see this miracle. The reservoir is a deep “passage into the abyss”, on the banks of which bizarre tropical giants grow. The surface of the lake is decorated with water lilies, and the clear water beckons you into the depths of the earth.
Mysterious labyrinth
At first it may seem that swimming in the lake is not interesting - the surface area of the reservoir is small. But once immersed in the warm water (its temperature never drops below 24°C), divers discover a stunning labyrinth. The underground part of the Gran Cenote stretches for many kilometers. However, you shouldn’t go far: time flies unnoticed when contemplating the bizarre stone figures. In addition, having decided to go underwater, it is impossible to resist the temptation to examine everything in the smallest detail - the water is so transparent that clear visibility is maintained even at a distance of sixty meters.
All cenotes are beautiful and attractive in their own way. But Gran Cenote deserves its place among the best: it is ideal for diving. That is why, once finding themselves on a shore covered with greenery, many strive to return here again and again.
Marine AttractionsThe world's most mysterious and awe-inspiring caves have formed along the coasts of oceans, seas and lakes. These geological features, also known as coastal caves, have been carving waves into the...
Marine attractions
The most mysterious and awe-inspiring caves in the world have formed along the coasts of oceans, seas and lakes. Also known as coastal caves, these geological features have been carving waves into the rocky cliffs for millennia, finding the weakest and most easily damaged areas.
In addition to working for speleologists, underwater caves offer enormous opportunities for kayaking, swimming, diving, scuba diving and other water activities. Moreover, such formations can be found almost anywhere on the planet from European coastal areas to the Pacific coast of the United States.
We invite you to get acquainted with nine of these wonders of the planet.
In Gaelic, Fingal's Cave, which is located on the Isle of Staffa in Scotland, is called "Uamh-Binn", which means "cave of melody". It is well known for its curved geological formations like a cathedral dome and the eerie sounds that visitors hear.
The cave and the entire island of Staffa, like the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland, consists entirely of hexagonal basalt columns, which form the natural curve of the ceiling. The easiest way to see the awe-inspiring cave for yourself is to take a tourist cruise from Mull. Ships moor right next to the cave, and the hexagonal basalt columns are great for walking along the shore and throughout the cave.
Sea Lion Caves in Oregon, USA, are famous not only for being the largest sea caves in the world, but also for the sheer number of wild sea lions perched on the steep cliffs. This huge basalt formation is located a few kilometers from the American city of Florence. To get to the inner caves, visitors have to go down in an elevator deep underground, and then go through several more stairs and flights.
The small island state of Samoa boasts the most interesting natural attraction - the Alofaaga fountains. At high tide, powerful waves burst through a series of vents created by lava flows
The Great Blue Hole is located off Lighthouse Atoll, which is part of the Belize Barrier Reef. This is a huge underwater vertical cave with a diameter of 305 meters and a depth of 120 meters. Thanks to its beautiful, clear waters and the diversity of marine life found in its depths, the Great Blue Hole is a popular scuba diving destination.
Blue holes, which can be seen in abundance around the world, were formed by erosion during ice ages when the Earth's sea levels were much lower than they are now. While the Great Blue Hole is certainly the most impressive, it is not the deepest of these formations. The title of the deepest is held by Dean's Blue Hole in the Bahamas, which goes under water to 202 meters. In this video you can see how world champion diver Guillaume Nery dives into this formation.
The Blue Grotto, with its striking blue waters, is one of the most famous sea caves in the world. It is located off the coast of the island of Capri, Italy. You can easily see the cave with your own eyes by taking part in an organized boat tour. The entrance to the cave is so narrow that travelers are forced to lie down on the bottom of the boat as they progress. Therefore, unfavorable weather and high waters may hinder attempts to see the cave.
Painted Cave on Santa Cruz Island off the coast of California, formed along a geological fault, is the second longest sea cave in the world. Its length is 374 meters, and the entrance is at an altitude of 40 meters.
The Painted Cave got its name thanks to the colorful stones, lichens and algae that decorated it from the inside. In spring, a cascading waterfall forms in front of the cave entrance. One of the easiest ways to experience this amazing attraction is to reach the island by boat and then explore the sea cave by kayak.
In the American state of Wisconsin, off the coast of the Apostle Islands, you can see another unique natural attraction. In summer, kayak travelers can explore each of the exquisite caves. In winter, when the lake freezes, these formations take on an amazing appearance. Visitors trade their kayaks for sturdy winter boots and head into the caves to see frozen waterfalls and enormous icicles.
But the island is famous not only for its amazing caves, but also for its unique coastal ecosystem. A variety of plants and animals call this place home, such as extensive populations of black bears and a variety of nesting birds. In the video you can see the caves in summer.
Smoo Cave is located near the Scottish village of Durness. This impressive geological feature is carved into the limestone by the Alt Smu River, which runs along the top and flows into the cave through an opening. It contains both sea and fresh water. The internal cavities were created by the Alt Smu River, but the easily accessible and wide entrance to the cave appeared thanks to erosion caused by sea water.
The cave is fairly easy to access, with steps, passages and rest areas that are enjoyed by the nearly 40,000 people who visit the site each year. In summer you can take part in tours of the inner caves filled with water.
This natural source of fresh water, formed by cooled lava tubes, flows from a cave into the sea, and the site itself has become a favorite attraction for locals and visitors to the northern coast of Upolu Island in Samoa. Tourists can stay nearby at the Pula Theological College, which charges a small fee to attend.
Probably my strongest impression of the Mexican Yucatan Peninsula was the cenotes. A cenote is a cave, a depression, a depression, part of which is necessarily filled with water. They can be very different - these are closed caves and just small depressions-pools. The name comes from the language of the Mayan Indians from the word ts"onot ("tsonot", "well"). The Mayans called cenotes "gates to the kingdom of the dead" and considered their waters sacred. There are a huge number of cenotes in the Yucatan; rather, every self-respecting Mexican can have a country house a house with its own cenote in the courtyard:) On the territory of our hotel in Playa de Carmen there were 6 cenotes, 4 of which are equipped for swimming. On the way to Chichen Itza in the town of Valladolid there are also several cenotes. Even visitors there do not disturb much, there is enough space everyone. The water is refreshingly cool, but not icy and at the same time crystal clear and transparent!
Shall we take a dip?
Cenotes (Spanish cenote, “cenote”) are natural failures formed from the collapse of the arches of limestone caves in which underground water flows. Cenotes are found on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and nearby Caribbean islands. In the past, they were used by the ancient Mayans as water sources and places for sacrifices.
This is what the cenotes look like on the territory of our hotel Hacienda Tres Ríos Resort, Spa & Nature Park, Mexico
At first glance it may seem that this is just a small lake in the shade of mangrove trees, but in fact these are quite deep caves (up to 5-10m) with running cool crystal clear water, sometimes a river flows from the cenote and flows into the sea:
The cenote is named "Orchid":
It’s +30 outside, but the water is refreshingly cool, but not icy, and the mangroves create shade around:
Now let's move on to the so-called. large cenotes, which are equipped for swimming, have showers and changing rooms. Cost of visiting is 2-6 dollars. While in Chichen Itza, I simply chose one of those cenotes that were along the way, focusing solely on the pictures.
Cenote Ik Kil - located opposite the Dolores Alba Chichen Itza hotel, probably the closest to the most famous Mayan temple complex:
When a couple of tourist buses arrive there to/from Chichen Itza, the number of swimmers and the hubbub they create increases sharply. But, believe me, there is enough space for everyone, and people mostly gather near the stairs and do not swim into the depths:
But after just 15-20 minutes, the tourist group leaves the cenote and a real fairy tale begins. A huge cave with falling waterfalls, hanging vines and a ray of sun breaking in from behind the clouds:
If you're in Mexico, don't miss it! :)
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