Specialists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) plan to survey the “blue hole” located off the coast of Florida, 425 feet deep. Little is known about these kinds of “holes” along the Gulf of Mexico continental shelf.
They are similar to karst sinkholes found on land and are difficult to access. But scientists believe they are home to numerous known (and possibly unknown) species of marine animals. In 2019, a 350-foot deep blue hole was surveyed 30 miles offshore near Sarasota. Scientists have found in the hole “a veritable oasis among the largely barren seabed”, including the carcasses of two dead small-toothed sawmouths, both endangered species. Now the researchers intend to descend into a deeper “blue hole” starting 155 feet from the surface of the Gulf of Mexico.
Exploration of the blue hole, dubbed the Green Banana, began in August and will continue for a year. It will be attended by scientists from Moath Marine Laboratory, Florida Atlantic University, Georgia Institute of Technology and the American Geological Society. In addition to studying the fauna of the “blue hole”, experts will analyze the chemical composition of water and test the hypothesis of its possible contact with groundwater aquifers on land.