{A photograph} shared on-line since 2018 authentically reveals a person sitting on the sting of an “underwater cliff.”
The picture is actual and does present a person sitting on the sting of what appears to be like like an underwater cliff. However, technically talking, he was sitting on the sting of an underwater sinkhole, often called a blue gap.
A photo of a person carrying a dive masks whereas sitting on the sting of what appears to be like like an underwater cliff has been extensively shared on-line for years.
One example of the picture, which boasted dramatic hues of blue water and a white sand outcropping, was posted to X on Oct. 3, 2024, and had amassed greater than 55.3 million views as of this writing.
Its caption learn: “The terrifying fantastic thing about the ocean … Sitting on the sting of an underwater cliff.”
Outside sports activities and recreation firm Exterior Inc. additionally shared the image to Fb on Oct. 4, 2018, and credited it to a freediver named Adam Stern.
Exterior’s caption accompanying the Fb publish learn:
An entire new that means to dwelling life on the sting. Who can guess the place this picture was taken?⠀
Stern is knowledgeable freediver who has held eight Australian freediving information, in keeping with his Facebook page and website.
A search by means of Stern’s Fb photographs revealed he shared the image on Sept. 29, 2018, and recognized the particular person within the image as Michael Board — a global freediving competitor who has held a number of British information, in keeping with his personal Fb web page.
Within the feedback part, Stern identified the situation as Dean’s Blue Gap, a vacationer attraction in The Bahamas.
(Fb)
Board, the person within the image, additionally shared the picture in a December 2018 Fb post, the place he stated he took half in a contest referred to as “Vertical Blue.” The invite-only Vertical Blue Free Diving Competition is held at Dean’s Blue Gap, The Bahamas, yearly.
In the meantime, photographer Stern’s different Fb photos confirmed many related images, together with the one below.
(Adam Stern Freediver)
Subsequently, given all of the above proof, now we have rated this declare as true. Nonetheless, technically talking, the seascape confirmed a blue gap, somewhat than a cliff.
Dean’s Blue Gap is the third deepest on the earth at 663 ft deep, in keeping with the tourism website for The Bahamas.
A blue gap is an underwater sinkhole, much like sinkholes on land, in keeping with the National and Oceanic Atmospheric Association:
A blue gap will be an oasis in an in any other case barren seafloor. Blue holes are various organic communities stuffed with marine life, together with corals, sponges, mollusks, sea turtles, sharks, and extra. The seawater chemistry within the holes is exclusive and seems to work together with groundwater and presumably aquifer layers. This hyperlink contributes to the data of carbon biking between floor and groundwater.
Little is understood about blue holes as a result of their lack of accessibility and unknown distribution and abundance. The opening of a blue gap will be a number of hundred ft underwater, and for a lot of holes, the opening is just too small for an automatic submersible. The truth is, the primary experiences of blue holes didn’t come from scientists or researchers, however truly got here from fishermen and leisure divers. Now, the 2 teams are working collectively to conduct scientific surveys and exploration of those mysterious holes.
Dean’s Blue Gap, particularly, is enclosed on three sides by a pure rock amphitheater, with the fourth aspect going through “a turquoise lagoon and powdery white seaside,” the Bahamian tourism web site said.
Snopes contacted Stern for additional details about the {photograph} and we are going to replace this text if we obtain a response.
