OCEANCLOPEDIA B

The Bermuda Triangle, alias "The Devil’s Triangle", is an imaginary area near the southeastern coast of the United States. The Bermuda triangle is infamous, because of the mysterious disapperance of many small boats, planes and ships in this area. The three points of the Triangle are: the Bermuda Islands, Miami (US), and San Juan (Puerto Rico).

In the passed hundred years, more than 50 boats and 20 airplanes have disappeared. It is unknown what has happened to them. Most of them vanished without a trace. Several theories have been developed to explain these disappearances. In some cases, they can be explained by the unique natural characteristics of the area. First of all, the Bermuda Triangle is one of the two places on earth where the magnetic compass actually points to the north. Normally the needle of the compass points to the magnetic north. The difference between these two phenomena is called "compass variation". The amount of variation can be 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 course and in deep trouble. An area located off the east coast of Japan called the "Devil’s Sea" by Japanese and Filippino seamen, also shows the same magnetic characteristics. It is also known for its mysterious disappearances.

Another environmental factor is the Gulf Stream. It is extremely swift and turbulent and can quickly erase any evidence of a disaster. This Gulf Stream can be very treacherous for inexperienced mariners.

A third factor is the unpredictable weather pattern of the Caribbean and the Atlantic. Sudden local thunder storms and water spouts often spell disaster for air pilots and seamen. A water spout is a tornado at sea that pulls water from the ocean surface thousands of feet into the sky, this water spout can wreck almost anything in its path.

A fourth factor is the ocean bottom of that area. The topography of the ocean bottom varies from extensive shoals around the islands to some of the deepest marine trenches in the world (the deepest point in the Atlantic, the Puerto Rico Trench, is located in the Bermuda Triangle). With the interaction of the currents over the many reefs, the topography is in a state of constant flux, causing a rapid development of navigational hazards is .

And finally, not to be underestimated, the human error factor. A large number of pleasure boats travel the waters between Florida’s Gold Coast and the Bahamas. All too often, crossings are attempted with a too small a boat, insufficient knowledge of the area’s hazards and a lack of good seamanship.

In the past, it was believed that the disasters were caused by supernatural forces. But in reality it seems a combination of natural forces and human error that is responsible for the disappearance of these vessels, making the Bermuda Triangle live up to its name of 'The Devil's Triangle' .