Scientists Just Identified the World's Second Deepest Blue Hole

For some divers, there’s a particular allure to the undersea spaces known as blue holes. As Atlas Obscura noted, none other than Jacques Cousteau raved about the joy of diving within Belize’s Great Blue Hole. A BBC report on blue holes found in the Bahamas helps to explain their appeal — imagine swimming through a complex series of underwater caves abounding with clear water and distinctive fauna. It’s not hard to see their appeal.

And now, scientists appear to have discovered the planet’s second-largest blue hole. As Live Science reports, this 900-foot-deep blue hole can be found off the coast of Mexico in Chetumal Bay. The entrance to this blue hole is 15 feet below sea level, and it encompasses an area of 147,000 square feet. Its name, appropriately enough, is Taam Ja’ — or “deep water” in Mayan.

Earlier this year, a group of scientists published a paper in the journal Frontiers of Marine Science titled “First insights into an exceptionally deep blue hole in the Western Caribbean: The Taam ja’ Blue Hole”. Among those insights is where it stacks up against similar spaces around the world. “This study revealed a previously unknown maximum water depth for the Taam ja’ Blue Hole,” its authors wrote — putting its total area just behind Dragon Hole in the South China Sea.

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As Live Science’s article points out, blue holes aren’t just must-see destinations for diving enthusiasts — the way they formed and the life forms found inside of them make them of particular interest to a variety of scientists.

The authors of the recent study on Taam Ja’ call for further research, and write that it is likely to receive a growing number of visitors in the coming years. “Regulatory measures might be required although the blue hole forms part of the state reserve Sanctuary of Manatee,” they write — suggesting we’ll be hearing more about Taam Ja’ before long.