The most dangerous and mysterious places in the world's oceans. The most terrible place on the black sea The most terrible sea

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The word "beach" evokes many pleasant associations: summer vacation, long-awaited vacation, ocean, sea, sand and surf, peace. However, it is worth remembering that some beaches are so dangerous that a harmless desire to swim on them can lead to a very sad outcome.

Around the world, Forbes has selected 10 beaches, a visit to which can cost vacationers life or health.

Beaches of Queensland and the Tiwi Islands (Australia): poisonous box jellyfish

It is believed that Australian beaches are the most dangerous in the world. In addition to shark attacks, which are a common occurrence in Australia, almost every year in the resorts of the north coast, vacationers become victims of box jellyfish. They are known to possess one of the most potent animal poisons, and the burn caused by their stinging cells can be fatal within minutes. At the same time, such jellyfish are rather inconspicuous, and it is not easy to notice them in the water.

Collision with them is most likely in the waters of the Timor and Arafura Seas, washing the beach areas of the Tiwi Islands and the northeast coast of Queensland. "Sea wasps" - as they are sometimes called - even became a kind of symbol of these resorts: in 2011, a silver coin with the image of a monster was even issued in Australia.

However, deaths from encounters with box jellyfish are still quite rare. Their most vulnerable victims are children: it is they who most often do not survive after their burns. Thus, out of 30 reported cases of attacks on the northern coast of Australia over the past 20 years, 12 of them ended in infant deaths. Nevertheless, last year, miraculously, a 10-year-old girl was saved, who was taken to the hospital with numerous burns.

Sunset over Nudgee Beach, Queensland, Australia:

To avoid the risk, experts advise to refrain from swimming on the northern coast of Australia from October to April, especially in the afternoon, when jellyfish are most active.

Fish Hoek beach, South Africa: white sharks

The most common beach hazard in the world is, of course, sharks. According to the latest data from the International Shark Attack Registry, in 2010 there were 79 unprovoked attacks, 6 of which ended for vacationers death. Due to climate change, marine predators have become more aggressive and attacks are predicted to increase this year.

The coast of Cape Town has been recognized more than once the most dangerous place in the world for tourism: in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, washing the shores of the Western Cape, one of the largest populations in the world lives, which become especially aggressive with the onset of heat.

And even despite the fact that underwater nets were installed on most of the beaches of the most popular South African resort of Fish Hoek back in the 1960s, attacks by predators still cannot be avoided. So, in 2010, 21 unprovoked shark attacks were recorded here, 6 of which ended in death. The last case of a shark attack on a person within the coastline occurred in January last year and was especially cruel: the police caught parts of the body of a man torn to pieces throughout the next month.

Those who do not want to repeat the fate of the unfortunate can follow the activity of white sharks on the website of the Shark Spotters organization in the "shark activity" section: the last appearance of a white predator there was recorded on June 21.

Zipolite Beach (Mexico): strong undercurrent

Quiet and small beach with silky white sand and turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean attracts many tourists. However, locals prefer to avoid this place - especially during the period from April to June, when the water, as they say here, "rebels".

This rebellion is expressed by a strong undercurrent, including reverse, which is difficult to notice from the shore. In addition, during the summer months, during the full moon period, high tides of high tides usually occur, with the strength of the flow of which it is difficult to cope even for an adult. The danger is also enhanced by the sea cliffs and cliffs that hide in the deep ocean.

Every year, the Mexican authorities spend decent amounts on organizing the work of rescuers, and indeed since 2007, not a single death has been recorded on the beach (although in 2010, 180 people were officially rescued who could not cope with the current, ignoring the red flags set on the shore) .

By the way, the name of the beach and the bay - Zipolite - is very disturbing in itself: in translation from the local Zapotec dialect, this means "shore of the dead." However, the beach is known as one of the top summer destinations for nudists and hippies from all over the world: the beach is inexpensive and picturesque.

Bikini Atoll (Marshall Islands): high levels of radiation

This small atoll in the Pacific Ocean is not only famous for giving its name to the swimsuit that Brigitte Bardot made famous in the film And God Created Woman. Between 1946 and 1958, the United States used the island to test atomic and hydrogen bombs as part of Operation Crossroads.

During tests on March 1, 1954, the island was almost completely destroyed. Subsequently, more than 800 inhabitants of the Pacific atoll died from various cancers caused by nuclear tests.

Cemetery, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands:

The radiation level here is still above the norm: the average dose of external radiation is about 3.8 R/h. But nevertheless, many believe that some of the beaches of Bikini are quite suitable for recreation: tourists from all over the world are attracted by the isolation of the “nuclear” island. However, getting to the atoll is not so easy: either as part of the Central Pacific Diving Expedition, or, as a tourist, by ordering a tour on the Bikini official website. Seven-day trips usually take place from mid-April to November in groups of 12-15 people.

Bikini Atoll:

New Smyrna Beach (USA): sharks, accidents, lightning strikes

One of Florida's central beaches has rightfully earned fame as the most unfortunate resort in the state. In 2010, there were 640 collisions of various watercraft, 68 of which ended in death - the highest number of water accidents ever recorded on US beaches. Experts explain this by the strong overcrowding of the beach: lifeguards and water patrol simply do not have the opportunity to keep track of everyone.

In addition, New Smyrna is also dangerous due to frequent lightning flashes. Over the past 50 years, 459 people have died from lightning strikes here. According to security officials, people on the beach are the highest points, which means that during thunderstorms they are a priori targets for discharges.

In addition to all of the above and regardless of the weather, vacationers on New Smyrna beach are targets for sharks. Last summer, 13 people were bitten and, fortunately, only 1 case was fatal. Therefore, it is not surprising that the evacuation of people, followed by days of closure of areas on this beach, is a fairly common occurrence.

Copacabana beach (Brazil): high crime rate

Once a high-society playground in the mid-1950s, today Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana Beach has a reputation for being the most unfortunate place to relax, with one of the highest crime rates in all of Brazil. Robbery, prostitution, drug dealing, rape and even kidnapping are everyday occurrences for this place. In 2010, more than 80 people became victims of various severity of crimes here, and 30 people were killed.

For the Brazilian government, this region is one of the most problematic: it is in the Copacabana area, according to the police, that the largest number of drug lords and mafia representatives live. Vacationers also say that danger awaits tourists not only on the Copacabana beach itself, but also in hotels on the coast, it is also not always calm. And for those who decide to rent, for example, a yacht, it is worth remembering that cases of pirate seizures of ships are not uncommon in the water area of ​​Copacabana.

Repulse Bay (Hong Kong): Trash

The original Chinese name of this island bay in the south of Hong Kong translates as "the place where seagulls nest." However, the birds have long since left this bay: garbage and various kinds of pollution - typical problems of urban beaches - have reached their climax in Repulse Bay. Repulse Bay:

Construction work, which began at the beginning of the 20th century, causes enormous damage to the ecology of the entire region: production waste is dumped directly into the waters of the South China Sea. The pollution of the waters of the bay is so great that “red flows” were noticed in some of its places, and epidemiological checks of the composition of the water showed the presence of a record amount of chemical elements in it. Although it is not very visible in the photographs:

The beaches of Sao Paulo (Brazil): piranhas

Since the famous trip of Theodore Roosevelt to the Amazon, when he saw how large animals became victims of carnivorous piranhas and heard stories about natives eaten alive, the attitude towards piranhas has not changed. River predators still pose a danger to humans.

They are most active in the southeastern tributaries of the Amazon River in Brazil. So, in 2002, on the Conceicao beach in the city of Santa Cruz, 38 bathers became victims of "river hyenas" over five weekends. Two more outbreaks of fish aggression were registered in 2003 on the beaches of the cities of Itapui and Iacanga: more than 50 people suffered from piranhas there in 2 weeks. According to the latest data, the greatest concern is caused by the beaches of the city of Sao Paulo, where in December 2009 piranhas bit 74 people. And although there were no official reports of deaths, there were numerous cases of amputation of fingers from vacationers.

(Clickable, 2000×581 px):

Ecologists explain outbreaks of aggression among river predators by interference in their habitat: the construction of river dams creates conditions for uncontrolled breeding of piranhas and, as a result, the emergence of their "nests" where it should not be - in public bathing areas.

Piranhas reach up to 30 cm in length, an adult piranha can easily bite a human finger in half. However, it is worth remembering that not all piranhas are carnivorous: some of them can only eat plants, algae or seeds. Therefore, numerous horror films dedicated to bloodthirsty and merciless river predators, in many respects, according to biologists, are a banal exaggeration.

Beaches of Virginia Beach (USA): wild fox attacks

Virginia Beach is even mentioned in the Guinness Book of Records: it is the city with the longest public beach on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean and the Chesapeake Bay. In addition, it is also considered one of the cleanest and most prosperous resort towns in America. Virginia Beach:

However, the parks and beaches of Virginia Beach are attractive not only for tourists, but also for wild animals. Attacks by rabid foxes on people have increased here since June 2010, and in March 2011, a fox attacked three beachgoers, inflicting several bites and scratches on them.

Attacks of forest animals in Virginia Beach are generally quite frequent: in addition to wild foxes, in the fall of 2006, The Magazine of Virginia Beach also reported that wild raccoons and squirrels were seen in the forest strip of the beach near garbage cans - potential carriers of various diseases.

Sunset over Virginia Beach:

Cable Beach (Australia): crocodiles

Not so long ago, the attention of biologists was attracted by the 22-kilometer Cable Beach in Broome, Australia. It was there that repeated appearances of terrifying reptiles were witnessed, and most recently, on Monday, July 25, the beach was once again officially closed.

cable beach

As a species, crocodiles are protected under Australian law and have been banned from hunting since 1974. This, according to experts, is the reason for the increased attacks of predators on people. In 2009, after a series of attacks, including on children, a dispute arose about the partial lifting of the ban on catching reptiles (at least 25 representatives per year). However, the Australian authorities did not agree to this, fearing that such measures would attract tourists who dream of getting the jaws of a crocodile as a hunting trophy.

Usually crocodile attacks in Australia occur on the beaches of the Northern Territory - in popular resorts such as Queensland and around the city of Darwin. Over the past 25 years, more than 10 deaths of attacks by predators on people have been recorded here.

Cable Beach, Australia:

In contact with

The seas and oceans occupy more than half of the area of ​​our planet, but they are still shrouded in secrets for mankind. We strive to conquer space and are looking for extraterrestrial civilizations, but at the same time, only 5% of the world's oceans have been explored by people. But even these data are enough to be horrified by what creatures live deep under water, where sunlight does not penetrate.

The Howliod family has 6 species of deep-sea fish, but the most common of them is the common Howliod. These fish live in almost all waters of the world's oceans, with the exception of the cold waters of the northern seas and the Arctic Ocean.

The chaulioids got their name from the Greek words "chaulios" - open mouth, and "odous" - tooth. Indeed, in these relatively small fish (about 30 cm long), teeth can grow up to 5 centimeters, which is why their mouth never closes, creating a terrible grin. Sometimes these fish are called sea vipers.

Howliods live at a depth of 100 to 4000 meters. At night, they prefer to rise closer to the surface of the water, and during the day they descend into the very abyss of the ocean. Thus, during the day, fish make huge migrations of several kilometers. With the help of special photophores located on the body of the howliod, they can communicate in the dark with each other.

On the dorsal fin of the viperfish there is one large photophore, with which it lures its prey directly to the mouth. After that, with a sharp bite of needle-sharp teeth, howliodas paralyze the prey, leaving it no chance of salvation. The diet mainly consists of small fish and crustaceans. According to unreliable data, some individuals of howliods can live up to 30 years or more.

The longhorn sabertooth is another fearsome deep-sea predatory fish found in all four oceans. Although the sabertooth looks like a monster, it grows to a very modest size (about 15 centimeters in a dyne). The head of a fish with a large mouth occupies almost half the length of the body.

The long-horned sabertooth got its name from the long and sharp lower fangs, which are the largest in relation to the length of the body among all fish known to science. The terrifying appearance of the sabertooth earned him an unofficial name - "monster fish".

The color of adults can vary from dark brown to black. Young representatives look completely different. They have a light gray color and long spikes on their heads. The sabertooth is one of the deepest-sea fish in the world, in rare cases they descend to a depth of 5 kilometers or more. The pressure at these depths is enormous, and the water temperature is near zero. There is catastrophically little food here, so these predators hunt for the first thing that gets in their way.

The size of the deep-sea dragon fish absolutely does not fit with its ferocity. These predators, which reach a length of no more than 15 centimeters, can eat prey two or even three times its size. Dragon fish lives in the tropical zones of the oceans at a depth of up to 2000 meters. The fish has a large head and a mouth equipped with many sharp teeth. Like the Howliod, the dragonfish has its own prey bait, which is a long, photophore-tipped whisker located on the chin of the fish. The principle of hunting is the same as that of all deep-sea individuals. With the help of a photophore, a predator lures the victim to the closest possible distance, and then inflicts a deadly bite with a sharp movement.

The deep-sea angler is rightfully the ugliest fish in existence. In total, there are about 200 species of anglerfish, some of which can grow up to 1.5 meters and weigh up to 30 kilograms. Because of the terrible appearance and bad temper, this fish was nicknamed the sea-devil. Deep-sea anglerfish live everywhere at a depth of 500 to 3000 meters. The fish has a dark brown color, a large flat head with many spikes. The devil's huge mouth is studded with sharp and long teeth, curved inwards.

Deep-sea anglerfish have pronounced sexual dimorphism. Females are ten times larger than males and are predators. The females have a rod with a fluorescent protrusion at the end to lure fish. Anglerfish spend most of their time on the seabed, burrowing into sand and silt. Due to the huge mouth, this fish can swallow whole prey, exceeding its size by 2 times. That is, hypothetically, a large anglerfish can eat a person; Fortunately, there have never been such cases in history.

Probably, the most strange inhabitant of the deep sea can be called a bagworm or, as it is also called, a large-mouthed pelican. Due to its abnormally huge mouth with a bag and a tiny skull in relation to the length of the body, the baghort looks more like some kind of alien creature. Some individuals can reach two meters in length.

In fact, sac-like fish belong to the class of ray-finned fish, but there are not too many similarities between these monsters and cute fish that live in warm sea backwaters. Scientists believe that the appearance of these creatures has changed many thousands of years ago due to the deep-sea lifestyle. Baghorts do not have gill rays, ribs, scales and fins, and the body has an oblong shape with a luminous process on the tail. If it were not for the large mouth, then the sackcloth could easily be confused with an eel.

Mesh shorts live at depths from 2000 to 5000 meters in three world oceans, except for the Arctic. Since there is very little food at such depths, sackworms have adapted to long breaks in food intake, which can last more than one month. These fish feed on crustaceans and other deep-sea counterparts, mostly swallowing their prey whole.

The elusive giant squid, known to science as Architeuthis Dux, is the largest mollusk in the world and can supposedly reach a length of 18 meters and weigh half a ton. At the moment, a live giant squid has not yet fallen into human hands. Until 2004, there were no documented cases of meeting with a live giant squid at all, and the general idea of ​​\u200b\u200bthese mysterious creatures was formed only by the remains thrown ashore or caught in the nets of fishermen. Architeutis live at a depth of up to 1 kilometer in all oceans. In addition to their gigantic size, these creatures have the largest eyes among living beings (up to 30 centimeters in diameter).

So in 1887, the largest specimen in history, 17.4 meters long, was thrown onto the coast of New Zealand. In the following century, only two large dead representatives of the giant squid were found - 9.2 and 8.6 meters. In 2006, the Japanese scientist Tsunemi Kubodera still managed to capture on camera a live female 7 meters long in her natural habitat at a depth of 600 meters. The squid was lured to the surface by a small bait squid, but an attempt to bring a live individual aboard the vessel was unsuccessful - the squid died from numerous injuries.

Giant squid are dangerous predators, and the only natural enemy for them are adult sperm whales. There are at least two reported cases of squid and sperm whale fighting. In the first, the sperm whale won, but soon died, suffocated by the giant tentacles of the mollusk. The second fight took place off the coast of South Africa, then a giant squid fought with a baby sperm whale, and after an hour and a half fight, he still killed the whale.

The giant isopod, known to science as Bathynomus giganteus, is the largest crustacean species. The average size of a deep-sea isopod ranges from 30 centimeters, but the largest recorded specimen weighed 2 kilograms and was 75 centimeters long. In appearance, giant isopods are similar to woodlice, and, like the giant squid, are the result of deep-sea gigantism. These crayfish live at a depth of 200 to 2500 meters, preferring to burrow into the silt.

The body of these terrible creatures is covered with hard plates that act as a shell. In case of danger, crayfish can curl into a ball and become inaccessible to predators. By the way, isopods are also predators and can eat a few small deep-sea fish and sea cucumbers. Powerful jaws and strong armor make the isopod a formidable foe. Although giant crayfish love to eat live food, they often have to eat the remains of shark prey that fall from the upper layers of the ocean.

The coelacanth or coelacanth is a large deep-sea fish whose discovery in 1938 was one of the most important zoological finds of the 20th century. Despite its unattractive appearance, this fish is notable for the fact that for 400 million years it has not changed its appearance and body structure. In fact, this unique relic fish is one of the oldest living creatures on planet Earth, which existed long before the advent of dinosaurs.

Latimeria lives at a depth of up to 700 meters in the waters of the Indian Ocean. The length of the fish can reach 1.8 meters with a weight of more than 100 kilograms, and the body has a beautiful blue tint. Since the coelacanth is very slow, it prefers to hunt at great depths, where there is no competition from faster predators. These fish can swim backwards or belly up. Despite the fact that the meat of the coeliant is inedible, it is often the object of poaching among local residents. Currently, the ancient fish is in danger of extinction.

The deep-sea goblin shark, or as it is also called the goblin shark, is the most poorly understood shark to date. This species lives in the Atlantic and Indian Ocean at a depth of up to 1300 meters. The largest specimen was 3.8 meters long and weighed about 200 kilograms.

The goblin shark got its name due to its creepy appearance. Mitzekurin has mobile jaws that move outward when bitten. The goblin shark was first accidentally caught by fishermen in 1898, and since then 40 more specimens of this fish have been caught.

Another relic representative of the sea abyss is a one-of-a-kind detritophage cephalopod, which has an external resemblance to both squid and octopus. The infernal vampire got its unusual name due to the red body and eyes, which, however, depending on the lighting, can also be blue. Despite their terrifying appearance, these strange creatures grow up to only 30 centimeters and, unlike other cephalopods, eat only plankton.

The hellish vampire's body is covered in luminous photophores, which create bright flashes of light that scare off enemies. In case of exceptional danger, these small mollusks twist their tentacles along the body, becoming like a ball with spikes. Hellish vampires live at depths up to 900 meters, and can perfectly exist in water with an oxygen level of 3% or less, which is critical for other animals.

Since ancient times, this central part of the Atlantic Ocean, once discovered by Columbus and called the Sargasso Sea, had a bad reputation and was considered a trap for ships. Sailboats became entangled in algae, the crews were doomed to a slow death.

Sargassum is the name of a giant seaweed that is in abundance here. Her bushes float freely on the surface, forming huge plantations; The numerous air bubbles that form help them stay afloat. If we add a meteorological feature to this feature - long periods of complete calm, then we can understand why, in the era of the sailing fleet, sailors cursed this area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe water area. It is narrated by the “Island of Lost Ships” by science fiction writer Alexander Belyaev. The 1968 English film "People from the Abyss" directed by Michael Carreras was also created in a fantastic genre, but very vividly reflects the legends of the Sargasso Sea. The heroes of the tape encounter cannibal algae and giant crustaceans, and then they meet the descendants of the conquistadors, who turned out to be eternal captives.

The Sargasso Sea lies in the North Atlantic, between Bermuda and the West Indies, and has no terrestrial shores. From the west, it is limited by one of the streams of the warm Gulf Stream, which rotates clockwise.

It is larger than half of Europe in area. When Columbus discovered dense brown algae here in 1492, he mistakenly thought the land was somewhere nearby. Fortunately, two weeks later, when there was not a drop of rain, not the slightest wind, and the sailors on deck were reading by candlelight, the caravels managed to avoid tragic consequences by getting out of their deadly place. There is a story in Columbus's logbook about the strange behavior of the compass needle, offset from the direction of the North Star. And also - about a sudden huge tongue of flame that fell into the sea. What was it? Experts on anomalous phenomena put forward different versions - about a meteorite, about an underwater UFO, a simple flock of luminous fish, but they did not come to a consensus.

So, the Columbus expedition was lucky, but for many other sailors who failed to correctly assess the danger posed by the “floating meadows”, this place became the “cemetery of lost ships”.

In July 1912, the Italian three-masted ship Herat left Gilport in Mississippi and headed for Buenos Aires. A storm has begun. The ship drifted into the waters separating Cuba from the Yucatan Peninsula. Then the storm subsided, and there was complete calm. "Herat" ended up in a place covered with algae and the remains of broken ships. There was a putrid smell in here. The ship lay for two months, and then, when the south wind began to blow, the sails were raised. However, he soon changed his direction and drove the ship back into the same trap. Another four painful months of waiting passed. Food supplies were running out, the crew lost all hope. Nobody could save him. Suddenly, the wind picked up at night, and "Herat" managed to escape from the terrible captivity. Seven months after leaving the United States, the ship entered the port of Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. The hull was covered with dark traces of algae, which for so long did not want to let go of the victim.

Many dozens of ships could not get out of this hellish trap in the entire history of navigation. Among them are the English crews of the galleons, who were forced to throw their riding horses overboard in order to save supplies of drinking water (it is no coincidence that the British began to call this place “horse latitude”). And when they ran out, the sailors died painfully of thirst. In 1884, the British steamship Britannia discovered a sailboat in the Sargasso Sea. The British saw a terrible picture with corpses on board.

The Sargasso Sea holds another mystery: it is the birthplace and death of the European and American eels, who undertake the unusual and difficult journey to spawn. An adult eel usually lives in freshwater bodies, where it can remain for years, growing and building up a fat reserve. But the desire to return to the Sargasso Sea awakens. This desire is very strong - so much so that eels that find themselves in a closed reservoir crawl out of the water and cross wet meadows in search of water streams that will sooner or later lead them to their goal. For 80 days of migration, they cover a distance of more than 5 thousand kilometers. Having reached the Sargasso Sea, eels go to a depth of 1.2 km, spawn there and then die. Many believe that the instinct that this species cannot get rid of appeared 100 million years ago, when a narrow strip of water separated Europe and North America. In all likelihood, conger eels discovered freshwater sources rich in food and began to migrate. This hypothesis also fits into the fact that the petrels that have arrived in the Sargasso Sea area are circling in one place, as if trying to land on land, which is now gone.

This sea is part of the infamous Bermuda Triangle, where ships and aircraft disappeared without a trace. And scientists give a lot of effort and money to the study of these latitudes. However, they do not find anything supernatural here. But the most interesting phenomenon of the World Ocean was discovered - powerful vortex formations, somewhat similar to atmospheric cyclones. The main source is the Gulf Stream, which passes near the Sargasso Sea. Daughter jets separate from the mother stream and vortex rings up to 100 kilometers in diameter are formed. That is why the crews of sailboats observed the movement of algae in a circle.

Today, the Sargasso Sea attracts climatologists - this area greatly affects the weather. Also biologists. Employees of the American Institute of Alternative Bioenergy found in its waters about two thousand microorganisms previously unknown to science. The totality of these microbes contains at least one million two hundred thousand genes, the study of which can bring many serious discoveries.

For many years of improving civilizations and studying the world, people have not been able to comprehend even a tenth of the secrets that the sea holds. The depths of the waters still frighten and delight, attracting the attention of artists, writers and scientists. But what can happen in open water spaces is sometimes beyond human understanding. Is it possible to feel safe when you enter the realm of this almighty element? What awaits us deep under water? And is it always possible to be sure that it will be possible to survive the next voyage? ..

devoted to the sea

In December 1924, on an oil tanker sailing from New York to the Panama Canal, an emergency situation occurred with the release of poisonous gas vapors. As a result, two workers died: James Courtney and Michael Meehan. The crew buried them on December 4 off the coast of Mexico - in accordance with tradition, the sailors were buried at sea.

The next day, first one, and then several sailors reported a very strange and frightening fact - according to them, faces appeared in the sea waves overboard from time to time, in which they recognized their dead comrades. The faces of Courtney and Meehan stayed on the waves for about ten seconds, after which they disappeared.

When the ship arrived in New Orleans, the ship's captain, Keith Tracy, reported the unusual occurrence to his employers, who advised him to arm himself with a camera next time and capture ghostly faces. Tracy followed their advice and bought a camera, after which the ship set off on a new voyage. Soon the faces of Courtney and Meehan reappeared on the surface of the waves. The captain managed to take six pictures, after which the camera was locked in his cabin in a safe so that no one would have access to it until they arrived at the port.

On land, Tracy's photographs were developed. Five of the six photographs showed nothing out of the ordinary, but the last photograph clearly showed silhouettes that the relatives of the deceased Kourtney and Meehan immediately recognized as their relatives. The photographs were later handed over to a detective agency to be checked for falsification. But no signs of forgery were found.

The faces of the comrades appeared on the water every time the ship set sail, and disappeared only when a new crew entered the ship.

death fright

Several ships immediately picked up a signal asking for help coming from a ship in the Strait of Malacca. It was June 1947, and the ship was called "Orange Medan" - this name will flash in the newspaper reports more than once after the mysterious incident that happened next.

The message received from the ship was very disturbing in itself. One of the crew members spoke, reporting that "the captain, all the officers, and possibly the entire crew, are dead." What followed was an illegible Morse code, followed by a single message: "I'm dying." The American ship "Silver Star" immediately headed to the place where the message came from.

The crew of the ship noticed the calmly drifting Orange Medan only a few hours later. Already from a distance it was clear that the ship was clearly left without control - there were no signs of life on the deck. Then the Silver Star team decided to visit the creepy ship, and what they found there really frightened even the most hardened sailors.

The entire crew of the ship was dead. Their lifeless bodies were found everywhere - on deck, in cabins, in the engine room. No signs of violence were found, but all the corpses were united by one sign - an expression of genuine horror on their faces, directed upwards towards the sun. Even the dead ship's dog was found in a state that clearly spoke of his death throes. Also, the sailors, who discovered a frightening picture, noted that it was very cold in the hold of the vessel, even considering that the temperature outside was kept at a high mark of 43 degrees Celsius. After some time, they also noticed a strange smoke coming from the depths of the hold, after which they immediately left the ship.

Returning to the Silver Star, the rescuers decided to fasten the cable in order to drive the Orange Medan to the nearest port for inspection. But as soon as the cables were fixed, a strong explosion thundered, flooding the ominous ship.

Since then, rumors about the cursed ship have not subsided, although the official report on the find was not published until five years later, in 1952. However, doubts about the very existence of the vessel were repeatedly expressed, until a 32-page pamphlet describing the Orange Medan was found by historian Roy Bainton. According to her, the ship was transporting chemical weapons on board, the leakage of which could cause such a terrible death of the crew, as well as an explosion. And although there are other versions based on the paranormal nature of the incident, the sea is unlikely to ever reveal the sinister secret of Orange Medan.

Serpent from the Deep

On January 13, 1852, the whaling ship Monongahela stumbled upon an unusual beast in the waters of the Pacific Ocean. The size of the animal resembled a whale. By order of the captain, three boats with experienced sailors were lowered from the ship, the purpose of which was to kill the beast. But, having sailed closer, the sailors realized that they were not dealing with a whale, but with an unknown, but no less dangerous animal. It managed to capsize two of the three boats it launched before the captain killed it with a harpoon hit in the neck.

The beast, pulled out of the water onto the ship, turned out to be an unusually large sea serpent. It had brownish-gray scales, a mouth with many sharp teeth, each about ten centimeters, and its length was about forty-five meters. The snake did not have flippers, but it had four webbed feet, which distinguished it from reptiles. After all the details about the creepy creature were documented, the captain realized that the remains of the beast would not completely fit into the hold. It was decided to cut off the snake's head and place it in a barrel of brine. The barrel remained in the hold of the Monongahela, and the body of the beast was thrown back into the sea, from where it had appeared a few hours earlier.

On the way back, the Monongahele encountered another whaler, the Rebecca Sims. The captain of the Monongahela relayed information about the beast to the captain of the Rebecca Sims, after which the ships parted ways. However, the Monongahela never returned to the port, having disappeared without a trace. Her remains were discovered only a few months later. Barrels with a monster's head were not found among them.

Cursed Submarine

The submarine UB-65, which belonged to the German army during the First World War, was launched on its first voyage in 1917. Already during construction, there were gloomy rumors about the boat - a series of accidents were to blame, as a result of which five people died. But the beliefs did not prevent the fleet management from launching the UB-65. At the very first approach, another terrible event occurred - during reloading, one of the torpedoes exploded right on the boat, the second officer died. After several days on land, set aside for the funeral, the crew set off again.

A few days later, crew members reported seeing a dead second officer aboard, his ghostly silhouette walking across the deck and disappearing. After that, the crew members began to die under mysterious circumstances - one of them jumped into the open sea while diving, the other threw himself under the wheels of the car already on land ... All these events were preceded by the ominous appearance of the ghost of the second officer on the deck. Rumors about the ghost even reached the commander of the German fleet, Admiral Schroeder, who declared them "nonsense" and, as proof, even spent the night on the ill-fated boat. After that, anyone who reported a ghost on a submarine was to be punished. But the rumors about the cursed boat did not subside from this.

The crew of UB-65 continued to die, mostly as a result of suicide, and it was even decided to invite a priest to the submarine, who performed the exorcism. This calmed the team, but not for long - the next swim was the last for the damned submarine.

The submarine UB-65 was discovered on July 10, 1918 by the crew of an American submarine sailing around the coast of Scotland. The boat lay on its side and showed no signs of activity, so the American captain decided to blow it up. But when the crew was just loading the torpedoes, there was a powerful explosion - the torpedoes exploded inside the UB-65 itself, destroying the entire German team on board. Later, the American captain said that shortly before the explosion, he observed a figure of a man in an officer's uniform on the deck of the submarine ...

abandoned ship

Among all the stories about ghost ships, the most famous maritime legend about the ship "Mary Celeste" stands apart. A ship carrying a cargo of alcoholic beverages left New York for the Italian port of Genoa on November 5, 1872. On board were the captain, his wife and daughter, and a crew of seven. But since then none of them have been seen again.

Four weeks later, the crew of the Del Gracia stumbled upon a drifting ship, apparently left without control, in which the captain of the Del Gracia, Morehouse, identified the Maria Celeste. Having sailed closer, the team found that the ship was empty. The sails were in poor condition, some were missing. Money and jewelry were left in the cabins, a logbook was found on the captain's bridge, the last entry in which was made on November 24th. All other documents from the ship have disappeared. In the hold there was a cargo in a complete set, which excluded the version of a pirate attack. One of the boats was missing, and it was not blown away by the wind, but launched by hand. According to the data taken from the instruments, the Maria Celeste traveled about 740 kilometers without control until the Del Gracia team found her.

On the orders of Captain Morehouse, the ship was sent to Gibraltar for further investigation, which never bore fruit. None of the Mary Celeste's crew has ever been located, although impostors have appeared on more than one occasion, attempting to impersonate returning crew members. The mystery of this ship has not been revealed to this day.

Unfortunate Giant

Built in 1857, the Great Eastern was the Titanic of its day. It was the largest ship ever built in the 19th century. Unfortunately, the ship also earned a bad reputation due to the terrible events that took place on it.

Problems began already at the first launch. There was a skew relative to the direction of movement, and people who went to fix the damage to the engine were seriously injured. Two months later, they tried to launch the ship again, but this time, for some reason, the release mechanism did not work. When the Great Eastern was finally able to set sail, its creators breathed a sigh of relief. They did not know that this was just the beginning of a series of mysterious events.

Two months after going to sea, a boiler exploded on the ship, damaging the first pipe, six sailors from the crew died on the spot. Later, on one of the raids, the captain and two passengers drowned, having descended from the ship in a boat. There were also rumors among the passengers about strange sounds coming from the lower rooms of the ship - a muffled knock was often heard from there. The team stated that the knocking was often heard during the storm.

The Great Eastern made two full voyages, and during the third, the ship collided with an underwater rock. As a result of the damage received, the ship was no longer suitable for travel and it was decided to leave it in the port for dismantling. During the deconstruction of the ship, the skeletons of a worker-riveter and an apprentice child, who were walled up alive, were found in the hull, and next to them was a box with old tools. The crew of the ship immediately associated all the misfortunes of the ship with the fact that "wherever it sailed, there were two dead men everywhere with it." Maybe it was the ghost of the riveter who banged with his rusty hammer during the storm? ..

These stories are only a small part of the entire collection of mysterious events taking place in the expanses of water. The sea presents more and more surprises to its guests in various parts of the planet. And if some of them return from sailing to tell the whole world about the mysterious incidents, then others remain at the mercy of the sea forever. Looking at the dark sea waters, it is impossible not to think about the secrets that they hide in their depths. And not all of these secrets are safe for humans.

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Although the Bermuda Triangle is the most famous place where ships mysteriously disappear, it is far from the only paranormal territory whose sea expanses keep their secrets. What other places in the oceans are considered the most dangerous and mysterious? (website)

michigan triangle

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It is located in the central part of Lake Michigan, whose coastline spans Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, and Wisconsin. The Michigan Triangle is blamed for the mysterious disappearances of ship and aircraft crew members. Some of the eyewitnesses of the mysterious incidents claim that while swimming in the waters of the paranormal zone, time either speeds up or, on the contrary, begins to slow down.

The Michigan Triangle received its status as a strange place back in 1937. It was at this time, crossing the waters of the lake, that the captain of the ship, George Donner, mysteriously disappeared. The day before, Donner had ordered the crew to be awakened when the ship approached port. What was the surprise of the team when, three hours later, they found an empty cabin, the door of which was securely locked from the inside.

And in 1950, on the way from Seattle to New York, a passenger plane with 58 people on board disappeared without a trace over the waters of the Michigan Triangle. Neither the plane nor the passengers could be found.

Devil's Sea in Japan

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The mysterious "Devil's Sea", also known as the Pacific Bermuda Triangle, is located in the waters of the Pacific Ocean about 40 kilometers south of Tokyo. Because of the ancient legends about dragons, many people in Japan call it the "Dragon Triangle".

Charles Berlitz, author of a book describing this strange place, says that the triangle began to be officially considered a "dead place" after five military vessels went missing in its waters in peacetime (1952-1954).

Despite the fact that studies have confirmed that due to weather conditions near Japan, hundreds of fishing boats disappear every year without a trace, local residents still prefer to believe in the paranormality of the “Dragon Triangle”.

Sargasso Sea

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Since this sea is located in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, it is the only sea that does not have its own shores. Surrounded by ocean currents, the Sargasso Sea attracts debris and overgrows with algae. Due to algae, debris buildup and isolation created by currents, the water in the sea is quite warm and calm, despite the fact that the sea is surrounded by choppy and cold ocean waters.

This calmness of sea waters keeps mystical secrets. On the territory of the Sargasso Sea, several ships were found drifting without a crew. For example, in 1840, the French merchant ship Rosalie set sail across the Sargasso Sea and was later found with her sails raised but no crew members on board.

In an attempt to explain these mysterious disappearances, scientists in the 19th century suggested that the algae of the anomalous zone of the sea were carnivorous. Many people still believe that algae, which are supposedly capable of swallowing people whole, are responsible for these strange disappearances...

Bermuda Triangle

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The territory of the Bermuda Triangle is located in the northwestern part of the Atlantic Ocean in a triangle whose vertices are defined by points in Bermuda, Florida and Puerto Rico. This place has long had a reputation as a mysterious, paranormal zone. In the Bermuda Triangle, not only boats, ships, planes disappear en masse - many also tend to believe that there is a portal to a parallel dimension in it.

For the first time, this mystical place attracted attention in December 1945, when five US aircraft disappeared without a trace during the exercises. They lost radio contact and disappeared somewhere off the coast of southern Florida. However, before disappearing without a trace, one of the pilots managed to report that the aircraft's instruments had "gone crazy" and the controls had failed.