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The Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle is located in the northwestern Atlantic
ocean. Also known as the Devil's Triangle, it is blamed
for the mysterious disappearance of a number of planes and
boats. While some cases have been distorted, many of these
disappearances remain unexplained.
Maps of the Bermuda Triangle vary,
depending on the source (see map at the end of this article). Regardless of
which triangle you use, this area is very heavily travelled by ships that cross
daily. Aircraft use these routes, too, to travel between South America,
Florida, and the Caribbean.
An ocean current called the Gulf Stream
passes through the area. This strong current travels at 5-6 knots, and has
caused problems for boats in the past. Additionally, the weather is
tempestuous. Sudden storms are common, and hurricanes occur from summer to late
fall. This combination of dangers has led to many vessels being lost at sea,
disappearing without a trace (especially before improved communication
technology arrived in the 20th century).
Christopher Columbus was the first to
report strange occurrences in the Triangle. On October 11, 1492, his log entry
reports strange lights flickering on the horizon. On another date, he reported
strange compass readings in the area. He saw strange flames in the sky, in
areas where there was no land. Modern scholars claim that the lights were
nothing more than cooking fire of the Taino natives, while the compass problems
were the result of a false star reading. Proponents of the Triangle remain
unconvinced.
Author George X. Sand was one of the first
to publish an article on the Bermuda Triangle, in which he discussed the loss
of Flight 19, among others. He was the first to lay out the boundaries of the
triangle as we know them today. Over the decades, many authors have seized the
torch, providing explanations that relied on the supernatural more than
science.
In some books and articles, authors embellished or distorted
the facts to fit their case. Subsequent research pokes holes
in a number of alleged "mysterious disappearances",
showing the causes to be entirely natural and identifiable.
Some disappearances never happened, or were caused by mundane
occurrences like ocean storms. Further, the number of ships
and planes reported missing within the Triangle isn't proportionally
different from the number of disappearances recorded in
other parts of the ocean. It is for this reason that critics
of the Bermuda Triangle theory label it nothing more than
a self-perpetuating myth.
The ocean is a dangerous place. Pirates
operate much as they have for centuries, stealing and killing. Rogue waves,
deadly hurricanes, the Gulf Stream, and human error can, and do, kill. Still,
some disappearances have never been explained. Ships have been found aimlessly
floating, the crew mysteriously vanished from the site.
Donald Crowhurst boarded his trimaran in
England on October 31, 1968. In July 1969, it was found south of the Azores; no
sign of Donald was found. The ship log shows a record of an experienced sailor
plunging into irrationality, gradually losing control of his life. The final
entry was dated June 29. No trace of him was ever found.
The USS Cyclops departed Barbados in 1918
with a crew of 306 on board. Under Commander Worley, the ship disappeared without
a trace. Many explanations have been presented, but it remains unexplained.
Perhaps the most famous disappearance is
that of Flight 19, a training flight of bombers that disappeared over the
Atlantic in December 1945. the flight started under calm conditions, though the
weather was deteriorating. Most of the pilots were inexperienced, though the
leader, Lt. Charles Taylor, had flown during WWII. They were never seen again,
and no traces of wreckage have ever been discovered.
US Navy TBF Grumman
Avenger flight, similar to Flight 19. This photo had been used by various
Triangle authors to illustrate Flight 19 itself. (US Navy).
Maps of the Bermuda Triangle vary,
depending on the source.
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