The most terrible seas and oceans. The most dangerous and mysterious places in the world's oceans

When children grow up, they stop believing in fairy tales. Disappointment comes gradually. In the Odessa region, I found something that can destroy childhood at once: in a small children's park, fairy-tale heroes appear as terrible monsters.

Perhaps that is why the famous Black Sea resort died - unkempt beaches, abandoned houses and abandoned hotels. The fault is that it’s not a children’s park at all.

1. Just imagine, you come to Sergeevka, check into the Yuzhnaya Hotel, and go to the sea: in one hand there is an inflatable mattress, in the other - a child. The child notices Gulliver in the distance: he is big, you can see him from everywhere. Come closer: a scary giant with a whitewashed face, painfully reminiscent of Johnny Depp in the movie about the chocolate factory. The child is still having fun, you accept the giant’s invitation, and find yourself in a FAIRY TALE.

2. Only later will you compare why the animals depicted on the yellow wall of the entrance have such aggressive faces.

3. The first person you will meet will be the local Virgil - a character from Pushkin's fairy tale "Ruslan and Lyudmila". Empty eye sockets, from which it is convenient to shoot back from enemies, an agape mouth, an incomprehensible nano-cap on the head. If you approach the head from behind, you can enter it and roll down the inclined slide right out of the monster's mouth.

4. An immobilized black cat in a yellow scarf looks at you dead eyes. Its tail is several times thicker than its front and hind legs. The front ones were also swollen with varicose veins.

5. The further you go, the worse it gets. This part of the park is entirely dedicated to the work of the famous children's writer Alexander Volkov. The center of the sculptural composition is occupied by the Yellow Fog, and on its head is the same nano-cap as the Head from the third photo.

6. I don’t know who this is. But his red eyes smell of Death.

7. A terrible big head carefully watches what is happening in the park. The Scarecrow is executed by hanging on the gallows. And what happens on the left between the lion and the Tin Woodman is too indecent to write about on a blog.

8. These wooden soldiers of Oorfene Jus are the most innocent thing discovered in the park.

9. Cthulhu. He's the Brain Slug. The hero of the Internet does not look as attractive in real life as in numerous engravings of Lovecraft - he is actually scary. Particularly brave guys can voluntarily expose their brains to be eaten by a terrible creature by sitting down on a bench. Or even lie on it.

10. And still the same head with lips smeared with jam continues to watch. It can be seen from all parts of the park.

11. Stone whales and whale-sized minnows no longer splash in the water. They stand on the ground, frozen forever. This sculpture is probably called “The Aral Sea after a nuclear explosion.”

12. The good-natured Serpent Gorynych is talking about something with a dolphin. They are not embarrassed that they are from different fairy tales and are found in different places. For some reason I didn’t take a photo of the dolphin, but it looks like the whales and minnows from the previous photo.

13. There was also a place for “Star Wars” in Sergeevsky Park.

14. And a steam locomotive that never arrives anywhere is completely surreal.

15. Near the orbiting space station purple(The same star Wars) is wielded by a powerful dinosaur.

16. A sad elephant with a ladder driven into it stands silently. He understands that he cannot withstand the competition.

17. Finally, in the most remote place of the park, an unknown sculptor erected a monument to what helped him find inspiration.

IN next post I will tell you about the Sergeevka resort itself: together with you we will climb onto the upper balcony of a 16-story abandoned hotel and listen to a story about...

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

Devoted to the sea

In December 1924, an emergency situation occurred on an oil tanker sailing from New York to the Panama Canal with the release of toxic gas vapors. Two workers died as a result: 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, in sea ​​waves Overboard, from time to time, faces appeared in whom they recognized their fallen 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 captain of the ship, Keith Tracy, reported the unusual phenomenon to his employers, who advised him to arm himself with a camera next time and capture the ghostly faces. Tracy followed their advice and purchased 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 photographs, after which the camera was locked in a safe in his cabin so that no one would have access to it until arriving at the port.

On land, Tracy's photographs were developed. Five of the six photographs showed nothing unusual, but last photo silhouettes could be clearly seen, in which the relatives of the deceased Courtney and Meehan immediately recognized them as their relatives. The photographs were later transferred 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 took over the ship.

Mortal 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 the Orange Medan - this name would appear more than once in newspaper reports after mysterious case what happened next.

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

The ship's crew 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 crew decided to visit the creepy ship, and what they found there really scared even the most seasoned sailors.

The entire crew of the ship was dead. Their lifeless bodies were found everywhere - on the deck, in the 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 the face, directed upward towards the sun. Even the dead ship's dog was found in a state that clearly indicated its death throes. Also, the sailors who discovered the frightening picture noted that it was very cold in the ship’s hold, even considering that the temperature outside was high at 43 degrees Celsius. After some time, they also noticed 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 secure a cable to bring the Orange Medan to the nearest port for inspection. But as soon as the cables were secured, a strong explosion occurred, sinking the ominous ship.

Since then, rumors about the cursed ship have not subsided, although the official report on the discovery was published only five years later, in 1952. However, doubts were repeatedly expressed about the very existence of the ship, until historian Roy Baynton found a 32-page brochure describing the Orange Medan. According to it, the ship was carrying chemical weapons on board, the leak of which could have caused such terrible death crew, as well as the explosion. And although there are other versions based on the paranormal nature of the incident, the sea is unlikely to ever reveal the ominous secret of the Orange Medan.

Serpent from the Depths

On January 13, 1852, the whaling ship Monongahela stumbled upon an unusual animal 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 overturn two of the three lowered boats before the captain killed it with a harpoon hit in the neck.

The animal pulled out of the water onto the ship turned out to be 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 fit completely 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 several hours earlier.

On the way back, the Monongahela encountered another whaling ship, the Rebecca Sims. The captain of the Monongahela conveyed information about the beast to the captain of the Rebecca Sims, after which the ships dispersed. However, the Monongahela never returned to the port, disappearing without a trace. Her remains were discovered only several months later. The barrel with the monster's head was not found among them.

Damn submarine

Submarine UB-65, owned by German army during the First World War, it was launched on its first voyage in 1917. Already during construction, dark rumors circulated about the boat - a number of accidents were to blame, as a result of which five people died. But beliefs did not prevent the fleet management from launching UB-65. During the first approach, another terrible event occurred - during reloading, one of the torpedoes exploded right on the boat, killing the second officer. After several days on land reserved for the funeral, the crew set off again.

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

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 to perform an 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 off 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, a powerful explosion was heard - the torpedoes exploded inside the UB-65 itself, destroying the entire German crew on board. Later, the American captain stated that shortly before the explosion he saw the 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 one stands out. sea ​​legend about the ship "Mary Celeste". Ship carrying cargo alcoholic drinks, sailed from New York to the Italian port of Genoa on November 5, 1872. On board were the captain, his wife and daughter, as well as a crew of seven people. But since then none of them have been seen again.

Four weeks later, the crew of the Del Gracia came across a drifting ship, apparently left without control, which the captain of the Del Gracia, Morehouse, identified as the Mary Celeste. Swimming closer, the crew discovered that the ship was empty. The sails were in poor condition and 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 24. All other documents from the ship disappeared. There was a complete cargo in the hold, which ruled out the possibility of a pirate attack. One of the boats was missing, and it was not blown away by the wind, but launched manually. According to data taken from the instruments, the Maria Celeste traveled about 740 kilometers without control until the Del Gracia team discovered it.

By order of Captain Morehouse, the ship was sent to Gibraltar for further investigation, which never bore fruit. None of the crew of the Mary Celeste were ever found, although impostors appeared more than once trying to pass themselves off as returning crew members. The mystery of this ship has not been revealed to this day.

Unlucky Giant

Built in 1857, the Great Eastern was the Titanic of its day. It was the largest ship of all created 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 during the first launch. There was a misalignment with respect to the direction of movement, and people who went to repair the engine damage 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 on the ship exploded, damaging the first pipe, and six sailors from the crew died on the spot. Later, on one of the raids, the captain and two passengers who descended from the ship in a boat drowned. There were also rumors among passengers about strange sounds coming from the lower rooms of the ship - muffled knocking was often heard from there. The team stated that the knocking sound was often heard during storms.

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. When the ship was deconstructed, the skeletons of a riveter worker and a child apprentice, walled up alive, were found in the hull, and next to them was a box with old tools. The ship's crew immediately connected all the ship's misfortunes with the fact that "no matter where it sailed, there were two dead men with it." Maybe it was the ghost of the riveter who was banging 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 the voyage to tell the whole world about 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.

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 seaweed, and the crews were doomed to slow death.

Sargassum is the name of a giant algae that is abundant here. Its bushes float freely on the surface, forming huge plantations; The numerous air bubbles that form help them stay afloat. If we add the 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 section of the water area. “The Island of Lost Ships” by science fiction writer Alexander Belyaev tells about it. The 1968 English film “Men from the Abyss” directed by Michael Carreras was also created in the fantasy genre, but very vividly reflects the legends of the Sargasso Sea. The heroes of the film encounter man-eating algae and giant crustaceans, and then meet the descendants of the conquistadors, who turned out to be eternal prisoners.

The Sargasso Sea lies in the North Atlantic, between Bermuda and the West Indies, and has no land shores. It is limited from the west by one of the streams warm current Gulf Stream rotating clockwise.

In area it exceeds half of Europe. When Columbus discovered dense brown algae here in 1492, he mistakenly assumed that land was somewhere nearby. Fortunately, after two weeks, 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 lost place. In Columbus's logbook there is a story about the strange behavior of the compass needle, shifted from the direction of the North Star. And also about a huge flame that suddenly appeared and fell into the sea. What was it? Experts in anomalous phenomena put forward different versions– about a meteorite, about an underwater UFO, about a flock glowing fish, but did not come to a consensus.

So, Columbus’s expedition was lucky, but for many other sailors who failed to correctly assess the danger that the “floating meadows” posed, this place became a “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” found itself in a place covered with algae and the remains of broken ships. There was a putrid smell here. The ship stood 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 again into the same trap. Another four painful months of waiting passed. Food supplies were running out, the crew had lost all hope. Nobody could save him. Suddenly the wind rose at night, and “Herat” managed to escape from terrible captivity. Seven months after sailing from the United States, the ship entered the port of Bridgetown on the island of Barbados. The body was covered with dark traces of algae, which for so long did not want to let go of the victim.

Throughout the history of navigation, many dozens of ships have been unable to escape from this hellish trap. Among them were the English crews of 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 from thirst. In 1884, the English steamer Britannia discovered a sailboat in the Sargasso Sea. The British saw a terrible picture with corpses on board.

The Sargasso Sea also holds another mystery: it is the birth and death place of European and American eels, which undertake an unusual and arduous journey to spawn. Adult eels usually live in freshwater bodies, where they can remain for years, growing and creating 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. During 80 days of migration, they cover a distance of more than 5 thousand kilometers. Having reached 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 Europe and North America separated by a narrow strip of water. In all likelihood, conger eels discovered freshwater sources rich in food and began to migrate. This hypothesis also fits the fact that the petrels that have flown to the Sargasso Sea area circle in one place, as if trying to land on land that now does not exist.

This sea is part of the notorious Bermuda Triangle, where ships and aircraft disappeared without a trace. And scientists devote a lot of effort and money to researching these latitudes. However, they do not find anything supernatural here. But a 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 form vortex rings with a diameter of up to 100 kilometers. That is why the crews of sailing ships observed the movement of algae in a circle.

Today, the Sargasso Sea attracts climatologists - this area greatly influences the weather. And also biologists. Employees of the American Institute of Alternative Bioenergy discovered 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.

(average: 4,72 out of 5)

The word “beach” evokes many pleasant associations: summer holidays, 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.

Throughout Forbes world chose 10 beaches, a visit to which could cost vacationers their life or health.

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

Australian beaches are considered to be the most dangerous in the world. In addition to shark attacks, which are common in Australia, vacationers at northern coast resorts become victims of box jellyfish almost every year. They are known to have one of the most potent animal venoms, and the burn caused by their stinging cells can be fatal within minutes. At the same time, such jellyfish are quite inconspicuous, and it is not easy to notice them in the water.

A 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 north-east coast of Queensland. " Sea wasps" - as they are sometimes called - even became a kind of symbol of these resorts: in 2011, a publication was even published in Australia silver coin with the image of a monster.

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

Sunset over Nudgee Beach, Queensland, Australia:

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

Fish Hoek beaches, 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 Register, in 2010 there were 79 unprovoked attacks, 6 of which ended for vacationers death. Due to climate change sea ​​predators have become more aggressive, and, according to forecasts, the number of attacks will only increase this year.

The coast of Cape Town has been recognized more than once most dangerous place in the world for tourism: The waters of the Atlantic Ocean washing the shores of the Western Cape province are home to one of the largest populations in the world, which become especially aggressive when the weather gets hot.

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

Those who do not want to repeat the fate of the unfortunate man can monitor 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 was registered there on June 21.

Zipolite Beach (Mexico): strong undercurrent

The quiet and small beach with silky white sand and turquoise waters of the Pacific Ocean attracts many tourists. However, local residents prefer to avoid this place - especially between April and June, when the water, as they say here, “rebels.”

This riot is expressed by a strong underwater current, including a reverse one, which is difficult to notice from the shore. Besides, in summer months During the full moon, there is usually an ebb and flow of extraterritorial waters, the flow of which is difficult for even an adult to cope with. The danger is enhanced by the sea rocks and cliffs that are hidden in the ocean depths.

Every year, the Mexican authorities spend considerable sums 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 installed on the shore) .

By the way, the name of the beach and bay - Zipolite - is very alarming in itself: translated from the local Zapotec dialect it means “coast of the dead”. Nevertheless, the beach is known as one of the main summer destinations of nudists and hippies from all over the world: holidays there are inexpensive and the places are picturesque.

Bikini Atoll (Marshall Islands): high radiation levels

This small atoll in the Pacific Ocean is famous not only for giving its name to the swimsuit in which Brigitte Bardot became famous for her spectacular appearance in the film “And God Created Woman.” From 1946 to 1958, the United States used the island for testing atomic and hydrogen bomb as part of Operation Crossroads.

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

Cemetery, Bikini Atoll, Marshall Islands:

The radiation level here is still higher than normal: the average dose of external radiation is about 3.8 R/h. But nevertheless, many believe that some Bikini beaches are quite suitable for relaxation: 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 booking a tour on the official Bikini website. Seven-day trips typically 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 the central beaches of Florida has rightfully gained fame as the unluckiest resort in the state. In 2010, 640 collisions of various watercraft were recorded there, 68 of which resulted in death - the most a large number of water accidents ever recorded on US beaches. Experts explain this by the severe overcrowding of the beach: lifeguards and water patrol simply do not have the ability 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 here from lightning strikes. According to security officials, people on the beach are the highest points, which means that during thunderstorms they a priori become targets for discharges.

In addition to all of the above and regardless of the weather, vacationers on the 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 multi-day closure of areas on this beach is a fairly common occurrence.

Copacabana Beach (Brazil): high crime rate

Formerly a recreation ground in the mid-1950s high society, today Copacabana beach in Rio de Janeiro has a reputation as the most unfavorable place to relax: the crime index there is one of the highest in all of Brazil. Robberies, prostitution, drug trafficking, rape and even kidnapping are everyday occurrences in this place. In 2010, more than 80 people became victims of crimes of varying severity 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 police, that the largest number of drug lords and mafia representatives live. Vacationers say that danger awaits tourists not only on the Copacabana beach itself, but also in hotels on the shore it is not always calm. And those who decide to rent a yacht, for example, should remember that cases of pirate hijackings of ships are not uncommon in the Copacabana water area.

Repulse Bay (Hong Kong): garbage

The original Chinese name for this island bay in southern Hong Kong translates to “place where seagulls nest.” However, the birds have long since left this bay: garbage and various kinds Pollution, a common problem on city beaches, has reached its peak 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 in some places “red streams” were noticed, and epidemiological checks of the composition of the water showed the presence of a record amount of chemical elements. Although this is not particularly visible in the photographs:

Beaches of Sao Paulo (Brazil): piranhas

Since Theodore Roosevelt's famous journey to the Amazon, when he saw large animals fall prey to carnivorous piranhas and heard stories about natives being 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 swimmers became victims of “river hyenas” over five weekends. Two more outbreaks of fish aggression were recorded in 2003 on the beaches of the cities of Itapui and Iakanga: there, over 2 weeks, more than 50 people were injured by piranhas. According to the latest data, the greatest concern is caused by the beaches of the city of Sao Paulo, where 74 people were bitten by piranhas in December 2009. And although official messages There were no reports of deaths; numerous cases of amputation of fingers from vacationers were recorded.

(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 the uncontrolled reproduction of piranhas and, as a consequence, the emergence of their “nest” where there should not be one - in in public places bathing.

Piranhas reach up to 30 cm in length; an adult piranha can easily bite in half human finger. It is worth remembering, however, that not all piranhas are carnivores: some of them can only feed on plants, algae or seeds. Therefore, numerous horror films dedicated to bloodthirsty and merciless river predators are, in many ways, as biologists say, a banal exaggeration.

Beaches of Virginia Beach (USA): attacks by wild foxes

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

However, Virginia Beach's parks and beaches are attractive not only to tourists, but also to wild animals. Attacks by rabid foxes on people have become more frequent here since June 2010, and in March 2011, a fox attacked three beach visitors, inflicting several bites and scratches on them.

Attacks by forest animals in Virginia Beach are generally quite common: in addition to wild foxes, in the fall of 2006, The Magazine of Virginia Beach also reported that wild raccoons and squirrels, potential carriers of various diseases, were seen in the forested area of ​​the beach near trash cans.

Sunset over Virginia Beach:

Cable Beach (Australia): crocodiles

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

Cable Beach:

How biological species, crocodiles are protected by Australian law and hunting them has been prohibited since 1974. This, as experts note, is the reason for the increasing frequency of attacks by predators on people. In 2009, after a series of attacks, including on children, a dispute arose about partially lifting the ban on reptile fishing (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 crocodile jaws as a hunting trophy.

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

Cable Beach, Australia:

Photos from open sources

Although the Bermuda Triangle is the most famous place, in which sea vessels mysteriously disappear, this is far from the only paranormal territory, the sea spaces of which reliably keep their secrets. What other places in the World Ocean are considered the most dangerous and mysterious? (website)

Michigan Triangle

Photos from open sources

It is located in the central part of Lake Michigan, whose shoreline spans Illinois, Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin. The Michigan Triangle is blamed for the mysterious disappearances of ship and airplane crew members. Some of the eyewitnesses of 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 that the captain of the ship, George Donner, mysteriously disappeared while crossing the waters of the lake. The day before, Donner had given orders to the crew to be awakened when the ship approached port. Imagine the crew's surprise when three hours later they found an empty cabin, the door of which was securely locked from the inside.

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

"Devil's Sea" in Japan

Photos from open sources

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 ancient legends about dragons, many people in Japan call it the "Dragon Triangle".

Charles Berlitz, the author of a book describing this strange place, says that the triangle began to be officially considered a “lost place” after its waters Peaceful time(1952-1954) five military ships went missing.

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

Sargasso Sea

Photos from open sources

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 becomes overgrown with algae. Due to algae, debris accumulation and the insulation created by currents, the sea water is quite warm and calm, despite being surrounded by choppy and cold ocean waters.

This is peace sea ​​waters holds mystical secrets. Several uncrewed ships were discovered drifting in the Sargasso Sea. For example, in 1840, the French merchant ship Rosalie set sail across the Sargasso Sea and was later discovered with her sails set but no crew on board.

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

Bermuda Triangle

Photos from open sources

The Bermuda Triangle territory is located in the northwestern 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 are boats, ships, and planes disappearing en masse - many are also inclined to believe that it contains a portal to a parallel dimension.

This mystical place first attracted attention in December 1945, when five US aircraft disappeared without a trace during a training exercise. They lost radio contact and disappeared somewhere off the coast south florida. However, before disappearing without a trace, one of the pilots managed to report that the plane’s instruments had “gone crazy” and the controls were out of order.