HISTORY: BERMUDA TRIANGLE Alien abductions, the existence of a mysterious third dimension created by unknown beings, and ocean flatulence—the ocean suddenly spewing great quantities of trapped methane—have all been suggested as culprits. The reality, say many, is far more prosaic. One hypothesis is that pilots failed to account for the agonic line—the place at which there is no need to compensate for magnetic compass variation—as they approached the Bermuda Triangle, resulting in significant navigational error and catastrophe. It was nicknamed "The Devil's Islands" by early sea travelers, frightened by the calls of cahow birds and the squeals of wild pigs that could be heard on shore. Many disappeared in reportedly calm waters, without having sent a distress signal. Another popular theory is that the missing vessels were felled by so-called “rogue waves,” which are massive waves that can reach heights of up to 100 feet (30.5 meters) and would theoretically be powerful enough to destroy all evidence of a ship or airplane. Columbus, as well as other seamen after him, also encountered a harrowing stretch of ocean now known as the Sargasso Sea. The article stimulated a virtual cottage industry in myth-making. Many exotic theories have been propounded to explain what happened to the missing travelers. The disappearances have been attributed to the machinations of enormous sea monsters, giant squid, or extra-terrestrials. The Bermuda Triangle is an area roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. The island's mystical reputation was perhaps immortalized in Shakespeare's The Tempest, a tale of shipwreck and sorcery in "the still-vexed Bermoothes." The early origin of the Triangle myth stretches as far back as Columbus, who noted in his logbook a haywire compass, strange lights, and a burst of flame falling into the sea. No one keeps statistics, but in the last century, numerous ships and planes have simply vanished without a trace within the imaginary triangle. Unusual features of the area had been noted in the past. "To say quite a few ships and airplanes have gone down there is like saying there are an awful lot of car accidents on the New Jersey Turnpike— surprise, surprise." Lieutenant A. The Bermuda Triangle is located in an area of the Atlantic Ocean where storms from multiple directions can converge, making rogue waves more likely to occur. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,” and boaters and fliers continue to venture through the triangle without event. The Bermuda Triangle is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico where dozens of ships and airplanes have disappeared. The Bermuda Triangle -sometimes called the Devil's Triangle, Limbo of the Lost, the Twilight Zone, and Hoodoo Sea -- covers some 500,000 square mi of the Atlantic Ocean. Other boats and planes have seemingly vanished from the area in good weather without even radioing distress messages. Russell, in the U.S. Yet 58 years after five Navy planes disappeared there on a routine training mission, no one knows exactly what caused that and other disappearances.On a sunny day 58 years ago, five Navy planes took off from their base in Florida on a routine training mission, known as Flight 19. But don't let the legend scare you away -- the Triangle isn't the only thing that makes this island seem magical. Numerous ships and planes have vanished without a trace within the imaginary Bermuda Triangle bounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. It seems to have been christened in February 1964, when Vincent Gaddis wrote an article titled "The Deadly Bermuda Triangle" for Argosy magazine. Long before the myth of the Bermuda Triangle became popular, Bermuda had already earned a reputation as an enchanted island. Then there is the case of Flight 19. In fact, people navigate the area every day without incident. Bewitchingly beautiful Bermuda is one of the few places in the modern world that still remain wrapped in an aura of superstitious mystery. Christopher Columbus wrote in his log about bizarre compass bearings in the area. But perhaps the most damning tales were told by sailors terrified of shipwreck on Bermuda's treacherous stretch of reefs. However, wreckage has not been found, and some of the theories advanced to explain the repeated mysteries have been fanciful. Navy bombers became disoriented while flying over the area; the planes were never found. Although the mystery has not yet been completely solved, there are scientific explanations for many of the maritime disasters that have occurred in the Triangle. L. Aircraft have been reported and then vanished, and rescue missions are said to have vanished when flying in the area. Among the legends is that of the Mary Celeste, a 103-foot brigantine found floating and abandoned in 1872. But the region didn't get its name until August 1964, when Vincent Gaddis coined the term Bermuda Triangle in a cover story for Argosy magazine about the disappearance of Flight 19. The most obvious answers are linked to extreme weather conditions with which any Bermudian fisherman would be well acquainted. At 2:10 on the afternoon of December 5, 1945, five TBM Avenger Torpedo Bombers took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a routine two-hour training mission. Ancient tales tell of sailboats stranded forever in a windless expanse of water, surrounded by seaweed and the remnants of other unfortunate vessels. The ship was actually found off the coast of Portugal. Although theories of supernatural causes for these disappearances abound, geophysical and environmental factors are most likely responsible. If the highly flammable methane then rises into the air, it could ignite in an airplane's engine -- causing it to explode and disappear. Fact or fiction, the Bermuda Triangle is a part of local lore that won't disappear anytime soon. Coast Guard's official response to Bermuda Triangle inquiries, writes: "It has been our experience that the combined forces of nature and the unpredictability of mankind outdo science-fiction stories many times each year." . Their last radio contact was at 4 PM. Some ships were discovered completely abandoned for no apparent reason; others transmitted no distress signals and were never seen or heard from again. The official navy report said the planes disappeared "as if they had flown to Mars." The bizarre disappearances attributed to the Triangle have been linked to everything from alien abduction to sorcery. Unexplained circumstances surround some of these accidents, including one in which the pilots of a squadron of U.S. "White squalls" -- intense, unexpected storms that arrive without warning on otherwise clear days -- are probable culprits along with waterspouts, the equivalent of sea tornadoes. The most recent scientific theory on the infamous Triangle suggests that the freakish disappearance of ships and aircraft could be the result of large deposits of methane gas spewing up from the ocean floor. Bermuda Triangle, section of the North Atlantic Ocean off North America in which more than 50 ships and 20 airplanes are said to have mysteriously disappeared. Naval Historical Foundation. They argue that a sometimes treacherous Mother Nature, human error, shoddy craftsmanship or design, and just plain bad luck can explain the many disappearances. "The region is highly traveled and has been a busy crossroads since the early days of European exploration," said John Reilly, a historian with the U.S. The planes and 27 men were never seen or heard from again. But although myriad fanciful theories have been proposed regarding the Bermuda Triangle, none of them prove that mysterious disappearances occur more frequently there than in other welltraveled sections of the ocean. The area, whose boundaries are not universally agreed upon, has a vaguely triangular shape marked by the Atlantic coast of the Florida panhandle (in the United States), Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. Reports of unexplained occurrences in the region date to the mid-19th century. It is true that relics have been found in the Sargasso Sea -- an area of ocean in between Bermuda and the Caribbean -- but the deadly calm waters are more likely the result of circular ocean currents sweeping through the North Atlantic rather than paranormal activity. In the past 500 years at least 50 ships and 20 aircraft have vanished in the Triangle, most without a trace -- no wreckage, no bodies, no nothing. Huge eruptions of methane bubbles may push water away from a ship, causing it to sink. Its apexes are most commonly defined as Bermuda, the southernmost tip of Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, although some place a boundary closer to Chesapeake Bay than to Miami. But the real mystery of the Mary Celeste is that she turns up in Triangle tales at all. Neither the planes nor the crew were ever seen again. Thus was a legend born. Original Text Bermuda Triangle, section of the North Atlantic Ocean off North America in which more than 50 ships and 20 airplanes are said to have mysteriously disappeared. The area, whose boundaries are not universally agreed upon, has a vaguely triangular shape marked by the Atlantic coast of the Florida panhandle (in the United States), Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. Reports of unexplained occurrences in the region date to the mid-19th century. Some ships were discovered completely abandoned for no apparent reason; others transmitted no distress signals and were never seen or heard from again. Aircraft have been reported and then vanished, and rescue missions are said to have vanished when flying in the area. However, wreckage has not been found, and some of the theories advanced to explain the repeated mysteries have been fanciful. Although theories of supernatural causes for these disappearances abound, geophysical and environmental factors are most likely responsible. One hypothesis is that pilots failed to account for the agonic line—the place at which there is no need to compensate for magnetic compass variation—as they approached the Bermuda Triangle, resulting in significant navigational error and catastrophe. Another popular theory is that the missing vessels were felled by so-called “rogue waves,” which are massive waves that can reach heights of up to 100 feet (30.5 meters) and would theoretically be powerful enough to destroy all evidence of a ship or airplane. The Bermuda Triangle is located in an area of the Atlantic Ocean where storms from multiple directions can converge, making rogue waves more likely to occur. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “There is no evidence that mysterious disappearances occur with any greater frequency in the Bermuda Triangle than in any other large, well-traveled area of the ocean,” and boaters and fliers continue to venture through the triangle without event. The Bermuda Triangle is a mythical section of the Atlantic Ocean roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda and Puerto Rico where dozens of ships and airplanes have disappeared. Unexplained circumstances surround some of these accidents, including one in which the pilots of a squadron of U.S. Navy bombers became disoriented while flying over the area; the planes were never found. Other boats and planes have seemingly vanished from the area in good weather without even radioing distress messages. But although myriad fanciful theories have been proposed regarding the Bermuda Triangle, none of them prove that mysterious disappearances occur more frequently there than in other well-traveled sections of the ocean. In fact, people navigate the area every day without incident. Bewitchingly beautiful Bermuda is one of the few places in the modern world that still remain wrapped in an aura of superstitious mystery. The Bermuda Triangle -- sometimes called the Devil's Triangle, Limbo of the Lost, the Twilight Zone, and Hoodoo Sea -- covers some 500,000 square mi of the Atlantic Ocean. Its apexes are most commonly defined as Bermuda, the southernmost tip of Florida, and San Juan, Puerto Rico, although some place a boundary closer to Chesapeake Bay than to Miami. It seems to have been christened in February 1964, when Vincent Gaddis wrote an article titled "The Deadly Bermuda Triangle" for Argosy magazine. Long before the myth of the Bermuda Triangle became popular, Bermuda had already earned a reputation as an enchanted island. It was nicknamed "The Devil's Islands" by early sea travelers, frightened by the calls of cahow birds and the squeals of wild pigs that could be heard on shore. But perhaps the most damning tales were told by sailors terrified of shipwreck on Bermuda's treacherous stretch of reefs. The island's mystical reputation was perhaps immortalized in Shakespeare's The Tempest, a tale of shipwreck and sorcery in "the still-vexed Bermoothes." The early origin of the Triangle myth stretches as far back as Columbus, who noted in his logbook a haywire compass, strange lights, and a burst of flame falling into the sea. Columbus, as well as other seamen after him, also encountered a harrowing stretch of ocean now known as the Sargasso Sea. Ancient tales tell of sailboats stranded forever in a windless expanse of water, surrounded by seaweed and the remnants of other unfortunate vessels. It is true that relics have been found in the Sargasso Sea -- an area of ocean in between Bermuda and the Caribbean -- but the deadly calm waters are more likely the result of circular ocean currents sweeping through the North Atlantic rather than paranormal activity. In the past 500 years at least 50 ships and 20 aircraft have vanished in the Triangle, most without a trace -- no wreckage, no bodies, no nothing. Many disappeared in reportedly calm waters, without having sent a distress signal. Among the legends is that of the Mary Celeste, a 103-foot brigantine found floating and abandoned in 1872. But the real mystery of the Mary Celeste is that she turns up in Triangle tales at all. The ship was actually found off the coast of Portugal. Then there is the case of Flight 19. At 2:10 on the afternoon of December 5, 1945, five TBM Avenger Torpedo Bombers took off from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on a routine two-hour training mission. Their last radio contact was at 4 PM. The planes and 27 men were never seen or heard from again. The official navy report said the planes disappeared "as if they had flown to Mars." The bizarre disappearances attributed to the Triangle have been linked to everything from alien abduction to sorcery. Although the mystery has not yet been completely solved, there are scientific explanations for many of the maritime disasters that have occurred in the Triangle. The most obvious answers are linked to extreme weather conditions with which any Bermudian fisherman would be well acquainted. "White squalls" -- intense, unexpected storms that arrive without warning on otherwise clear days -- are probable culprits along with waterspouts, the equivalent of sea tornadoes. The most recent scientific theory on the infamous Triangle suggests that the freakish disappearance of ships and aircraft could be the result of large deposits of methane gas spewing up from the ocean floor. Huge eruptions of methane bubbles may push water away from a ship, causing it to sink. If the highly flammable methane then rises into the air, it could ignite in an airplane's engine -- causing it to explode and disappear. Fact or fiction, the Bermuda Triangle is a part of local lore that won't disappear anytime soon. But don't let the legend scare you away -- the Triangle isn't the only thing that makes this island seem magical. Numerous ships and planes have vanished without a trace within the imaginary Bermuda Triangle bounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. Yet 58 years after five Navy planes disappeared there on a routine training mission, no one knows exactly what caused that and other disappearances.On a sunny day 58 years ago, five Navy planes took off from their base in Florida on a routine training mission, known as Flight 19. Neither the planes nor the crew were ever seen again. Thus was a legend born. The Bermuda Triangle is an area roughly bounded by Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico. No one keeps statistics, but in the last century, numerous ships and planes have simply vanished without a trace within the imaginary triangle. Unusual features of the area had been noted in the past. Christopher Columbus wrote in his log about bizarre compass bearings in the area. But the region didn't get its name until August 1964, when Vincent Gaddis coined the term Bermuda Triangle in a cover story for Argosy magazine about the disappearance of Flight 19. The article stimulated a virtual cottage industry in myth-making. Many exotic theories have been propounded to explain what happened to the missing travelers. The disappearances have been attributed to the machinations of enormous sea monsters, giant squid, or extra-terrestrials. Alien abductions, the existence of a mysterious third dimension created by unknown beings, and ocean flatulence—the ocean suddenly spewing great quantities of trapped methane—have all been suggested as culprits. The reality, say many, is far more prosaic. They argue that a sometimes treacherous Mother Nature, human error, shoddy craftsmanship or design, and just plain bad luck can explain the many disappearances. "The region is highly traveled and has been a busy crossroads since the early days of European exploration," said John Reilly, a historian with the U.S. Naval Historical Foundation. "To say quite a few ships and airplanes have gone down there is like saying there are an awful lot of car accidents on the New Jersey Turnpike—surprise, surprise." Lieutenant A. L. Russell, in the U.S. Coast Guard's official response to Bermuda Triangle inquiries, writes: "It has been our experience that the combined forces of nature and the unpredictability of mankind outdo science-fiction stories many times each year."
