19 November 2012

Bermuda Triangle: Fact or Fiction?


Throughout history, there have been various myths or legends spread amongst different cultures and continents. One of these myths is the legend of the Bermuda Triangle. Society is quite split when it comes to the validity of the location’s many famous stories. Many believe the myth surrounding the triangle is quite silly and that weather events were to blame for the multiple incidents that occurred there. I firmly believe that the events that took place in the Bermuda Triangle are valid. There are a multitude of sources that can support my claim and refute the other perspective on the matter. The world needs to discover that this is one myth that needs to be removed from the category.

Now before stating further examples of unexplained incidences pertaining to the Bermuda Triangle, it is only fair to examine the other side’s perspective on the matter. There are various theories stating realistic theories supporting the argument that the Bermuda Triangle possesses no such supernatural powers. One such explanation is terrible weather. The area in which the triangle is located is also known as “Hurricane Alley”. The most powerful storms come into contact with the triangle, which could most definitely be the cause of certain disappearances that have taken place in the region. Also, drug runners and pirates could be another legitimate cause. Pirates roamed those parts and would plunder ships entering the area. In fact, some pirates who were well armed would attack towns and military bases within the triangle. Lastly, inexperienced boaters could be to blame as well. The triangle possesses many destinations that appeal to those going on vacation and these parts tend to attract boaters who are quite inexperienced. Those who aren’t capable of properly using these machines in the unfamiliar region suffered the consequences (Loxton 104). Though these explanations do make sense, there are far too many unexplained occurrences to be persuaded to that side of the argument.
One mysterious disappearance that took place was the vanishing of the Bella in 1854. According to Harold T. Wilkins, six days after the Bella left Rio de Janeiro, another ship bound for Jamaica spotted debris in the water. What was found was a ship upside down, and the stern of the vessel read, “Bella, Liverpool.” When the ship was returned to Rio, a great number of Brazilian and British steamships set out to search for survivors of the shipwreck but were never successful. Wilkins believed that the Bella was basically just another ship that failed to complete a voyage.  It was stated that if the Bella had sailed for the complete six days under ideal conditions, it could have been as far as 1,200 miles north of Rio when the disaster took place. If conditions were unfortunately dreary, it would have been found way further south. The full distance from Rio to the Cape of Sao Roque is about 1,200 miles, which is just about how far the vessel would have traveled if all had gone according to plan. The Cape is located only 2000 miles away from the Bermuda Triangle (Kusche, 28,29,30). Since no one could confirm what truly brought the ship down, I firmly believe that the Bermuda Triangle most definitely had something to do with the location the Bella ended up washing up at. The triangle was only 2000 miles away from the Cape and since that’s where the Bella was heading, it could’ve been swayed into the Bermuda Triangle by unfavorable weather and been destroyed within the triangle. I believe the triangle may have been the catalyst to drive the vessel toward its ultimate destination where it was found. There are no valid explanations to prove otherwise.
The Bermuda Triangle, like the events that occur within its boundaries, is quite the unexplainable mystery. It has been involved in a multitude of disappearances throughout history and continues to dumbfound us today.  The argument over whether or not the triangle in fact has supernatural abilities or not will continue to divide the people of the world tremendously. Though there are plausible explanations for both perspectives pertaining to the matter, I feel more people need to open themselves up to the possibility that the Bermuda Triangle may play a sizeable role in the numerous disappearances that have taken place within the territory. There have been far too many unexplained events that have fallen in that area to simply write them off as coincidence. Yes there may be no completely solid evidence to back up the supernatural nature of the triangle, but there is also no sound evidence to prove otherwise either. The triangle has and will continue to puzzle us for years to come. Though there may be no ironclad proof that the Bermuda Triangle is anything but a myth or legend, it is unjust to place it under that category. Perhaps one day, there will be proof that will propel the triangle out of the category and into the realm of nonfiction. That day will most definitely come soon enough.


Above is a National Geographic Special on the Bermuda Triangle, check it out!

Works Cited:
1.     Loxton, Daniel. "The Bermuda Triangle." Skeptic 10.3 (2003): 96-104. Academic
           Search Complete. Web. 15 Oct. 2012.

2.     Kusche, Lawrence, D. The Bermuda Triangle Mystery Solved. New York: Harper & Row, 
            Publishers, 1975. Library Catalogue. Web. 7 Nov 2012.           


4 comments:

  1. The Bermuda Triangle? Fiction. The reasons you state debunking the Triangle’s supernatural powers, such as stormy weather, drug runners, pirates and inexperienced boaters are actually more convincing than your lone example in support of it. The disappearance of the Bella is an account from 1854, which serves as a weak and severely outdated example. In the 19th century science could not explain the myriads of things it can now, so people often turned to supernatural things to explain what couldn’t be explained. Also, scientists didn’t have technology that allowed them to track and locate ships while they were on a voyage, and determine the exact cause of a shipwreck. As Wilkin’s believes, it was probably just another failed voyage. Wilkins actually claims that the Bella was actually overloaded with cargo, which serves as a possible explanation for its sinking. It is estimated that in six days, the Bella could not have sailed farther than Cape San Rogue. Wreckage of the Bella was actually found in the South Atlantic, far from the Triangle.
    There’s clearly a lot of unnecessary hype surrounding the Bermuda Triangle. The number if shipwrecks that have occurred in this region is not particularly remarkable, considering it’s location, size, and the number of ships that pass through it. And just because an occasional incident can’t be explained, doesn’t mean you should automatically turn to the supernatural. Do your research and look for more reasonable explanations before drawing childish inferences. Why not research occurrences that that happened in more recent times? People won’t be convinced by an incident from 160 years ago, which can be explained in many other ways. With modern technology, researchers are more apt to discover if the Bermuda Triangle actually possesses the supernatural powers. Scientist can research the Triangle’s weather patterns, the region’s chemical make-up and the species that inhabit it to discover what’s actually making ships sink. We all wonder weather such things exist, but at the end of the day we cannot ignore the logical facts that disprove it. Need I say any more?

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  2. The Bermuda Triangle, as mentioned by those that argue against your argument, is an area of the world where hurricanes usually occur. Its tropical waters mix with the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, causing strong storms and hurricanes. This is a major reason for death while on the ocean or flying. The strength that these hurricanes possess is more than enough to capsize a boat or push a plane into the water. The hurricanes along with the fact that small time pirates roam this area are reasons people have gone missing.
    You mention that inexperienced boaters travel to this area of the world to vacation. This is a outlandish and doesn’t really make sense as I’m sure that more then just inexperienced boaters are the reason for the myths creation, besides, many of the boats that went missing were captained by long time boaters and large freight boats, captains of whom are selected very carefully based on there skill level.
    I agree with you, considering the Bermuda Triangle is an area of intense weather pattern formation, that the Bella along with many other vessels could have been steered or swayed off course. I don’t, however, believe that by some supernatural occurrence, the Triangle’s power destroyed the ships. The weather could have provided poor visibility and the boats could have run up on some rocks. The chance that a boat comes in contact with a rock that is hidden by waves and then uncovered when waves form high crests and low valleys is an absolutely valid explanation for the sinking of the boats.
    Ultimately, the truth behind the Bermuda Triangle’s supernatural power doesn’t seem valid. There are some strange things that have happened in the vicinity of the triangle, but then again, it is located in an area of the world where storms are created and it is a vast plot of ocean, both reasons pointing to the accidental shipping of boats, and not necessarily to a supernatural cause.

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  3. The Bermuda Triangle is a fascinating topic. It is strange to think about just how many disappearances have occurred there. This is one myth I personally do not believe in. I feel like your argument would have been a lot stronger if you added more evidence. I felt like the one example you gave wasn’t a very strong one, and it didn’t really help your argument all that much. The information you have pertaining to your example was interesting but could easily be explained by weather, and nature. If you had added more examples this may have been believable. The video you put up was very interesting, long but interesting and helped your argument out. Again this needed more examples to be convincing. Being someone who doesn’t really believe in the myth and legend of the Bermuda Triangle, this didn’t really convince me otherwise.

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  4. The reasons that you state in the beginning of the blog saying how the Bermuda Triangle does not exist I think are very convincing compared to your example to prove that it is real. I think that is very possible that things like stormy weather, drug runners, pirates, and inexperienced boaters are very convincing. Not only are they convincing but logically those examples make a lot more sense than a supernatural power. If you gave more evidence or examples to prove that the Bermuda Triangle is in fact real I think that maybe I would have believed it a little bit more. One of the examples you state about how the Triangle is not real is the fact that hurricanes are very popular in that section. It is extremely possible that bad weather such as wind during a hurricane can capsize a boat or even bring down a plane. Although I thought your blog could have used more evidence to maybe persuade me into believing in the Bermuda Triangle, I did enjoy reading your post.

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