Bermuda Triangle Research Paper

I. The Myth of the Bermuda Triangle

A: Examples of theories and historical events.

B: Environmental reasoning of the location.

II. The Popular Mystery of Flight 19

A: The legend of six fighter planes disappearing on a routine flight.

B: How the Bermuda Triangle got its name from this mystery.

C: The true occurrence of how the mission went and explanation of phenomena.

For years there has been an unsolved mystery of disappearances of boats and planes with no trace of evidence left behind. All of these conspiracies had relevance as to the whereabouts of these lost travelers. The locations of these disappearances were within a geographical triangle in the Atlantic Ocean. The corners of this legendary triangle were between three axis points: Miami, Florida; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Bermuda. After some question this so-called triangle gained the name "Devils Triangle," serving to peoples superstitions that the devil was fooling with lost travelers. It also brought to question whether aliens had a selected spot on earth for abduction or could it be a vortex that warps the living to another dimension. Could all of these questionable losses just be a coincidence that conjured up a myth?

In the last hundred and fifty years forty ships and twenty planes have disappeared carrying over a thousand people into an oblivion that is yet to be explained (Kusche 10). Even the US Coast Guard is baffled by these series of events. There are also cases of disappearances during search and rescue missions. There have been a number of theories

trying to explain the great number of disappearances most typically through environmental reasoning and human error. The area has abnormal environmental qualities. One is that the area is one of the only two places on earth where a magnetic compass points toward true north (Haniff int.) A compass originally points toward magnetic north. This confusion can throw a navigator almost 20 degrees off coarse,

which could become fatal (Haniff int.). These events even trace back to the European discovery of America. Christopher Columbus and his crew observed strange phenomena while traveling through the triangle in 1492 when their compass acted unusual (Kushe 6). One night a bolt of fire was observed falling into the sea, and strange lights appeared in the distance another night (Kushe 6). The first four documented disappearances took place between 1782 and 1812 (Kushe 6).

In the Bermuda triangle currents run through that are a result of the warm Gulf Stream. This current divides the hot Sargasso Sea water from the cold North Atlantic water (Haniff int.). The current flows northeast from Florida to the Saint Lawrence Seaway and across the Atlantic in the direction of the United Kingdom. The current is the environmental result of the fog in London (Haniff int.). It is also the reason for the temperate climate of Europe (Haniff int.). Europe is far up north, but it isn't cold like its geological position would be assumed to be. This is due to the climate brought about by the Gulf Stream (Rosenburg no. 6). The current that is continually pushing northeast of Florida and the Bahamas is always violent (Rosenburg no. 6). Debris form ships that have sunk in the Straights of Florida (as well as notes in bottles, and pollution) have been

found all the way on the other side of the Atlantic because of the force that this current possesses (Haniff int.). There are other natural features of the area that could also be a cause of the disappearances, such as quick sands that exist along where the Gulf Stream runs past Florida (Berlitz 79). With quick sands in the area, it could only be imagined what happens to ships that sink. Another reason for disappearances, especially planes would be what happens in the sky with the treacherous weather of this triangle. The Bermuda triangle is known for its deadly storms that appear without warning. One natural phenomena caused by these storms is the water spouts which look like sea going tornadoes (Berlitz 82). These spouts that disperse from the sea into the clouds of the sky can be seen in the day. But these dangerous spouts aren't capable of being spotted in the dark and any plane or ship that encounters one could be easily ripped to shreds (Berlitz 82). Clear air turbulence is another possibility for the loss of air planes. Clear air turbulence are areas a vacuum in the atmosphere caused by the jet stream which moves at speeds up to 200 knots per hour (Berlitz 85). This natural force cannot be detected by

any present day technology (Berlitz 84). There are also electromagnetic problems in this area. Accident investigators believe this may be responsible for the disappearances (Kushe 13). This causes problems with the compass and any other feature that may deter a navigator. This isn't the only place on the world that causes these obscurities. Another place that shows these same problems is The Devil's Sea off the coast of Japan (Kushe 12). Some scientists believe that these places might have once been the location of one of the earth's magnetic poles that changed in prehistoric times (Kushe 267). Finally, the topography of the ocean floor varies from extensive shoals around the islands to some of

the deepest marine trenches in the world (Rosenburg no. 6). With the interaction of the strong currents over the many reefs the topography is in a state of constant flux and development of new navigational hazards is swift (Rosenburg no. 6).

On the date December 5, 1945, the largest and still shocking mystery of the Bermuda triangle disappearances had occurred. The triangle was its current name after the mysterious disappearance of Flight 19, whose plane route had a triangular shape with its fix in the direction of Bermuda. Flight 19, commanded by Lieutenant Charles Taylor, was the group of planes manned by five officer pilots and nine enlisted crew members, the latter detailed two to each plane but on this day short one man, who had a requested removal from flying status due to a premonition and wasn't replaced (Berlitz 13). The first five planes that disappeared were on a routine training mission with a flight plan was designed to follow a triangular flight pattern starting at the Naval Air Station at Fort Lauderdale, Florida, then 160 miles to the east, 40 miles to the north, and then back to their base, following a southwest course (Berlitz 12). After accomplishing the bombing run at 3:15 PM, the radioman at the Fort Lauderdale Naval Air Station Tower received an unusual message from the flight leader.