6 Prevailing Theories on the Bermuda Triangle
In the last century, numerous ships, small boats, and aircraft have purportedly vanished within the infamous Bermuda Triangle, or as some call it, "The Devil's Triangle."
The boundaries of the triangle cover the Straits of Florida, the Bahamas, and the entire Caribbean island area, the Atlantic east to the Azores. Dating back to Christopher Columbus's voyages, he had logged about bizarre compass bearings in the area.
The region got its name when Vincent Gaddis coined the term 'Bermuda Triangle' in a cover story for Argosy magazine about the disappearance of Flight 19. While the area is one of the world's most heavily traveled shipping lanes, many theorists have tried to explain the unusual disappearances at its borders.
Here are six theories you won't find on your boat safety course exam!
1. A Time Vortex
Albert Einstein postulated that a curvature of space would cause even light to bend through it. Some theorists believe that "Time'," as a force of nature, can also get warped based on your location.
The Bermuda Triangle is one location on Earth where the fabric of time is so thin that travelers can slip through it and emerge on the other side of a completely different time. This theory was solidified in 1970 when Floridian pilot Brue Gernon Jr., his father, and friend Chuck Lafayette were flying toward Bimini Island in the Bahamas and noticed a strange elliptical cloud, which he later called Electronic Fog hovering only about 500 feet above the ocean.
Here is an excerpt of his story:
"Upon entering the cloud, we witnessed an uncanny spectacle. It became dark and black, without rain, and visibility was about four or five miles. There were no lightning bolts, only extraordinarily bright white flashes that would illuminate the entire surrounding area. The deeper we penetrated, the more intense the flashes became, so we made a 135-degree turn to the left and headed due south out of the cloud.[...] The remarkable thing is that we did not come out of the storm 90 miles away from Miami as we should have. . . .We had traveled through 100 miles of space and 30 minutes of time in a little more than three minutes."
Why the Theory Doesn't Add Up
No theory has negated what Bruce saw, but a fascinating and detailed analysis explains the science behind Bruce Gernon's flight.
The report attributes his experience is due to a sunspot number of 84 (scientists track solar cycles by counting sunspots) and a large solar wind of 706 km/sec, which created a disturbance of the magnetosphere and energy flux transfer (this occurs when a magnetic portal opens in the Earth's magnetosphere through which high-energy particles flow from the Sun) directly into the atmosphere.
This caused not only his compass to go haywire but can also account for the warping of the fabric of space he witnessed.
2. Aliens
The existence of a mysterious third dimension created by unknown beings has been speculated by some Bermuda Triangle theorists. UFO enthusiasts argue that the Triangle is a 'Star Gate' that extraterrestrials use for intergalactic travel.
Many believed that Flight 19 may have been swept into this UFO portal. The weather that day was clear, and the flight was supervised by an experienced pilot (Lt. Charles Carroll Taylor).
All of a sudden, Taylor made a radio call, saying, "We are entering white water. Nothing seems right. We don't know where we are. The water is green, not white."
It was also said that the Navy Board of Inquiry stated the planes "flew off to Mars."
Why This Theory Doesn't Add Up
Lt. Taylor, who was flying the plane, was unfamiliar with the area and was actually 50 km off course. He had a history of getting lost, allegedly having done so three times during World War II and being forced to ditch his planes twice into the water.
3. Highway to Hell
Some Christians considered the Bermuda Triangle as the gateway to hell, hence the name 'Devil's Triangle.'
Why the Theory Doesn't Add Up
Let's not touch this one.
4. The Lost City of Atlantis
Some believe that the mythical lost continent of Atlantis once lay deep beneath the Bermuda Triangle.
An American psychic named Edgar Cayce claimed to be able to channel answers to questions about Atlantis and documented many 'readings' about the lost city between 1924 and 1944. He said that the Bahamas Banks were the last part of Atlantis to sink.
In one of his transcendental readings, he also mentioned an island, Bimini. Here lay a trail of energy crystals once used to fuel the city. These electromagnetic forces were said to be able to cause interference with airplane and ship electronic systems causing them to vanish.
In 1968, scuba diver J. Manson Valentine, a proponent of the Atlantis theory, discovered a series of laid stones at the bottom of the ocean that appeared to form a road, thus proving the existence of Atlantis. If only he could have taken a picture.
Why This Theory Doesn't Add Up
For many reasons, this theory doesn't add up. However, Valentine witnessed an underwater rock formation near North Bimini Island in the Bahamas called the Bimini Road.
The submerged rock formation known as the Bimini Road off the island of Bimini in the Bahamas is considered part of the Triangle by some definitions. However, geologists consider this formation to be of natural origin.
5. Ocean Flatulence
Long ago, a freighter ship carrying thousands of barrels of beans and lentils spilled deep into the ocean floor of the Bermuda Triangle, causing the area to have a permanent case of gas, every so often unleashing its smelly odors unto unfortunate ships and airplanes that come near it.
However, it has been proven that there are pockets of methane gas, known as methane gas hydrates, beneath the ocean floor that could erupt if there is too much internal pressure or in the event of an underwater landslide or seismic wave.
Some theorists have suggested that these pockets of trapped methane gas exist deep beneath the surface of the Bermuda Triangle. Periodic methane eruptions have caused this area to expel great quantities of trapped methane, causing ships to lose their buoyancy and sink.
If enough of the flammable gas bubbled to the surface and traveled high in the air, it could potentially stall an airplane engine or even be ignited by an engine's spark.
Why the Theory Doesn't Add Up
Scientists from the United States Geological Survey have found large stores of underwater hydrates worldwide. However, no large releases of gas hydrates are believed to have occurred in the Bermuda Triangle for the past 15,000 years.
6. A Comet
The Bermuda Triangle region is one of the two places on Earth (the other being the Devil's Sea off the coast of Japan, which has a similar mystery attached to it) where true north and magnetic north line up, which could result in questionable compass readings.
Some theorists believe that 11,000 years ago, a comet crashed to Earth and landed on the ocean floor of the Bermuda Triangle. Believing that this comet may have strange electromagnetic properties it could disrupt compasses and other navigational tools.
Why This Bermuda Triangle Theory Doesn't Add Up
Compasses have natural magnetic variations in relation to the magnetic poles, a fact that navigators have known for centuries.
Magnetic (compass) north and geographic (true) north are only exactly the same for a small number of places. For example, as of 2000, in the United States, this is true for only those places on a line running from Wisconsin to the Gulf of Mexico. However, the public may not be as informed and think there is something mysterious about a compass "changing" across an area as large as the Triangle, which it naturally will.
Other theories for disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle have included pirates and government testing. Today, the most likely explanations are human error, poor weather conditions, and unfit vehicle operating conditions – but who doesn't love a good conspiracy theory?
It's No Conspiracy: Boater Education Saves Lives
Whether you plan to boat in the Bermuda Triangle or on your local lake this season, it's no conspiracy theory that boater education saves lives. Understanding how to navigate on the water among other boaters, what safety equipment to bring on board, and which type of lifejacket you need for different water activities can help you reduce the potential for accidents and respond appropriately if something goes wrong.
So, before launching your boat for a voyage into the unknown of the Triangle or simply for a day at the lake, make sure you're safety certified! Our BOATERexam courses are 100% online and convenient to help you learn crucial boating safety practices.
Find the course for your state and start learning! Or, if you boat in Canada, choose our Canada-approved course.
Originally published April 17, 2011. Content updated June 8, 2023.