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Southeast of Japan in the Pacific Ocean is an area rivaling the Bermuda Triangle called Devil's sea- this is how Japanese fishermen dubbed the Pacific waters around the island of Miyakejima, located in the northern part of the Philippine Sea.

Devil's Sea in the Pacific Ocean

Writer JI. Pochivalov, in the article “Are there secrets in the Bermuda Triangle?”, published in one of the issues of Literaturnaya Gazeta in 1983, wrote: “I remember my flight twelve years ago on the Vityaz “...” It also has its own “triangle” - Philippine, a place cursed by sailors. I read that it is supposedly a repetition of Bermuda. Only in the Atlantic is it called the “Devil’s Triangle”, and in the Pacific - “ Devil's Sea«.
It is located between Japan, Guam and the northern part of the Philippine Islands. Here storms and dead swells suddenly begin, which swallowed up many victims. This sea is called the “graveyard” of the Pacific Ocean. A few days before our appearance in this area, a large Japanese cargo ship went to the bottom right on the Vityaz route...”

The Devil's Sea and the Lost of Ships

At the turn of the 1970s - 1980s, 24 ships perished in the waters of the Devil's Sea. The most tragic was the winter of 1980-1981, when 6 ships sank in just 8 days. After these disasters, the Japanese government authorized the creation of a special commission and allocated $2.5 million for research. On the recommendation of the commission, meteorological buoys were installed in the Devil's Sea to collect information about weather conditions and the state of the ocean.

An analysis of the circumstances of the death of the 24 ships that were just mentioned does not provide practically any food to explain the disasters by mysterious causes. In any case, the reasons for the death of 21 ships, most of which were bulk carriers, are known quite accurately. Twelve of them broke, unable to withstand the storm waves, nine sank due to shifting cargo during severe storms, and only three disappeared without a trace.

As we can see, the main culprit in the loss of ships is storms. Particularly dangerous are strong tropical cyclones - typhoons that originate in various areas of the western Pacific Ocean, in the South China Sea, near the Mariana and Philippine Islands. The trajectories of most of them pass through the “Devil's Sea”.

Another famous English navigator William Dame in his book “A Voyage Around the World” (1697) 2, giving detailed description tropical hurricanes and typhoons, correctly noted that the difference between a West Indian hurricane and a Pacific typhoon lies only in the name. However, because the warm water in the western Pacific, where typhoons are born, occupies a larger area than in the Atlantic, typhoons tend to be larger and more intense than hurricanes.
A developed typhoon is an area of ​​low pressure with exceptionally large horizontal gradients, causing very strong winds within the typhoon. By the way, in Chinese typhoon means “big wind.” Huge wind speeds in typhoons pose a serious danger to navigation and aviation. Atmospheric pressure in the center of typhoons in some cases drops to 880-890 mbar.

Thus, in Typhoon Nancy, recorded in September 1961, the pressure in the center was 885 mbar. The wind speed in this typhoon was 83 m/s. However, it is not possible to determine the maximum wind speed in typhoons, since the instruments for measuring wind speed - anemometers - fail.

It must be said that the nature of the waves in the center of the typhoon is most dangerous for ships, although external signs are the absence of wind, an almost cloudless sky with a slight haze cirrus clouds- have a calming effect. In the “eye of the storm,” located near the coast, sailors often observed clouds of insects and many birds trapped by strong winds.

In areas of the typhoon bordering the area of ​​good weather, especially in its front half, where the wind can be weak and fresh, drizzling rain is observed. As the wind increases, it turns into a continuous downpour. The strength of the winds increases from the periphery of the typhoon towards the “eye of the storm” in accordance with the increasing steepness of the pressure gradient

Often, as studies show, the center of a typhoon does not coincide with the center of wind circulation, shifting relative to it up to 20 miles.

The waves in the typhoon zone, as well as any tropical cyclops, are much more difficult for ships to bear than the waves during storms in temperate latitudes. The fact is that the wind in high and moderate latitudes usually maintains its direction over a large area of ​​water, while in a moving typhoon it continuously changes its direction. Therefore, in moderate and high latitudes, relatively regular waves are created that travel with the wind, and the ship can adapt to them, while in tropical cyclones, waves are simultaneously formed that do not currently coincide with the direction of the wind.

The Northwestern part of the Pacific Ocean, which includes the Devil's Sea, ranks first in the number of typhoons that pass through it annually. In some years, up to 38 typhoons were observed. Maximum typhoon activity falls in July-October.
Typhoons from the region of their origin first move west, but most of them then head north and then northeast, forming a parabola with its apex facing west. The average speed of typhoons is 26 km/h, but it varies widely - from 1 to 50 km/h. This relatively low speed of typhoons makes it possible for ships with an established weather forecast service to avoid meeting them.

Meeting a typhoon is always a test for sailors. The captain of the motor ship Lealott, traveling from the Japanese port of Kobe to Hong Kong and encountering Typhoon Emma on November 11, 1959 in the Devil's Sea, wrote in the report: “From the evening until 03.00, the storm reached its highest strength. The surface of the sea from the bridge was no longer visible due to the thick veil of spray and foam rushing at the level of the mast tops. We had to steer the ship, observing the jets of wind-blown water dust in the weak light of tone lights and trying to have the wind 2-3 points behind the right traverse. Following the change in wind, we gradually changed course 10° to the left...

... The ship described an arc from the west through the southwest to the southeast in several hours ... "

It must be said that Typhoon Emma was of normal strength, and the skillful actions of the captain and crew prevented even the slightest trouble. However, there are typhoons of destructive force, breaking even large ships, such as modern bulk carriers.
Within the waters of the “Devil’s Sea” there is also a natural danger, although rare, but capable of causing disasters.

On September 24, 1952, the wreckage of the Kayo-maru was discovered near Mikura Island. It turned out that the ship sank several days ago at least 150 miles south of this island. The cause of death was the eruption of an underwater volcano, near which the Kayo-maru was located. The sinking ship was seen from a dry cargo ship, but they were unable to get close to the scene of the disaster. Thus, the cause of the death of the ship in the “Devil’s Sea” may also be the eruption of an underwater volcano. There are quite a few such volcanoes within the Devil's Sea. But, of course, the main cause of disasters is typhoons.

The water area of ​​the “Devil’s Sea” is huge - in the east there is a garland of the volcanic islands of Nampo and Marianas, and in the west it is limited by the larger islands of the Ryukyu and the Philippines.
Ships often pass near the Japanese islands heading to ports in Southeast Asia or local ports. To the south, the ocean is deserted, only occasionally there is a Japanese fishing boat or a superliner circumnavigating the world with mandatory visit exotic atolls of Polynesia. All around is a blue, monotonous ocean desert without the islands of sargassum algae that enliven the picture.
Of course, it’s joyful to see land on the horizon. But as you approach the Nampo Islands, you can’t help but feel anxious - most of them are rocky, inaccessible cliffs with white yen surf at their feet.

Near many of the Nampo Islands, many ships have crashed on underwater rocks both in the past and in our century. Often these ships, or rather their mangled skeletons, stuck in underwater rocks, serve as landmarks and are mentioned in the sailing directions. Some of them crashed in a storm, hitting the coastal reefs, while others, suspecting nothing, crashed in good calm weather. The fact is that the Nampo Islands have many active volcanoes.

Their eruption is a menacing and impressive phenomenon: accompanied by dull rumbles, a fountain of black ash and soil rises above the water. A sharp, rich smell of sulfur wafts through the air ten miles from the fountain. They noticed that if the eruption occurred at night, then on the horizon it could be visible above the ocean pillar of fire. As a result of eruptions of underwater volcanoes over large areas, the bottom topography changes beyond recognition.

Now such areas are declared dangerous for navigation. Among the dangerous areas for swimming is the area of ​​the Bayonneuse rocks, where Urania Island was located relatively recently, which disappeared after another eruption. A prominent mountain of black basalt also disappeared. But instead of them, chaotically scattered rocks, hidden under water, appeared. It is clear that some ships could have been wrecked here soon after the eruption, when the corresponding additions to the navigation of the Nampo Islands had not yet been published.

Thus, to the causes of shipwrecks in the “Devil’s Sea,” one should add navigational hazards near the volcanic islands of this water area.

The islands come alive " Devil's Sea“not only by themselves, but also because they are the sites for nesting seabirds, in particular the wandering albatross. There are also bird markets. On the Ogasawara Islands, part of the Nampo archipelago, the green sea turtle breeds.

So the shipwrecked man, who finds himself even on uninhabited islands Nampo Archipelago will not die of hunger. Moreover, many of them have vegetation, although it is far from generous. The most common are pandanus with characteristic aerial roots-supports and some types of palm trees. However, on southern islands The archipelago also has herbaceous vegetation.

What’s worse is that not all islands have springs fresh water. As a rule, islanders collect rainwater.

Interestingly, some of the islands of the Nampo archipelago bear Russian names. There is the island of Panafidin, discovered in 1820 by the lieutenant of the Russian fleet Panafidin and named by the discoverer the island of Three Hills. Since 1965, earthquakes have regularly occurred on Panafidina Island, forcing residents to leave the island.

Sarycheva Island is also known. 2.5 miles from the island is the active underwater volcano Funka, which can be identified by the bubbles of sulfur dioxide that constantly float to the surface of the sea.

The arc that closes the eastern border of the “Devil's Sea” Mariana Islands also of volcanic origin. From some islands - active volcanoes. The Mariana Islands were discovered by Magellan's expedition. March 6, 1521 Magellan landed on main island archipelago - Guam, which today houses the famous airport. Polish journalist J. Wolniewicz, who visited the island, writes: “However, Guam is not an ordinary point in the global aviation network, in which civil aircraft using the military base's starting strips, the longest I've ever seen; it was from here that the famous “flying fortresses” took off at the very end of World War II; "Hercules" are still launched from it, as well as long-range patrol aircraft equipped with electronic equipment."

Legend of Devil's Sea, photo which is illustrated below, claims that many aircraft that took off from Guam, both during the Second World War and today, disappeared without a trace in airspace over the Devil's Sea. Indeed, there have been reports of military aircraft crashing based in Guam, as well as several crashes of civilian aircraft en route to Guam. North America and to Australia, which occurred over the Pacific Ocean. There is no reliable information about the disappearance of civilian aircraft in the airspace over the Devil's Sea.
However, let's continue our review of the islands in the Devil's Sea. From the west, the water area is separated from the East China Sea by the chain of Ryukyu Islands. The islands are mountainous and covered with generous subtropical vegetation. Many of the islands are fringed by coral reefs, which are also covered with algae, so precautions are taken when swimming near the islands, especially in unfavorable sunlight. However, shipwrecks off the coast of Ryukyu are not uncommon. During the heyday Ancient China The Ryukyu Islands were the empire's mint. Cowries5, which had the function of money, were mined near them.

In the area of ​​the Ryukyu Islands there is active volcanic and seismic activity. Here are the centers of strong earthquakes and seaquakes, as a result of which the bottom topography significantly changes.

For all the island chains that we mention, it is natural that deep-sea trenches approach their eastern shores. Near the Nampo Islands there are the Izu-Bonin trenches with maximum depth 9985 m, then the Volcano Trench with a depth of up to 9156 m and, finally, the famous Mariana Trench with a maximum depth of 11022 m, which is also the maximum for the entire World Ocean.

There are also the Nansei Trench on the eastern side of the Ryukyu Islands with depths of up to 7790 m and a rival of the Mariana Trench - the Philippine Trench, which has long been considered the deepest. According to modern data, its greatest depth is 10,265 m. Deep-sea trenches were specially studied by oceanologists using various instruments, and in Mariana Trench The Trieste bathyscaphe was even launched. There are no mysterious phenomena associated with the gutters, and they do not play any role in creating the legend of dangerous and destructive natural processes.

Another thing is the active underwater volcanoes on the ocean floor of the Devil's Sea. The ocean floor is divided here by the Kyushu-Palau ridge stretching from north to south into the Philippine and Western Mariana basins. In both of these basins there are isolated conical rises of different heights - these are underwater volcanoes. Some of them have flat tops (they are called guyots), while others are crowned with peaks. These are active volcanoes. As we said, they pose a certain danger in the event of an eruption. However, we are talking mainly about volcanoes located near islands on uplifts of the bottom. Their peaks are located at shallow depths below ocean level.

The Devil's Sea and Undercurrents

In terms of active volcanic activity and seismicity, the geology of the Devil's Sea differs markedly from the geological features of the water area. At the same time, the “Devil's Sea” has some natural features similar to the waters of the Bermuda Triangle, but there are also differences.
The similarity in the dynamics of the waters is that, like the western part of the Sargasso Sea, the water area, which is called the “Devil’s Sea,” represents the western periphery of the northern subtropical anticyclonic gyre, formed by the northern jets of the North Trade Wind Current and the analogue of the Gulf Stream - the Kuroshio Current. This current is almost as fast as the Gulf Stream. Maritime historians give many examples of ships carried away by a storm being picked up by Kuroshio and carried to the shores of the New World. Various Japanese-made floats were often found here.

There is a peculiarity in the distribution of Kuroshio along the Japanese islands. To the south and east of Japan, two meanders constantly exist. They are explained by the features of the bottom topography. The one located to the south of the islands is cyclopean, developed above the rise of the bottom, and the eastern meander is anticiponic, associated with the location of the deep-sea Japan Trench. Along the Kurospo, as well as along the Gulf Stream, eddies are formed due to the destruction of smaller meanders. However, unlike the Gulf Stream, along the southern flank of Kurospo there are always anticyclonic eddies, into the field of which short-lived cyclonic eddies invade. By the way, in Japan there is also.

In the south of the water area there is a powerful Northern Trade Wind Current with a slow countercurrent located to the north and directed to the east.

In general, the waters of the “Devil’s Sea” are an area of ​​heated and salty waters. There are cases when people found themselves overboard as a result of a shipwreck, but managed to survive in warm water for a considerable time. But a person who finds himself overboard against his own will is threatened dangerous inhabitants ocean, and above all sharks, including the man-eating white shark. Poisonous fish, such as lionfish, as well as jellyfish, are often found near the coast, and in the open sea.
The waters abound with flying fish. Overall it is a more biologically productive area than the Bermuda Triangle, but the huge part called the Philippine Sea is perhaps as poor as the Sargasso Sea. Therefore, Japanese fishing vessels are concentrated in the northern part of the water area.

Sometimes you can catch a shell occupied by a small argonaut octopus, or rather an octopus, for which the shell is an incubator for gestating eggs. The large sapphirine copepods are amazingly beautiful, shimmering with a green and lilac sheen. The “dance” of these crustaceans is described by G. Adamov in the adventure story “The Secret of the Two Oceans.”

The waters of the Devil's Sea are generally much less polluted with petroleum products than the waters of the Bermuda Triangle, but off the coast of Japan it is significant. Here the waters are polluted with mercury and cadmium compounds, and the mercury content is two to three times higher than the natural background. Accumulating in bottom sediments, mercury can enter the bodies of benthic organisms, and through them into fish, which can cause serious poisoning.

Here, in the most general form, is what some of the natural features of the Devil’s Sea look like, which to one degree or another can shed light on shipwrecks.

The Devil's Sea and His Victims

A few words about the background of the name “Devil's Sea”. Apparently, it was invented by journalists, and American ones at that, since sensational reports appeared in the New York Times in the fifties. Japanese journalists picked up this name and “introduced” it into everyday life in the Japanese press.

The Yompuri Shimbun of January 14, 1955 states: “The place where the Shihyomaru died is called the “Devil’s Sea.” Over the course of five years, nine ships disappeared there. The reasons are unknown.

Since January 4, 1955, when radio contact with the fishing inspection vessel Shihyomaru was lost, the search for him has continued. For more than ten days there has been no news about the fate of 14 team members. The location of the disappearance of the vessel is approximately 30 miles southeast of Mikura Island. Over the past five years, about nine fishing vessels have disappeared in this area, and they began to call it the Devil’s Sea...” 0 It was further suggested that the cause of the death of the vessels could be associated “with the action of some unknown force generated by the “atomic age” ...” It was also cited a specific list of nine vessels that have disappeared in the area over the past five years.

So, initially, the “Devil’s Sea,” as follows from the publication, was the name for a relatively small area of ​​water south of the island of Honshu. However, this same publication contains a contradiction. In fact, only four of the ships mentioned in the list were lost near Mikura Island. The rest died far from the original “Devil's Sea”. Thus, “Guro Shio-maru No. 1” disappeared near the Ogasawara Islands, “Ko Zimaru” disappeared east of Iwo Jima Island, 800 miles from Hopshu Island, etc. Thus, the concept of “Devil’s Sea” has already spread to significantly large water area. A few years later, they began to talk about a huge space, including both the waters surrounding Japan and the Philippine Sea.

Interestingly, the reasons for the death of two of the nine ships were precisely known. "Kayo-maru", which was reported in connection with the action of an underwater volcano, was destroyed directly by the eruption or the resulting giant wave. The ship "Sho Huku-maru" sank 120 miles east of Mikura Island during a typhoon, having managed to send an "SOS" signal on the air. The remaining seven fishing vessels with a displacement of 62 to 190 tons disappeared, as legend says, for a mysterious reason.

However, even a quick look at the dates of the disappearances of the ships shows that they disappeared mainly in the winter months, when the likelihood of storms is very high. It was possible to find a mention of strong winds and waves raging in the areas of navigation of these ships on the days indicated in the list. It should be added that not all of them were equipped with reliable radio stations.

As for the fate of the fishing inspection vessel "Shihyo-maru", which was mentioned in the message of "Yomuri Shimbun" dated January 14, 1955, literally the next day, January 15, it arrived at the port of Uraga. It turned out that due to problems with the equipment, the ship could not go on the air and report its location. Great was the amazement of the crew when they were met on the shore as people from the other world. It would seem that everything is clear, but supporters of the legend did not cross off “Shiyo-maru” from the list of victims of the “Devil’s Sea”.

It must be said that in subsequent years in the area of ​​Japan, including in the “Devil’s Sea,” many fishing vessels went missing. But no one uses mysterious forces to explain it, and typhoons and storms brought by cyclones in temperate latitudes are blamed for everything. Ships also perish for other reasons, before they had time to send a distress signal on the air.

One of the most famous disasters in the Devil's Sea is the accident with the Norwegian tanker Berge Istra. Journalists called the tanker the biggest victim of the Devil's Sea. In December 1976, a tanker suddenly disappeared north of the Philippine Islands. His searches did not yield any results. The legend received serious reinforcement, especially since the disappearance of the Berge Istra did not occur in stormy weather. Various assumptions were made about the death of the tanker, including fantastic ones. However, ten days later the story became clearer. Philippine fishermen accidentally discovered a life raft containing a sailor from a sunken tanker. Based on his story, the true picture of the disaster was compiled. It turned out that the cause of the Berge Istra disaster was an explosion during work to clean the tanks with a water jet. The accident investigation commission concluded that hydrocarbons appeared in the lines and sparks were formed from induced static electricity.

The solution to the devil's sea

So, the “Devil's Sea” is an area of ​​the Pacific Ocean where there are no supernatural forces and mysterious phenomena that cause shipwrecks and airplane crashes. Ships and planes are lost here due to severe storms caused by typhoons and cyclopes of temperate latitudes. Sometimes the cause of shipwrecks can be natural dangers near islands and straits, as well as eruptions of underwater volcanoes.

From May 6 to July 1987, I had the opportunity to participate in an expedition on the research vessel “Dmitry Mendeleev” in the very center of the Philippine Sea. By the way, the name Philippine Sea appeared on maps only in the 20th century. The origin of the name is obvious - the proximity to the Philippine Islands.

The first Europeans to cross the Philippine Sea were the sailors of Magellan's expedition, who sailed from the Mariana Islands on March 10, 1521. They were depressed by the lifelessness of the ocean waters stretching out before them and the complete absence of seabirds. Fortunately, the transition was short-lived, and a few days later land appeared in the west - many picturesque green islands, called by Magellan the Islands of St. Lazarus. However, they were soon renamed Philippine in honor of the Infante, and then the Spanish King Philip II.

I can confirm the observations of Spanish sailors of the 16th century: during two and a half months of our work in the Philippine Sea, we never saw seabirds in the sky, the ocean also constantly remained deserted: without splashes of dolphins or coryphens, without sea turtles. In these tropical waters, rare schools of flying fish were seen only twice, without which the tropics are simply unthinkable. All around are lifeless blue waters.

It is no wonder that Filipino fishermen picked up a sailor from the Berge Istra tanker in extremely serious condition. During his time wandering in the Philippine Sea without food supplies or fresh water, he only managed to quench his thirst twice during the rains. The famous Alain Bombar was in a much better position, sailing on a rubber boat in the tropical Atlantic: he managed to catch fish and even catch a seabird. In addition, with the help of a special net, he caught plankton, which was difficult to eat (not to say disgusting) out of habit, but it provided the vitamin C necessary for the body.
T. Heyerdahl's companion on the Kon-Tiki raft, Swede Bengt Danielson, jokingly recommended that everyone who finds themselves overboard against their will and naturally does not have a plankton net, use an ordinary sock instead, lowering the latter into the water on a rope behind the stern of the life-saving craft. However, this recommendation is not for the Philippine Sea, the content of plankton in the surface layer of which is negligible.

First of all, let's take microscopic algae - phytoplankton, which represents the very beginning of the food chain in all bodies of water. The development of phytoplankton is unthinkable without the process of photosynthesis, which requires sunlight. The clear tropical sun is shining over the Philippine Sea. I think it is more unmerciful than in the same latitudes over land, because the “ocean” atmosphere, devoid of aerosol particles, is approximately three times more transparent, and clouds above the ocean are even five times more transparent.

Under such conditions, with very high light intensity, a depression in the rate of photosynthesis occurs and, as a consequence, inhibition of algae. Water temperature also has a significant effect, especially at high light intensity. Under conditions of excess sunlight, the rate of photosynthesis first increases with increasing temperature and then sharply decreases. Moreover, even a slight increase in temperature under such light conditions leads to rapid cell death.
The development of planktonic algae is also influenced by sufficient mineral nutrition. Nitrogen and phosphorus compounds occupy a particularly important position here, since they are part of protein molecules and participate in the regulation of intracellular metabolism.

The Philippine Sea is exceptionally poor in nitrogen and phosphorus compounds near the surface. Replenishment of these essential elements for life from deep, richer waters is difficult due to a decrease in turbulent exchange, vertical currents and “detachment” of the upper layer due to long periods of low windy weather. This is how the “lifeless” is created in the Philippine Sea upper layer: on the one hand, due to excess light and high temperature, and on the other, due to lack of mineral nutrition. Probably, without phytoplankton there is no zooplankton, at least in sufficient quantities.

Only at night does the Philippine Sea come to life. It sparkles with lights. It is shrimps, euphusid crustaceans, and myctophids that rise to the surface from the dark depths. Usually in tropical waters at night, attracted by the light of ship sources, squids come aboard. Hiding in the shadows under the ship, they make rapid raids into the illuminated area, quickly deal with the prey - flying fish or glowing anchovies - and disappear again. But in the Philippine Sea, both are found only in coastal waters.

The area of ​​our work in the Philippine Sea was a real cradle where tropical cyclones were born, and we were able to trace their formation and development.

The Philippine Sea is a mass of very warm tropical waters. In June here we recorded a surface water temperature of 31.4°C, and in July the surface ocean temperature increased by another degree. Such high water temperatures contribute to the formation of tropical cyclones. When water vapor condenses, a very large amount of heat is released, imparting colossal energy to the cyclonic vortex.

Sailors have an expression called “threatening weather,” which is used to judge the approach of a storm. The air is humid and stuffy. The entire eastern half of the horizon is covered with dark, ominous clouds. As darkness fell on July 9, lightning could be seen blazing. The air seemed to be electrified, as if before a good thunderstorm. Indeed, the expedition forecaster noted on the weather maps a tropical depression approaching the area of ​​our work, which literally “before our eyes” metamorphosed: the next day it was already a strong tropical storm, and was soon declared Typhoon “Thelma”.

The typhoon moved somewhat north of us, but we can say that we were direct eyewitnesses of the development and change in its stage. During the day, the typhoon, when it moved in the latitudinal direction, traveled about 300 miles and only after turning to the north acquired a speed of up to 500 miles or more. Thelma had the lowest pressure at its center, equal to 915 mbar, on July 11, when we were only 100 miles from the “core” of the typhoon. We learned about the further fate of “Thelma” on the radio.

On July 13, the typhoon turned north and reached the Korean Peninsula in two days. According to reports from South Korea, 335 people died, more than 15 thousand houses were destroyed, many hundreds of fishing vessels were sunk. The government of this country brought to justice the meteorological service, which failed to predict the arrival of a terrible disaster.

Soviet Far Eastern weather forecasters, who closely monitored the movement of Thelma, warned in advance of the approach of the typhoon. It was noted that typhoons usually pass Primorye in July. However, Thelma chose a different path. The last time a July typhoon hit Soviet Primorye was along the same unusual path 35 years ago.

In the correspondence of V. Efimov in the radio newspaper “Soviet Sailor” on July 19, it is reported: “The Khasap region suffered more than others from the onslaught of the elements, although most“Thelma” squandered its strength over our southern neighbors, where human casualties were even noted. In our country, the typhoon “filled up” and came out with torrential rains. In less than 10 hours, the Khasap region received a monthly rainfall norm.
Thanks to timely measures taken, it was possible not only to withstand the onslaught of the elements, but also at the very short term eliminate the damage caused, establish radio communications, electricity supply, normal functioning of bakeries and public catering outlets.”

It is curious that the typhoon is not only a destroyer, but also a creator at the same time. Passing over the water surface, it affects ocean depths After a typhoon, a “cold trail” remains. This typhoon, as it were, “sucks” colder deep waters, rich in nutritious salts, to the surface, stimulating the development of plankton. It is also known that typhoons are accompanied by heavy rainfall. And then, in our Primorsky Territory, streams saturated with nutrients flow from the hills and hills, providing favorable conditions for the spawning and development of salmon fish in coastal rivers.

It’s probably worth talking about the future. It is assumed that in the next century, an increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the resulting increase in the average temperature of the planet will make tropical cyclones more destructive. According to a model developed by K. Emanuel of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the strength of tropical cyclones born, for example, in the Philippine Sea, where the water temperature rises by several degrees, will increase by 50%.

Our planet holds millions of secrets both on land and in the waters that defy logical explanation. Legends about missing ships and ghost ships appearing in these places, sailing without control or commands of sailors, have turned these places into mysteries. And although the infamous Bermuda Triangle tops this list, there are other places on our planet that are shrouded in mystery and mysticism. The Devil's Sea, also known as the Dragon's Triangle, is one such place, a place out of the nightmares of sailors riding the waves of the Pacific Ocean.

Located off the coast of Japan in the Pacific Ocean, the Devil's Sea (ma no umi in Japanese) is one of the twelve mystical places, the so-called “vile vortices” scattered throughout the planet. The "vile vortex" is a place where the Earth's magnetic field is much stronger than anywhere else. As its name suggests, the Dragon Triangle is shaped like a triangle connecting Japan and the Bonin Islands, which also occupies most of the Philippine Sea.

Geographically, the triangle is located around Miyake, a Japanese island located one hundred kilometers from Tokyo. However, the exact location of the Devil's Sea is not known, as different reports present different figures and different information about its location. Some say it is 110 kilometers from east coast Japan, while others claim it lies off Iwo Jima, a Japanese volcanic island 1,200 kilometers off the Japanese coast. Since the Devil's Sea is not officially included on the world map, its actual size and perimeter remain unknown.

The Dragon Triangle is also called the Bermuda Triangle of the Pacific, thus defining its location - it is located in direct proportion to the Bermuda Triangle - and its similarity to the Bermuda Triangle in paranormal phenomena occurring in their territory. The notoriety of this place arose and spread not by chance - for many decades, and even centuries, if you believe some reports, inexplicable things happened there. This area appears again and again in news broadcasts as an area where, for unknown reasons, ships disappear without a trace. Legends say that the waters of this triangle are cursed and cause even the strongest and largest ships to disappear along with their crew.

Notable Incidents in the Devil's Sea

The conqueror Kublai Khan, the fifth Great Khan and grandson of Genghis Khan, is said to have attempted raids on Japan in 1274 and 1281 AD. However, they were not successful, since the Khan lost his ships and 40,000 sailors in the Drakensberg Triangle area, according to official version, due to typhoons. After Kublai Khan gave up trying to conquer Japan, the Japanese decided that God, saving Japan, specifically sent typhoons to the Mongol army. Later, marine archaeologists and divers discovered the remains of the Mongol fleet in that region. Another story tells us about a mysterious girl cutting through the Devil's sea on a ship in the early 19th century. It is said that this ship was similar to a traditional Japanese incense burning device. However, the direction of movement and the type of ship are still unknown.

In the 1940s and 1950s, several fishing boats and about five warships were lost at sea between Miyake Island and Iwo Jima. Then Japan sent the research ship Kayo-maru No. 5 in 1952 to investigate the disappearance of ships in the Devil's Sea area. However, the research ship and its entire crew of 31 sailors suffered the same fate as the previous ships that went into the Devil's Sea. Later it became known about the crash of Kayo-maru No. 5, but the approximate location of the team remained a mystery. Following this incident, Japanese authorities declared the area dangerous for maritime and commercial vessels. In addition, after such an unprecedented incident, all attempts to find out the truth about the missing ships in the area were completely stopped.

Origins of the psychic myth of the Devil's Sea

First of all, the concept of “dragon” in the name of the triangle originates from Chinese legends about dragons living under water. According to these legends, sea dragons attack sea ships passing by to satisfy their hunger. These legends were composed back in the second millennium BC. With their emphasis on the existence of mythical creatures similar to dragons, these legends influenced the history of the triangle, from which it was called "dragon".

Likewise, the Japanese name "Ma no umi", meaning "devil sea", was originally coined by Japanese peasants when paranormal phenomena in the sea became widely known. For many centuries, prejudices associated with the Devil's Sea have haunted the Japanese, who do not venture into this cursed area.

Other explanations for the Devil's Sea mystery

In addition to the legends and myths about the Devil's Sea, there are also scientific hypotheses and explanations of the mystical events of this region. Several attempts have also been made to unravel the mystery of the so-called paranormal phenomenon.

Scientists such as Ivan Sanderson have suggested that the disappearance of ships in this particular region is due to the collision of warm and cold currents. In his opinion, this leads to electromagnetic anomalies, into which passing ships fall.

Another hypothesis suggests that volcanic eruptions in the area may also have contributed to the disappearance of the ships. This version also explains the origin of fire dragons that swallow ships and carry them into the depths of the sea. According to scientists, due to the numerous underwater volcanoes and high seismic activity in this area, some islands often disappear without a trace and also suddenly appear.

According to another scientific study, the anomalies that occur in the triangle are the result of natural phenomena. Researchers in this area have found that the seabed contains methane hydrate, which creates bubbles when it erupts to the surface, while white sediment also separates from the seabed when it erupts. These eruptions can disrupt the progress of the ship and also destroy it without a trace.

However, in 1989, American author and paranormal investigator Charles Berlitz wrote the book "Dragons Triangle" after long and thorough research into paranormal activity in the Devil's Sea. According to these studies, the incident with the disappearance of five Japanese warships due to “otherworldly forces” resulted in the death of several hundred thousand people (a bit too much, just an underwater cemetery).

Later, questioning Charles' research into the mystical nature of the Devil's Sea, Larry Kush published the book The Bermuda Triangle: The Mystery Solved in 1995. In it, Kush rejects the idea that the missing Japanese ships were military ones. In his opinion, these were fishing boats.

In his book, Kush also says that the survey ship sent by the Japanese after the missing ships had only 31 sailors on board versus Charles' claim of hundreds, and that the ship was wrecked in an underwater volcanic eruption in September 1952, rather than disappearing as it was said. Charles. The remains of the ship were discovered by Japanese scientists several years ago, which also disproves Charles' theory.

There are many hypotheses and assumptions associated with the Bermuda Triangle of the Pacific Ocean. But despite all the scientific research and the mythical aura surrounding it, it continues its mystical existence, which once again proves that some phenomena on our planet still remain beyond human understanding and control.