Green Banana Hole


The Green Banana Hole is a blue hole located off the coast, southwest of Sarasota, Florida. The rim of the hole is approximately below the surface, and extends down approximated. The blue holes in this area are thought to have formed as sinkholes on land 8,000 to 12,000 years ago. Due to lower sea levels at this time, the Florida coastline extended approximately farther into the ocean from its present location. The vertical shape of the hole is roughly like an hourglass, making it especially difficult to explore. It is one of the deepest blue holes known to exist.

Etymology

The origin of the name Green Banana has been reported as coming from the captain of a commercial fishing boat who while fishing in the area of the hole saw a green banana skin floating in the water.

Exploration

In August 2020 and May 2021 scientists from NOAA, Mote Marine Laboratory, and other regional scientific organizations will conduct a research expedition to the site where divers and crew using specially designed instruments will explore the hole. Scientists and engineers have built an instrument package called a benthic lander. The lander is a triangular-shaped prism that will be lowered into the hole and will have the expeditions instruments mounted inside. The researchers will gather data about the structure of the hole as well as information about the seawater chemistry and the marine life living inside the hole. The team also hopes to gather information about any possible connection between the many blue holes that exist off the coast of Florida and the Floridan aquifer system. This expedition is part of a three-year study and will build on the information and experience gathered from an earlier expedition to the Amberjack Hole.