Bermuda's geography

Bermuda is surrounded by ocean.  It is the remnant of an underwater volcano.  If you look at a mariner's chart of Bermuda, you can see the caldera of that volcano defined by the water depth.  Think of an oval, 20 miles by 10 miles with a rim about 45 miles in diameter.

Bermuda is the northernmost coral reef in the world and coral has grown along that oval rim. The coral on the southeastern part of that rim is slightly above water. That part of the reef that is above water is the island of Bermuda.  The rest of the coral rim is the reef that has claimed scores of ships over the centuries.Outside the reef, as you go down the slope of the volcano, the water goes to 200, 300 meters or more within a mile or so. Inside the reef, there are narrow channels for the ships to enter, but water is typically between 1 and 10 meters. Note that there is really only one place to enter the reef if you are a large ship. The reef itself laps the surface at places.

Shakespeare's The Tempest is considered to have been inspired by wrecks on Bermuda.

The reef and wrecks make great diving.  I've made about 30 wreck dives this summer.

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