What do you think is the most isolated place from humanity? Antarctica? Perhaps, but there is a location that is even more surprising.
Sometimes do you wish to forget everything? When daily life becomes too overwhelming, do you want to escape far from the world? There are a few choices for you, and don’t be surprised – Antarctica, for example.
However, if you have survival skills at sea, there is no better place for you than the most remote point from land on Earth, also known as “Point Nemo“ – the Unreachable Pole.
What is Point Nemo?
Point Nemo, or the Unreachable Pole of the ocean, is located at the precise coordinates of 48°52.6′S 123°23.6′W and is the most distant point from land in the entire ocean.
The closest landmasses to Point Nemo include Ducie Island to the north, Easter Island to the east, and Antarctica to the south.
Location of the Unreachable Pole.
Point Nemo is so far from land that the closest humans to this point are often astronauts in space. The International Space Station (ISS) orbits at a maximum distance of 416km from Earth, while the nearest inhabited land to this point is 2,700km away – Pitcairn Island, a British territory.
There are no airports in this area, so the only mode of transportation is by ship. Even with the fastest ships today, it takes about 15 days, 10 hours, and 37 minutes to reach this location.
Who discovered Point Nemo?
Point Nemo was first discovered by survey engineer Hrvoje Lukatela in 1992. Once his discovery was published, the location gained fame and attracted significant attention worldwide.
The name of this pole originates from a character in a book that Lukatela loved as a child, Captain Nemo from Jules Verne’s novel “Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.”
Has anyone ever visited Point Nemo?
In reality, the chance of anyone visiting this remote location is practically zero, as even the person who discovered it has never set foot there; all exploration has been conducted through computer programs.
Moreover, according to expert Steven D’Hondt, Point Nemo is the least diverse area of ocean life in the world. At this point, there is no diversity of species, and no surface or ocean floor, making it a space that is nearly “lifeless.”
This phenomenon occurs because it is located in the South Pacific Gyre, a massive rotating current that prevents nutrient-rich waters from reaching the area.
“Space Cemetery” of the world
In fact, Point Nemo and its surrounding area are quite famous among space agencies.
Specifically, the space agencies of Russia, Europe, and Japan have long used this site as a “dumping ground,” simply because it is far from populated areas and rarely frequented by ships. Over a hundred decommissioned spacecraft have descended into this “graveyard,” from satellites and cargo ships to the decommissioned Mir space station.
This is also the resting place of the Mir space station.
Let’s say they land gently, but in reality, all are calculated to… fall freely into this area.
So… is there any life there?
In 1997, oceanographers recorded a mysterious sound 2000km east of Point Nemo. This discovery excited some while causing fear in others. The sound “bloop” was even louder than that produced by a blue whale – leading to speculation that it might be emitted by some sea monster.
However, the “Bloop” sound was confirmed to be created by a large iceberg. When a massive iceberg cracks and breaks, it generates a type of low-frequency sound that is very loud. Recordings from avalanches also produce similar results to the “Bloop.”
If not a sea monster, then what lives there?
So if it’s not a sea monster, what could possibly live there? According to oceanographer Steven D’Hondt from the University of Rhode Island, there are hardly any species present.
However, a study published in 2013 confirmed that there is a “garbage patch” that appears here. The area with the most trash is located at the center, about 1550km northeast of Point Nemo.
Indeed, even the “Unreachable Pole” is not free from human traces.
Point Nemo is the lost city of R’lyeh in the Cthulhu Mythos
Before the cause of “The Bloop” was explained, science fiction enthusiasts believed that a mysterious creature was lurking beneath the ocean. This hypothesis was created based on the short story, The Call of Cthulhu by author H.P. Lovecraft.
Science fiction fans believe Point Nemo is the lost city of R’lyeh
According to descriptions, this creature has a grotesque appearance due to being a hybrid of many different species. Its face features octopus tentacles combined with that of a dragon, while its body resembles that of a human but is of gigantic size.
In the story, the monster resides in the Pacific Ocean, in a sunken city called R’lyeh. Coincidentally, the coordinates of this city (47°09’S 126°43’W) are extremely close to Point Nemo and the location of the “Bloop” sound, despite the short story being written 64 years before the discovery of Point Nemo.
