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Travel+Leisure

Kayakers Discover 'Underground Infinity Pool' in Remote Ireland Cave (Video)

Talia Avakian
2 min read

Earth is home to some incredible natural sights, especially if you happen to be in the right place at the right time.

This was the case for kayaker, rock climber, and guidebook author Iain Miller, who recently filmed footage of a stunning natural phenomenon that occurs in the caves hidden beneath Owey Island off the western coast of Donegal in Ireland.

The video showcases what Miller refers to on his website as the “Blue Lagoon effect,” when the sun happens to directly hit the cave’s mouth at the right position and angle, causing the cave’s waters to take on a bright blue glow while its walls light up in shades of red, purple, orange, and pink.

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“Any object in the water looks like it is suspended in air; an underground infinity pool is the resulting effect,” Miller wrote. “The whole effect looks like an explosion of light and is a surreal natural phenomenon to witness firsthand”.

To catch the phenomenon on video, Miller and his colleagues paddled out at around 5 a.m. to what Miller says is the largest of the sea caves on Owey, waiting for about an hour until the sun arrived and illuminated the cave. The phenomenon lasted for around 40 minutes until clouds rolled in, casting the cave back into its typical dark state.

Related: Extraordinary Caves You Can Snorkel, Dive, and Hike in Around the World

Viewing this occurrence requires planning and a bit of luck as it tends to only last for a short time at sunrise during mid-summer, Miller said: "With a little bit of planning, nautical guile and good luck, it is possible to visit almost any sea cave at the right time and conditions to witness this Blue Lagoon effect."

Travelers should be conscious that visiting these caves can quickly become dangerous, and nautical expertise and the right weather conditions are required to safely maneuver them.

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