Top 30 Strangest Things Found in the Ocean

Top-30-Creepiest-Things-Found-in-the-Ocean

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the weirdest and most unexpected discoveries that were made in or near the ocean. We’ll be excluding creepy-looking aquatic animals, as they deserve a list of their own.

#30: Christ of the Abyss
While some creepy discoveries have been formed by nature, humans have also contributed their own fair share. The Christ of the Abyss refers to three bronze statues scattered across the globe, the most unsettling of which lurks in the Mediterranean sea, near the coast of Italy. This particular statue was installed in the same area where a diver tragically drowned, creating a permanent legacy for him. Due to its sheer magnitude, the sight of the statue’s arms stretched towards the surface is breathtaking and haunting all at once. Before its repair in 2003, corrosion and other natural occurrences had morphed the art piece into nightmare fuel. Thankfully, it looks more normal now, but beholding it can still send shivers down one’s spine.

#29: Cancún Underwater Museum
Beautiful, unnerving, and fighting for a good cause— what more could you want from art? The Cancún Underwater Museum was created to advocate for the conservation of coral reefs in the area, which had been damaged by tourists. The goal was to direct traffic to areas with concrete reefs instead, while still giving them something gorgeous to view. The museum has collected and placed hundreds of sculptures below the surface, each one depicting a human interacting with the environment in some capacity. It’s a great way of highlighting the relationship between the two forces, while reminding the viewer of humanity’s negative impact as well. The result is a powerful tour that’s guaranteed to stick with you long after you visit.

#28: The Ourang Medan
Who doesn’t love a good mystery? Everything about this legend— from the ship itself to the crew aboard it— remains an enigma. In the 1940s, the Ourang Medan was supposedly found in the Strait of Malacca after sending out a distress signal. The message was simple yet terrifying: everyone on board had died, and the sender knew they were next. When help arrived, it was too late. The vessel was filled with corpses, their faces frozen in expressions of sheer terror. With no visible injuries, speculation ran wild. Some suggested carbon monoxide poisoning, others blamed the ship’s own toxic cargo. However, none of these theories have been verified, leaving the alleged fates of the crew in perpetual uncertainty.

#27: A Bag of Human Hands
Picture this: you’re strolling along the beach, only to stumble upon a severed human hand. Finding just one is terrifying enough, so when a bag containing 27 pairs of hands was discovered on a Siberian island in 2018, it quickly became an international sensation. The question on everyone’s mind was “Who did these hands belong to?” Several conspiracies were tossed around, from medical research to a twisted form of justice. Eventually, the Russian government stepped in to clarify. They explained that the appendages had come from cadavers at a medical lab, which had been improperly disposed of. Sure, this explanation was less sinister than the wild theories— but if you ask us, we’d rather just find a seashell on the seashore.

#26: The Neptune Memorial Reef
There’s no wrong way to grieve. The Neptune Memorial Reef provides a unique way to honor the deceased. It’s a man-made underwater reef that lies just off the coast of Florida, consisting of structures that are made from cremated human remains mixed with cement. This allows the departed to become part of something bigger, and to enjoy a peaceful burial at sea. The site can be accessed by divers and aquatic life, creating a wonderful final resting place and a slightly ominous tourist destination. It has gained such fame that even well-known figures, like renowned chef Julia Child, have been laid to rest there. The reef was built to withstand even the fiercest storms, ensuring that the memorial remains undisturbed.

#25: Bimini Road
Even something as simple as a rock formation can be disconcerting. Near the island of Bimini lies a supposedly natural phenomenon— a series of stones in a perfect linear formation. Despite seeming nondescript, they’ve been the cause of countless debates within the scientific community. Everything about it has been questioned, from its age to how it ended up below the depths in the first place. Some are convinced it’s a manmade structure, and believe it could be the remains of an ancient road. Meanwhile, the opposing side is adamant that it’s a natural formation that could be well over 3,000 years old. The lack of any definitive evidence has helped this become one of the most well-known nautical enigmas.

#24: Undersea Rivers
Just when we think we’ve seen it all, nature still has a way of throwing us a curveball. Deep beneath the surface of two recorded bodies of water lies a surprise— rivers flowing within them. This marvel is still being studied, but the news has already taken the world by storm. The original was found in 2010 within the depths of the Black Sea, and another, called the Cenote Angelita, was found in the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Are these separate bodies of water or just a slight illusion caused by varying amounts of salinity? One glance at the pictures reveals how surreal and awe-inspiring they are— a true reminder of how unpredictable the world can be.

#23: Las Cruces de Malpique
In the 1500s, pirates practically owned the seas, making nautical travel dangerous. One Jesuit ship learned this the hard way, when they left the Canary Islands for a missionary trip and never returned. They had been attacked and boarded by a French pirate ship, who stole their goods and ship, before tossing the poor crew overboard and leaving them to a watery grave. Over two centuries later, Pope Benedict XIV declared the lost men martyrs. That still wasn’t enough— in 2000, they were finally given a proper send off. 40 crosses were placed in the waters where they passed, finally giving them a permanent resting place. Tourists can even visit the site and see the crucifixes for themselves— if they dare.

#22: Corryvreckan Maelstrom
Whirlpools may be a natural occurrence— but one that seemingly never stops is enough to pique someone’s interest. Located near the shores of Scotland, the Corryvreckan maelstrom constantly rages on. It’s the third largest whirlpool known to man, making its constant movements all the more interesting and startling. The current is so strong that only certain life can be sustained there, with every organism having to be resilient in order to thrive. It’s unknown how or when this came to be, leading to several myths being spread about the violent pool. Daring tourists can even take a tour to see it up close and sail directly into it, giving them a taste of what being ensnared in it would feel like.

#21: Mummified Body of Manfred Fritz Bajorat
Forget creepy— some discoveries at sea are purely horrifying. While fishing in the Philippine Sea, a crew was about to head home for the night when they saw something in the distance. It was a ship that had reportedly been missing. When they climbed aboard and investigated, it appeared to be abandoned. However, the real shock came when they ventured below deck. There, they discovered the remains of the boat’s owner, Manfred Fritz Bajorat, which had been mummified due to the dry, salty conditions. He had died of a heart attack. What makes the situation even more tragic is that his death occurred only a week prior– meaning he might have been found safe had he drifted there sooner.

#20: 87 WWII Mortars Found at Calshot Beach
When visiting the beach, people are usually wary of jellyfish and maybe the occasional broken bottle, but nobody ever expects to find bombs. In 2011, Calshot beach became the site of a shocking discovery, as 87 World War II mortars made their presence known. The Royal Navy came in to handle the explosives, with an expert remarking how unusual it is to discover so many. The ocean hides its secrets well; someone could be enjoying a lovely day at the beach, completely oblivious to the fact that dozens of mortars are submerged close by.

#19: Indian Lost City Near Mahabalipuram
In late 2004, the Boxing Day Tsunami hit the Indian coast, including the Mahabalipuram port city in Tamil Nadu. As the sealine pulled back, eyewitnesses spoke of underwater buildings that temporarily appeared, a claim strengthened by the fact the tsunami unearthed various relics on the shore. In due time, an explorative team managed to back up these eyewitness accounts, although the building remnants were naturally quite damaged. Myth has it that Mahabalipuram once had seven temples, with only one building remaining on dry land. Regardless of what the truth might be, the power of the ocean to wipe parts of civilization off the map and perhaps even history is frightening.

#18: Ice Finger of Death
Certain phenomenons happen in such specific circumstances and difficult-to-reach locations that they are rarely seen directly. Occurring in the ice-cold polar regions, Brinicles are the result of brine escaping from sea ice into the ocean. As the brine makes its way to the ocean bed, it freezes the seawater along the way, leaving a frozen finger of death in its wake. The death part refers to the sea creatures who cannot quite react quickly enough to get out of the ice's way. Like the ocean itself, this phenomenon can be both beautiful and dangerous.

#17: Trainwreck Under the Sea
For this entry’s look into the creepy objects that await us in the abyss of the ocean, we have a locomotive graveyard located off the coast of New Jersey. Divers and archeologists discovered two rare locomotives under 90 feet of water in 1985. Making this even more strange is the fact that these ancient trains are from the 1850s! Exactly how the locomotives got there is still up for debate. Researchers believe that a storm was the cause of their disappearance when they were being transported on a barge from Boston. There are hopes to resurface and restore the two trains but as things stand, no concrete plans are in place to lift these 15 ton behemoths up from their ocean graveyard. For now, they make for quite the creepy diving landmark.

#16: SS Thistlegorm
Sunken ships litter the ocean floor. While mother nature has played a part in many disasters, plenty of ships have met their ends through warfare. In 1941, the SS Thistlegorm went down in the Red Sea after being subjected to a military onslaught. After a 15 year wait, Jacques Cousteau discovered the steam ship's wreckage. While the explorer and his team salvaged a few items, most of the cargo can be found memorialized in the ocean. Photos of the SS Thistlegorm wreckage are haunting, a reflection of the fact the ship went down during one of humanity's darkest eras.

#15: A Village from the Stone Age
The next stop on our journey under the waves takes us to an ancient Neolithic village. Submerged under the Mediterranean Sea, the New Stone Age settlement known as Atlit Yam is located off the coast of Alit, Israel. Carbon dated somewhere between 8900 and 8300 years old, this once-populated place gives off some really spooky vibes. It’s believed that a volcano that triggered a tsunami in nearby cities is what also led to the sudden desertion of the inhabitants of this society. As well, there is some research pointing to rising sea levels at the time as to the cause of Atlit Yam’s demise. Adding to its eeriness are unearthed skeletons and burial sites. Archeologists have also found piles of fish ready to trade that were quickly abandoned, making scientists believe Atlit Yam had to be abandoned quickly.

#14: Sunken City of Cuba or Just Nature?
In 2001, explorers recorded sonar images of unusual stone formations close to the Guanahacabibes Peninsula in Cuba. The designs and placements of the structures gave them a man-made aesthetic, one that suggested a long lost city. Further studies didn't add weight to this theory, as marine geologists estimated the city would have needed to sink during an era when such buildings were not possible. Some speculate the structures are remnants of a submerged island, while others believe it is just nature throwing humanity a curveball; either way, the ocean has probably taken the truth down with it.

#13: Black Smoke Stacks
For this creepy item, we will have to take a deep dive under the waters off the coast of the Galapagos Islands. Giant hydrothermal vents that spew black smoke were first discovered here in 1976. These black smokers, which can reach sizes of almost 200 feet, are found between 8200 to 9800 feet under the sea. When superheated water from below the Earth’s crust meets the cold ocean water, the ominous black smoke is formed. The superheated water can reach temperatures as high as 752 degrees Fahrenheit! These vents also host various types of sea life, such as aquatic snails, shrimp and giant tube worms, which survive off bacteria that use the minerals found within the water from the smoke clouds.

#12: Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon
Located off the coast of Chuuk Lagoon - an area previously called Truk Atoll - is a watery graveyard littered with sunken military ships, planes, vehicles and more. That’s because this area, which is found north-east of New Guinea, was the site of Operation Hailstone, a surprise attack against the Japanese fleet during World War Two. This air and surface attack saw the sinking of over 40 ships and hundreds of other land and air vehicles. The ghost fleet now acts as a tourist attraction for many divers every year, who tell of their experience at Chuuk Lagoon by sharing stories of towering empty battleships reclaimed by coral and fish. Be warned: human remains have even been found amongst the wreckage.

#11: Baltic Sea Anomaly
When in doubt, blame it on aliens. In 2011, a treasure-hunting operation produced sonar images of a seafloor formation with an otherworldly aesthetic. Known as the Baltic Sea anomaly, the formation sent ripples across the internet due to it bearing a resemblance to the Millennium Falcon from "Star Wars." The sonar image's low quality made it difficult to discern most of the formation's details, and geologists were quick to point out that nature can get imaginative with its creations. As exciting as it is to imagine UFOs crash landing into the Baltic Sea, the fact remains that the ocean is still mostly unexplored. What else is just waiting to be discovered?

#10: Thonis-Heracleion
The sea does not discriminate. A major port city in ancient Egypt, Thonis-Heracleion consisted of small islands connected through water channels. Historians believe the city was extremely relevant for hundreds of years, although its importance would wane after the 4th century BC. Over nearly a thousand years, the sea would gradually consume Thonis-Heracleion, leaving only ruined temples and other artifacts for researchers to discover. Once upon a time, Thonis-Heracleion was a bustling port that played a crucial role in an expansive civilization; nowadays, only fragments of the city and its legacy remain, the rest washed away by the water.

#9: Great Blue Hole
Here, we have a giant underwater sinkhole filled with… sharks! Dropping down to a gut-wrenching depth of 407 feet, the Great Blue Hole is as terrifying as it is amazing. Jacques Cousteau, the renowned French explorer, ranked The Great Blue Hole as one of the world’s top five diving destinations after making his own trip there. Divers can find various species of fish, like the midnight parrotfish, swimming around in this massive sinkhole, located off the coast of Belize. Though it’s obviously beautiful, an underwater dive into the Great Blue Hole can also be scary thanks to the presence of reef sharks, bull sharks, and hammerhead sharks, which can be seen in its crystal clear waters.

#8: Yonaguni Monument
Everything returns to nature in due time. Discovered in the 1980s near Japan's Yonaguni Island, the Yonaguni Monument has divided scientists ever since. Reminiscent of a step pyramid, some geologists have explored the idea that the Yonaguni Monument could be a lost city, even reporting the existence of carvings on some of the surfaces. This explanation is, however, just a theory, as the Yonaguni Monument could also be a natural formation. This element of the unknown is the creepiest part, as the ocean has the power to scrub the traces of humanity from a city or forge a structure that can pass for man-made.

#7: The Lost City of Dwarka
The ancient kingdom of Krishna, Dvārakā, was once located in what’s now known as modern-day Dwarka in northwest India. Legend has it that Krishna settled and administered his kingdom in this Lost City of Dwarka, which was a flourishing port city that’s believed to have been lost when it was submerged under the sea. Historical records date the ancient city all the way back to 574 A.D.. However, 20th century archeological findings of ruins featuring ancient sculptures and pottery have linked them to a city state that could have existed as early as 1500 B.C.! Picture and video footage taken from the site are absolutely breathtaking, while the very recognizable stone streets and buildings make for a simultaneously awesome and creepy experience.

#6: Spanish Galleon San José
This story of this sunken treasure begins all the way back in 1708 off the coast of Cartagena, Colombia. The enormous Spanish galleon San José was part of a treasure fleet. Laden with gold, silver, emeralds and other gemstones collected from Spain's South American colonies, the San José was sunk in battle off the coast of Cartagena. Its specific location is now a closely guarded secret due to its estimated value of 17 billion dollars! Along with all the treasure that made its way to the bottom of the ocean, so did all but 11 of its 600-strong crew. Plans are currently being drawn up to retrieve the treasure, but many obstacles still remain. In May 2024, the Colombian Institute of Anthropology and History began the first stage of recovering items from the wreck site.

#5: The Turtle Graveyard
As the ocean is overflowing with life, there naturally has to be just as much death. In a cave near Sipadan Island rests the bones of deceased turtles and even a dolphin, animals who met a grim end after getting lost in the tunnels. The Turtle Tomb delivers bones and plenty of them, preserving the animals' remains for curious divers. Skeletons are creepy enough on their own, but the horror is enhanced by the visual of a living turtle struggling to escape a cave that is quickly morphing into its coffin.

#4: Antikythera Mechanism
Next up we have a 2000-year-old analogue computer that is shrouded in mystery. In the early 1900s, divers found a corroded, emerald green, clock-shaped mechanism at the site of an ancient Roman shipwreck off the coast of Antikythera, an island north of Crete. Believed to have been used to track the paths of the sun, moon, and the planets, the true use of the Antikythera Mechanism had left researchers baffled for many years. In 2006, CT scans of the bronze mechanism were published, giving details on what’s written on it and what’s inside of it. Researchers are still working to decipher its hidden inscriptions and make sense of many of the missing parts. The Antikythera Mechanism really goes to show how many surprises are sitting, waiting to be discovered down in the cold watery depths.

#3: Giant Mysterious Eyeball
You're not going to believe your eyes - or should we say eye, when you see this. A single humongous eyeball, about the size of a softball, was found washed up on Pompano Beach in Florida in the early 2010s. The eyeball soon became the focus of a lot of speculation and research. At first, many thought the eyeball belonged to a large fish, like tuna or deepwater fish. After some research, it came to be believed that the eye may come from a giant squid. But a later discovery of bones around the eye, as well as more analysis, ruled out the giant squid conclusion. As of October 2012, researchers are fairly sure that the eye belonged to a massive swordfish… so Florida beachgoers beware, we guess!

#2: Purple Orb
During an expedition near California's Channel Islands, the E/V Nautilus team discovered a Purple Orb that left the explorers stumped. This shiny sphere was unlike anything these experts had seen before. Even though later studies would suggest it might be some type of sea slug, the Purple Orb retained an air of mystery to it. The unknown is terrifying, and this Purple Orb serves as a reminder that only a small fraction of the ocean has been documented. Water makes up more than 70 percent of the Earth's surface, so there could very well be thousands of Purple Orbs and other undiscovered things nestled beneath the waves.

#1: Zhemchug Canyon
Our journey under the waves now takes us to the Bering Sea in the Pacific Ocean. Zhemchug Canyon is an unimaginably deep hole. At 8,530 feet deep, Zhemchug is not only the deepest ocean canyon, but it’s also over 2500 feet deeper than the Grand Canyon! Home to countless deep water marine wildlife species, the submarine canyon is both the stuff of wonders and nightmares. A handful of researchers have taken submersible crafts into it, but none have yet been able to reach the bottom. Its sheer size adds numerous complications that have made its exploration a difficult task to this day. It’ll most likely take many dives into its dark depths before Zhemchug Canyon is fully explored - and who knows who or what is down there?!

Which deep sea discovery freaks you out the most? Let us know in the comments below.