Green Grotto Caves | |
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Location | North coast of Jamaica |
Coordinates | 18°25′16″N 77°06′50″W / 18.4210683°N 77.1138837°W[1] |
Depth | 12 metres (39 ft)[2] |
Length | 1,525 metres (5,003 ft)[2] |
Entrances | Several[1] |
The Green Grotto Caves are show caves and a prominent tourist attraction on the north coast of Jamaica. Named for the green algae that cover its walls,[3] the structure of the cave is strikingly different from inland systems; the cave is a Flank Margin Cave (old mixing chambers at the edge of the fresh water lens with the sea water) with two well-defined levels apparently indicating two periods with differing sea-levels.[1] The innermost cavern contains a crystal-clear underground lake.[3]
In addition to the publicly accessible sections of the cave there is also a section of "wild caves" with relatively undisturbed ecology.[1] Hydrologically, the cave system is connected with the adjacent coastal waters.[1]