The Java Sea, Indonesia
BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images
BAY ISMOYO/AFP via Getty Images
According to Time, Indonesia’s Java Sea is unusually shallow with a uniquely sediment-heavy bottom. During the summer, this typically makes the sea appear clear and pristine. But it takes on an entirely different character during monsoon season when it’s particularly dangerous. This is because all that sediment gets thrown around the Java Sea, which causes visibility to plummet.
That hazard is made worse by the shallow wave patterns that can be a hazard year-round. That’s because the sea’s unique geology is perfect for creating quick, frenzied, and unpredictable waves that can not only make the sea difficult to swim in, but introduce hazardous debris that swimmers might collide with.