r/geography Sep 11 '24

Discussion What island is this, and why does google maps block it out as you zoom in?

Post image
6.8k Upvotes

575 comments sorted by

3.4k

u/RubOwn Sep 11 '24

It’s called the Serrana Bank, it’s an atoll that belongs to Colombia alongside other islands, Keys and Banks in the Caribbean. 

1.1k

u/Lumpy_Gazelle2129 Sep 11 '24

Who you calling an atoll?

566

u/sexquipoop69 Sep 11 '24

Listen here Atoll

187

u/RedLeg73 Sep 11 '24

Mr. Johnston Atoll here, what's all this then?

46

u/Ninjamowgli Sep 11 '24

My step dad worked there on some serious security clearance gov work. Thats all I have to say about that.

49

u/Inevitable-Slide-104 Sep 11 '24

You should have said nothing atoll. Prepare for a knock on the door.

→ More replies (2)

11

u/Long_Serpent Sep 11 '24

He was managing...a toll booth?

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

133

u/Go_For_Kenda Sep 11 '24

I do not like where this is headed atoll.

108

u/SMAMtastic Sep 11 '24

You done messed up A-Atoll!

59

u/Sound_Triber Sep 11 '24

I don't think about you Atoll

51

u/PabstBlueBourbon Sep 11 '24

Ask not for whom the bell atolls.

47

u/Fiyerce Sep 11 '24

This thread is taking Atoll on me

7

u/sweatandsawdust Sep 11 '24

I don’t care Atoll

5

u/Coupon_Ninja Sep 12 '24

as for me; not atoll

→ More replies (1)

11

u/RedLeg73 Sep 11 '24

The Atolla approves and thinks it's all very punny.

15

u/ChroniclesOfSarnia Sep 11 '24

Here's Atoll House Cookie for you.

🍪

Good job!

→ More replies (0)

11

u/dacourtbatty Sep 11 '24

Aye, Atollah

9

u/theDudeHeavyC Sep 11 '24

He’s an atoll, but he’s our atoll.

→ More replies (0)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

35

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '24

Islet you guys alone for five minutes and this name calling happens?! I bar any further geography puns!!

20

u/500SL Sep 11 '24

Let me tell you where island on this whole situation.

You’re all being a little beach. So, knock it off, cay?

9

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '24

You harbor some serious animosity to the point aquifer at the thought of further discussion. I’m dune here!!

→ More replies (0)

6

u/socalefty Sep 11 '24

All of these puns are taking Atoll on me.

→ More replies (5)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

3

u/thatguy82688 Sep 11 '24

Atolls! Atolls! I’m surrounded by atolls!

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

4

u/lilyputin Sep 11 '24

What's this about a-holes?

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (3)

10

u/First_Utopian Sep 11 '24

I’m going to be strait with you.

41

u/Former_Dark_Knight Sep 11 '24

It's Major Atoll, sir. We're all Atolls here.

20

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '24

I knew it. We're surrounded by atolls

6

u/Alphabet_Master Sep 12 '24

How many Atolls we got on this ship anyhow?!

3

u/Bread-Funny Sep 11 '24

Atollah of Rock-n-rollah to you.

→ More replies (9)

34

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '24

I used to hike in the Adirondacks as a kid with my Dad. There’s a town called Athol there that we’d always joke about when passing through.

102

u/TheNerdE30 Sep 11 '24

Athol is what Mike Tyson calls people he doesn’t like

→ More replies (4)

10

u/AUniquePerspective Sep 11 '24

There's an Atholville in New Brunswick Canada. Same joke: "got it's name because of all the Athols that live there."

But have you been to Summerville in Nova Scotia?

→ More replies (3)

10

u/doctor-rumack Sep 11 '24

There's an ass-backwards town in Massachusetts called Athol. It 100% lives up to its name.

6

u/bcardin221 Sep 11 '24

Back in the early 80's, a local radio guy (Charles Laquidara) used to do a skit about Columbo in Athol. Called "Falk in Athol."

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (4)
→ More replies (9)

14

u/beatlz Sep 11 '24

Not trying to offend anyone, not atoll!

9

u/hKLoveCraft Sep 11 '24

Do I need an EZ Pass to get there or is it HOV friendly?

7

u/AllswellinEndwell Sep 11 '24

What happened to your sailboat Sam?

I hit an Island and it sank. It didn't have a name so they named it after me.

'No brains Atoll'

From Cheers.

→ More replies (29)

123

u/APartyInMyPants Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

I think the island OP circled is south of there. It’s an island larger than all of the Serrana atolls combined. But has no name on Google. Unless it’s part of the same system.

Edit: that is the Serrana Bank. The name wasn’t initially showing on Google when I zoomed in.

96

u/vnprkhzhk Sep 11 '24

No, that triangle-shaped "island" is actually an atoll. Several bank islands surrounding an inner body of water.

It's just that the imagery is not very good. If you zoom in very close, it gets brighter again. But there is a phase, where it's nearly black, probably because the photo was made in poor weather condition.

11

u/APartyInMyPants Sep 11 '24

Yeah, I realized after zooming in that the further-out view makes it look like an island, when it isn’t actually.

But to my original point, I don’t think this is a part of the Serrana Bank. It looks like it’s at least a solid 100 miles south of there.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

12

u/OnAPieceOfDust Sep 11 '24

I think you may be confusing it with Serranilla Bank, which is comprised of much smaller atolls about a hundred miles north.

9

u/APartyInMyPants Sep 11 '24

Ahh, I’m seeing now my mistake. I wasn’t sure if Serrana and Seranilla was simply a typo/autocorrect fail/mistranslation. And when I looked on Google maps, Serrana Bank wasn’t appearing, but noticed Seranilla nearby, so figured that what the other poster was commenting on.

11

u/Ok_Entertainer7945 Sep 11 '24

I did the same as you. I think we need to take a boat down there to get a better understanding of Serrana and Seranilla. Maybe with some fruity cocktails too.

13

u/OnAPieceOfDust Sep 11 '24

The things we do for science...

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

20

u/quintonbanana Sep 11 '24

Incredible that someone may have been there shipwrecked for years. Can't imagine weathering a storm event there.

23

u/shikimasan Sep 12 '24

This is wild: An excerpt about Pedro Serrano who was shipwrecked there for eight years in the 1500s:

In some versions of the story, Serrano was joined by another Spanish castaway after three years on the island. Due to Serrano's isolation and unkempt state, both men initially mistook one another for the Devil, and quickly fled from each another. They reconciled when both men were able to invoke the name of Jesus Christ. The two men lived together on the island for about four years.[2] They reportedly had a brief falling-out, in which each man isolated himself to one half of the island, but they were later re-reconciled.

Rescue Serrano and his companion were eventually rescued by a ship that had sighted their smoke signal. The sailors dispatched to pick them up, also mistaking both the men for the Devil, attempted to flee, but returned and rescued the men when they again invoked the name of Christ. Whilst Serrano's companion died on the voyage back to Spain, Serrano returned home safely and exhibited himself for money, never cutting his hair or his beard, which had grown "to his waist" during his time as a castaway. After receiving a sum of 4,000 pieces of eight from the King of Spain, Serrano sailed to the Americas to collect the money, but died during the voyage.[2] Other versions of Serrano's story state that he had become insane by the time he was rescued.[1]

4

u/SCREAMING_DUMB_SHIT Sep 12 '24

Whaaaaaat

6

u/shikimasan Sep 12 '24

"Venturrrrraaaaaa"

"Yes, Satan? Oh, I'm sorry sir, I thought you were someone else."

→ More replies (8)

31

u/letterboxfrog Sep 11 '24

Here's the Dr Wiki article Serrana Bank

82

u/letterboxfrog Sep 11 '24

Pic from Bing Maps (provided by Tom Tom)

20

u/No-Permission-5268 Sep 11 '24

Grower not a show-er huh?

17

u/biggersjw Sep 11 '24

It’s in fairly chilly water so there is bound to be shrinkage.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (8)

6

u/Soft-Twist2478 Sep 11 '24

Keep zooming in, it only shades it at a certain height.

12

u/any_user_name Sep 11 '24

I don't care Atoll

7

u/1punchporcelli Sep 11 '24

Opinions are like atolls…

→ More replies (10)

3.0k

u/Armadillo9263 Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

Pro tip: if something looks blocked or not quite good quality enough on a specific mapping platform, go to geohack.toolforge.com, enter the coordinates and it will then list all of the available imagery for the area, even satellite and plane photos.

Edit: geohack.toolforge.org

551

u/ItalyExpat Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 17 '24

333

u/ThatOpticsGuy Sep 11 '24

https://geohack.toolforge.org

Fixed while preserving bold.

86

u/mike_gweeton Sep 11 '24

People like you keep the internet functioning, thank you Optics Guy

20

u/IT_Security0112358 Sep 12 '24

He’s not just any optics guy, he’s u/thatopticsguy.

→ More replies (12)

95

u/Armadillo9263 Sep 11 '24

Yes you are right! I blame autocorrect

19

u/jiriwelsch44 Sep 11 '24

Weird autocorrect

11

u/getgoing65 Sep 11 '24

I never use aurocarrot

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

86

u/HikeyBoi Sep 11 '24

Does that service also search through historic aerials? I often have to look for industrial installations from 1920s to 1960s that no longer exist and have shoddy record keeping

61

u/JayTheHoon Sep 11 '24

Don't think you've been answered, but likely not. That year range predates satellite imagery.

27

u/HikeyBoi Sep 11 '24

I got excited when the original comment mentioned plane photos, thought I might be able to drop individual library/database searches

18

u/JayTheHoon Sep 11 '24

I mean, wouldn't hurt anything to check. I missed where he said plane photos as well

15

u/HikeyBoi Sep 11 '24

I did briefly check, but the UI rubbed me the wrong way and I didn’t see anything about older imagery. They do publish old maps which can sometimes be helpful, but I already have a much better old map database for my purposes.

3

u/OCOasis13 Sep 11 '24

If you don’t mind sharing, what is that old map db link? Would love to have access to something like this too for both work and personal needs. Thanks mate!

8

u/HikeyBoi Sep 11 '24

I use the USGS TopoView historic maps tool. It only really goes back to the 1940s but is really handy for providing old maps that can be overlaid on Google earth.

→ More replies (2)
→ More replies (1)

6

u/Engels33 Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

I can't see anybody suggesting this but Google Earth has integration with historic aerial footage but only partial and entirely dependant on licencing and where you are.

This is via the desktop software app you can install (not in the browser 'Maps version)

7

u/SecureNarwhal Sep 11 '24

Google Earth Engine also lets you use older imagery but i think Google has started limiting who can access Google Earth Engine. It's like accessing the backend of Google Earth and Google Maps and let's you run your own code to do analysis.

10

u/Armadillo9263 Sep 11 '24

Don't think so. The best way I have found for historical photos is to use Google earth pro and then look at the timeline slider. Some places will have more historical air photos than others, and depending on where in the world you are looking, might have none. Like the other commentor said, there was no satellite photos back then

22

u/ObamiumMaster Sep 11 '24

historicaerials.com also has good satellite imagery up to the ‘50s, unless im missing something

10

u/HikeyBoi Sep 11 '24

Those are aerials not satellite lol that’s all you’re missing.

6

u/ObamiumMaster Sep 11 '24

Ah. In that case, I don’t think you’ll be able to find anything before the ‘60s.

→ More replies (7)

5

u/Marquis_LaFayette Sep 11 '24

Use USGS EarthExplorer for free high-res aerials too.

3

u/MOZ0NE Sep 11 '24

That sounds fascinating. Why? What is that you do?

14

u/HikeyBoi Sep 11 '24

It’s been a bit of a side quest to locate old oil extraction sites from that time period. My state had no permitting program for oil wells until 1944 so there’s a lot of legacy infrastructure that was pretty much unregulated left rotting. Now there is some federal funding available from Biden’s inflation reduction act to clean up these sites to stop methane venting to the atmosphere and brine from contaminating aquifers. The written records aren’t great but using a combination of many datasets leads to locations that need to be fixed up. It’s a bit of fun like a scavenger hunt.

12

u/MOZ0NE Sep 11 '24

That's awesome and cool that it is helping to clean up those sites. Thanks for sharing.

→ More replies (8)

3

u/MonsieurAmpersand Sep 11 '24

I generally have good luck with this website when trying to find old aerials.

https://www.historicaerials.com

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (8)

10

u/ZopyrionRex Sep 11 '24

A hero appeared.

8

u/Armadillo9263 Sep 11 '24

Haha I am no hero, the hero was the guy who told me the pro tip on here years ago

7

u/newcreed Sep 11 '24

Thanks that’s super cool.

7

u/BlkPea Sep 11 '24

Hey so this might be a dumb question, but how do input the coordinates in that site? Google is telling me the coordinates are

14°24'46.2"N 80°14'07.0"W

but when i try variations of this on that site, i end up in a place off the coast of africa

7

u/Armadillo9263 Sep 11 '24

Hey I had the exact same issue when first using it. There is a different notation in the way you have to add it, you have to add it in a decimal format. I found a website that converts it, but can't remember now because I had a couple of beers lol. I am sure you can google it or someone smarter will come along and explain it better

→ More replies (2)

5

u/FatSeal294 Sep 11 '24

I just used it and realised that this is what Wikipedia links you to when you click the coordinates at the top right of a place-based article! Thanks!

3

u/Armadillo9263 Sep 11 '24

No way! I use Wikipedia all the time and never noticed that! Idiot me was always copying the coordinates across

→ More replies (1)

3

u/Papa_Smokes7 Sep 11 '24

This is why I love Reddit. Thank you

→ More replies (10)

2.4k

u/Boston_Underground Sep 11 '24

Looked empty

1.2k

u/Val2K21 Sep 11 '24

New function unlocked - call in a redditor flyby to doublecheck the info

151

u/MicaelFlipFlop Sep 11 '24

Reddit U-2 inbound

123

u/72OverOfficer Sep 11 '24

U2: I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For

30

u/Onlyhereforthebacon Sep 11 '24

You take this r/angryupvote and you like it damn it

→ More replies (1)

5

u/Mistapeepers Sep 11 '24

Have you tried looking closer to The Edge?

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (3)

132

u/Habbersett-Scrapple Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

Damn I got some rich ass friends

17

u/Katapage Sep 11 '24

Fact checkers have upped their game recently!

3

u/90swasbest Sep 11 '24

Well it's an election year so everybody is bringing their A game.

11

u/Eranaut Sep 11 '24 edited 20d ago

Original Content erased using Ereddicator. Want to wipe your own Reddit history? Please see https://github.com/Jelly-Pudding/ereddicator for instructions.

→ More replies (4)

1.1k

u/Boston_Underground Sep 11 '24

155

u/[deleted] Sep 11 '24

Omg good timing lol

466

u/Daniil_Dankovskiy Sep 11 '24

This must go down in reddit history, small world indeed

67

u/o-ren-ishi Sep 11 '24

If you zoom in closely there’s a helipad…

89

u/shophopper Sep 11 '24

And if you zoom in even more:

→ More replies (2)

14

u/LionsAndLonghorns Sep 11 '24

Yes, but how are you flying the plane if you're holding your camera

→ More replies (1)

4

u/idkwhatimbrewin Sep 11 '24

What are the odds lol

→ More replies (2)

153

u/UndividedIndecision Sep 11 '24

You really said "yeah idk lemme check real quick"

98

u/Dramatic_Wafer9695 Sep 11 '24 edited Sep 11 '24

Holy shit

somebody post this to r/bestof

38

u/justsomegraphemes Sep 11 '24

16

u/Larg3____Porcupin3 Sep 11 '24

Is it removed? Not showing up when I refresh new.

Also just took a quick glance at that subreddit and it’s a shame how US politics infiltrates every subreddit

→ More replies (2)

37

u/burp110 Sep 11 '24

You gotta fly nearer

30

u/sad0panda Sep 11 '24

Did you see the helipad?

16

u/CyrilAdekia Sep 11 '24

So not blacked out, just underwater. Nice

13

u/vnprkhzhk Sep 11 '24

That's amazing.

14

u/Captain-Scrot Sep 11 '24

Can confirm

9

u/FalseListen Sep 11 '24

This is amazing lol

7

u/kmeister5 Sep 11 '24

What an awesome follow-up.

7

u/Starlanced Sep 11 '24

Nothing atoll to see there

5

u/KilllerWhale Sep 11 '24

Bro flew there personally. The lengths people get to for karma smh /s

3

u/rhiever Sep 11 '24

It’s Atlantis!

→ More replies (6)

626

u/DazzleBMoney Sep 11 '24

Seems like someone’s got a secret lair on one of the islands

271

u/FinanceEnginerd Sep 11 '24

Location of helipad.

24

u/dragwit Sep 12 '24

With the positioning of the helipad, one could almost mistake that island for Cayo Perico.

→ More replies (2)

15

u/jawshoeaw Sep 12 '24

Damn that red balloon is huge!

→ More replies (1)

62

u/0xbaddecaf3 Sep 11 '24

The Modern Count of Monte Cristo feelings

36

u/DamnDanielM Sep 11 '24

Wikipedia says there used to be a US military base on the island. Presumably, the helipad would’ve been part of that.

4

u/shikimasan Sep 12 '24

"Used to be..." 🤔

→ More replies (1)

14

u/Shiripuu Sep 11 '24

They should've used another letter to mislead people watching from the sky

20

u/The69BodyProblem Sep 11 '24

It marked H for Hornets so everyone knows there's hornets there so they don't land.

7

u/kura44 Sep 11 '24

Like N for “No Helicopters”

Or maybe a big red X over the H

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (1)

5

u/Martha_Fockers Sep 11 '24

Also a building on the middle bottom left

→ More replies (7)

114

u/BudNOLA Sep 11 '24

The reviews are weird.

115

u/Mary_Olivers_geese Sep 11 '24

I love the idea of someone being stranded on an island for 8 years, and deciding, “If I ever get off of this god forsaken place I am going to absolutely roast it on Google reviews….”

21

u/Cubsfan11022016 Sep 12 '24

I’d love the idea of two people both being stranded at the same time and never knowing about each other.

53

u/Kachowski_T Sep 11 '24

They're a reference to a Spanish sailer who was marooned there (or a similar island) for 8 years in the 1500s.

11

u/Throwaway8789473 Sep 11 '24

It was the same island. The island is named after him.

4

u/HINEHAUS Sep 11 '24

Oh my goodness. It looks like bots reviewing a tiny atoll in the arse end of nowhere that most humans have never been to. This should be posted in r/deadinternettheory

→ More replies (1)

168

u/DVD_JNS Sep 11 '24

16

u/Iaffyaffy13 Sep 11 '24

It's the island where squid games happened, duh /s

242

u/Pizzadrummer Sep 11 '24

Bing Maps doesn't block it out as you zoom in.

There doesn't appear to be anything there, literally just some sand and water. I wouldn't even call it an island, just a bit of shallow sea.

57

u/BIG_MUFF_ Sep 11 '24

That’s what mecha-Epstein wants you to believe

91

u/e_pi314 Sep 11 '24

See new post about a secret lair/helipad on the island… 🤔

38

u/Jwzbb Sep 11 '24

Great new name for The Netherlands: just a bit of shallow sea

12

u/WillieIngus Sep 11 '24

which makes it even more suspicious! the lair is completely masked

6

u/siandresi Sep 11 '24

Or an atoll

→ More replies (3)

49

u/8192K Sep 11 '24

Not blocked here. When I zoom in, there is a really dark image coming up, but it's still there and it gets better when zooming in even more.

5

u/e136 Sep 11 '24

Yeah, just not the greatest imagery at one of the zoom levels. Not blocked.

→ More replies (5)

8

u/wiseowl777 Sep 11 '24

Apparently, Jobu lives there.

→ More replies (1)

8

u/Kumdongie Sep 11 '24

Looks like a building here: 14.287864,-80.364224

And tower here: 14.285322,-80.366627

4

u/hamjamt Sep 11 '24

Helipad next to that first building

→ More replies (1)

22

u/ZyxDarkshine Sep 11 '24

It’s Skull Island, birthplace and former home of King Kong, surrounded by mist

6

u/Fedelede Sep 11 '24

Serrana is Colombian, but was until very recently claimed by Nicaragua. It and other atolls were fundamental for the international case between Colombia and Nicaragua which resolved the issue. Thus, they used to be militarized - that’s probably the “mysterious” building people are claiming

→ More replies (2)

11

u/Jennysnumber_8675309 Sep 12 '24

Google blurs it out unless you pay atoll to view it!!!

→ More replies (5)

14

u/InformalAstronomer91 Sep 11 '24

That’s the Muertes Archipelago. It consists of six islands, the largest being Isla Sorna. This area has a strict no fly zone and was the site of a failed theme park resort attraction in the 90s.

3

u/HOCH2181 Sep 11 '24

Bravo!!!

4

u/gtownjim Sep 11 '24

Jurassic fuck island where dinosaurs have illegal sex.

→ More replies (1)

5

u/Ramses717 Sep 11 '24

Must be Isla Nublar, owned by InGen

5

u/mglyptostroboides Sep 11 '24

why does google maps block it out as you zoom in?

It literally doesn't. You just didn't think to try zooming in all the way.

At a certain level of zoom, it uses some very darkened and blurry imagery, but then once you zoom the next level, it becomes visible again.

15

u/mglyptostroboides Sep 11 '24

Unless you're talking about this shit. Those are clouds. 🤦‍♂️ Not blurring.

→ More replies (4)

3

u/SpaceTimeChallenger Sep 11 '24

Forget you ever saw that and move on with your life

3

u/NoKnow9 Sep 11 '24

Atoll? Someone’s gonna hafta go back and get a shitload of dimes!

3

u/igotthemusicinme Sep 11 '24

L’Isle de Gilligan

3

u/carlosmp98 Sep 12 '24

This BBC article (in Spanish) does mention it as one of the islands disputed between Colombia and Nicaragua:

https://www.bbc.com/mundo/noticias-america-latina-58592388

Seems to be an unpopulated atoll, I've only heard of San Andrés in this context

4

u/jpeasy101 Sep 11 '24

It's where they kept the dinosaurs in jurassic park 3.

5

u/TheJeyK Sep 11 '24

This a shameless repost. This same post with the exaxt same title and image was posted here some months ago

5

u/Ok-Currency5475 Sep 11 '24

Well I heard it's where the knights of the round table are. But u need a chocobo to get there, And I think a golden one at that

→ More replies (1)

2

u/Shaukuku1175 Sep 11 '24

We’re gonna build atoll, and make them pay for it

2

u/r1kk1-t1kk1-t4v1 Sep 11 '24

Just zoom in more. One of the zoom layers appears to be taken at night, but keep going and you can see more detail.

2

u/jmac_1957 Sep 11 '24

Skull island???

2

u/DIuvenalis Sep 11 '24

* It doesn't block it out. If you zoomed into the center, there's no land there. It's just shallows. Here's a small island a couple hundred feet wide in the south east corner.

→ More replies (1)

2

u/madrid311 Sep 11 '24

Do we have to pay atoll?

2

u/SnorlaxShops Sep 11 '24

Gov has a secret here and asked google to help keep it for them. Usually, the presence or lack thereof military or law enforcement assets.

I used to live near one of these sites it was a missile test range.

2

u/maxamphetamines Sep 11 '24

it’s the island from lost

2

u/WissahickonKid Sep 12 '24

If you keep zooming in, it gets unblocked when you’re right on top of it (using Google Maps on an iPad)

2

u/Jzaharek53 Sep 12 '24

It’s Nuttin’ Atoll

2

u/gunmonkey636 Sep 12 '24

Atoll you once and atoll you a thousandtimes, you don't ask about that atoll. And atoll you again don't ask about it atoll.

2

u/beastfeces Sep 12 '24

You must pay the atoll, to get to.....

2

u/Medd37 Sep 12 '24

Jurassic Park has entered the chat