Lake Peigneur drilling disaster and the Darien Scheme

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In 1980, while Texaco was drilling in Lake Peigneur, a sinkhole opened up and drained the lake, swallowing the drilling platform, and several boats and barges in the process. The 10 foot deep lake was popular for fishing, and was the backdrop for a botanical garden. On November 20th, approximately 2.5 billion gallons of water drained from the lake, along with the boats, several acres of land, and trees. The direction of water flowing to the Gulf of Mexico temporarily reversed, created a 164 foot waterfall. The lake is now 200 feet deep and brackish, after refilling in a matter of days.

In the 1690s, the Scottish Darien Company attempted to establish a colony, on what is now Panama. Scotland was behind in the race to exploit new worlds, and hoped to establish a trade route between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, for power and riches. The brainchild of William Patterson, the initial expedition included 5 ships and 1200 people. Funded by the Scots, the scheme eventually consumed around 20% of the entire wealth of Scotland, essentially bankrupting the country. This financial disaster followed the Seven Ill years, and the Nine Years War, in with 5-20% of the population perished. The Scheme is largely credited with causing the unification of Scotland and England, in the 1707 Acts of Union.

Lake Peigneur Drilling Accident - YouTube
Lake Peigneur - Wikipedia

Darien Scheme - Wikipedia
The Darien Scheme - Historic U.K.
Company of Scotland
Seven Ill Years
Masacre of Glencoe