In the Paraná Delta near Buenos Aires, Argentina, lies El Ojo, a nearly perfect circular island spanning 387 feet in diameter, floating atop a matching round lake. Discovered in 2016 AD by Argentine filmmaker Sergio Neuspiller while scouting for a paranormal documentary, this rotating landmass, dubbed “The Eye” for its striking shape, has puzzled locals and researchers alike. Since its first clear sighting in Google Earth imagery from 2003 AD, El Ojo has rotated clockwise within its clear, cold waters, contrasting the muddy delta around it. Today, this natural oddity draws attention for its unique form and motion, offering a glimpse into Argentina’s lesser-known wonders.

El Ojo’s Unexpected Discovery

In 2016 AD, Neuspiller spotted El Ojo on Google Earth at coordinates 34°15’07.8″S, 58°49’47.4″W, initially seeking a backdrop for tales of UFOs and ghosts. Over time, he returned with a crew, finding a 387-foot island that had shifted since his first view, as confirmed by satellite images spanning 2003 AD to present from Google Earth archives. For years, this spot in the Paraná Delta remained unnoticed by outsiders, though local residents knew of its presence. Could its seclusion have hidden it from earlier explorers? Consequently, Neuspiller abandoned his film to focus on this rotating marvel, spotlighting its mystery.

Forming a Floating Circle

Scientists attribute El Ojo’s shape and motion to natural forces within the Paraná Delta, per studies from the University of Buenos Aires and local hydrologists. Around 2003 AD or earlier, vegetation likely broke free from the marshy shore, forming a mat of plants and roots over decades, as seen in floating islands worldwide. Over time, steady water currents beneath spun it into a near-perfect circle, eroding its edges to match the 387-foot lake it floats within, akin to ice disks in rivers like Maine’s Presumpscot. Meanwhile, its firm surface contrasts the soft delta mud, per Neuspiller’s 2016 AD observations. For now, this process explains El Ojo’s quirks without needing far-fetched tales.

A Spin of Local Lore

Since 2016 AD, El Ojo has fueled stories among locals near Campana and Zárate, with some calling it a home to ancient deities or a UFO landing site, per accounts on X and travel blogs. During Neuspiller’s visits, residents reported odd lights in the sky, though no evidence ties these to the island itself. Alternatively, could its rotation stem from a natural gas vent below, as some speculate? Yet tests from a failed 2016 AD crowdfunding effort by Neuspiller and engineer Ricardo Petroni found no such anomaly, raising only $9,898 of a $50,000 goal, per Kickstarter records. Thus, El Ojo blends folklore with science, keeping its secrets close.

Argentina’s Lasting Curiosity

Today, El Ojo remains a draw for adventurers in the Paraná Delta, its clockwise spin visible in satellite updates, per Google Earth’s timeline. Beyond its oddity, it echoes natural wonders like Lake Titicaca’s reed islands, though its rotation sets it apart, per hydrologists’ notes. Since its public debut, researchers have eyed its erosion patterns, predicting a shrinking future. Ultimately, this 387-foot floating circle stands as Argentina’s quiet marvel, inviting questions about nature’s odd turns without firm answers.