Fear Cay, the eleventh Doc Savage adventure by Lester Dent. Atlantic Ocean water enters the Caribbean through the Anegada Passage lying between the Lesser Antilles and Virgin Islands and the Windward Passage located between Cuba and Haiti. How Deep Can We Go? (1991). It is fed by the westward-flowing North Equatorial Current moving from North Africa to the West Indies. depth; 21ft capability; it can accomodate yachts in excess of 380ft. The ocean basin is home to about 25,000 islands and over 228450 species, including hammered sharks, elephant seals, killer whales, penguins, and sea slugs. area volume average depth. American Oceans, Stingray vs Manta Ray: Their Differences Explained. Over the past 50years, the Caribbean has gone through three stages: cooling until 1974, a cold phase with peaks during 19741976 and 19841986, and finally a warming phase with an increase in temperature of 0.6C (1.1F) per year. During the first and second phases the basin was free of deformation. NOAA Technical Memorandum NESDIS NGDC-24. Treaty on maritime boundaries between the United States of America and the United Mexican States (Caribbean Sea and Pacific Ocean), . It was formed about 34 million years ago when South America and Antarctica separated. The Cayman Basin is in turn separated from the Colombian Basin by the Nicaraguan Rise. Elder, Danny and Pernetta, John. Today, large coastal populations, pollution, and intense fishing are the primary concerns in this sea. Continents and islands cover the remaining 29%. The Caribbean Sea is the Atlantic Ocean's second-largest sea and the world's deepest sea, with a maximum depth of 7,686 m below sea level. It is not easy to find information about the bottom of the Caribbean Sea, which is why in 2010, a UK group of researchers from the National Oceanography Centre in Southampton (NOCS) used a robot to map out the trench. The findings indicate that heavy metals such as mercury, arsenic, and lead, have been identified in the coastal zone of the Caribbean Sea. Some of the major rivers that drain into the Caribbean Sea include Magdalene, San Juan, Chagres, Coco, etc. The northeast trade winds dominate the region with an average velocity of 10 to 20 miles (16 to 32 km) per hour. In the early Jurassic due to powerful marine transgression, water broke into the present area of the Gulf of Mexico creating a vast shallow pool. The rainfall varies with the elevation and water current and ranging from less than 12 inches a year on the Bonaire Island to about 350 inches a year in the areas around Dominica. The Indian Ocean basin makes up about 19.8% of the planets water and falls in the third position after the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The Lesser Antilles are further divided into three major island groups: the Leeward Islands comprising of Anguilla, British Virgin Islands, Guadeloupe, US Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Martins, Saint Kitts, and Nevis, Saint Barthelemy, and Montserrat. Following the discovery of the islands by Columbus, the area was quickly colonised by several Western The Caribbean region has seen a significant increase in human activity since the colonization period. Located in the northern part of the Caribbean Sea is the Greater Antilles Island group. Throughout history, the Arabian Sea served as an essential water body for numerous seaports and trade routes. It is estimated that 13,000 species of plants grow in the Caribbean of which 6,500 are endemic. [20][21][22][23], KfW took part in a 25.7 million funding agreement to eliminate marine trash and boost the circular economy in the Caribbean's Small Island Developing States. The Caribbean Sea is divided into five submarine basins, each roughly elliptical in shape, which are separated from one another by submerged ridges and rises. The Caribbean Sea region, including islands and adjacent coasts, is known as the Caribbean. This sea has an average depth of 2,200 m, with the deepest point in Cayman Trough descending to 7,686 m. The formation of the Caribbean Sea dates back around 160 and 180 million years. Most hurricanes form in the eastern Atlantic near the Cape Verde Islands and follow the path of the trade winds into the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico, although the exact path of any hurricane is unpredictable. Did you know that an explorer once traveled to the bottom of the Puerto Rico Trench in a private mission? The Southern Ocean is geologically the worlds youngest ocean. See also: Types of Ocean Storms Ways to Save the Ocean Overfishing in the Ocean List of Marine Invertebrates 2. From its summit to the sea surface over 2100 m. The straits have a depth of more than one and a half kilometers. Parrots and bananaquits are found in forests. The highly indented Caribbean coastline features many bays and gulfs including the Gulf of Venezuela, Gulf of Honduras, Gulf of Darin, Gulf of Paria, etc. In the early Carboniferous movement of Gondwana to the north and its convergence with the Euramerica basin decreased in size. The sediment beds tend to arch in the middle of the basins and to dip as landmasses are approached. From there it divides to fill the Yucatn, Cayman, and Colombian basins at depths near 6,500 feet (2,000 metres). The Indian Ocean is home to several islands, including Madagascar (4th largest island globally). The majority of our planet's surface is covered in water! The Caribbean Sea is nowhere near being the largest sea in the world, but it is still very deep! le grand bleu docked there on numerous occasions) the main dock is 380ft. These waters are then forced by the trade winds through the narrow Yucatn Channel into the Gulf of Mexico. The Caribbean Sea has a diverse and rich ecosystem. 440 31. The position of the Hallucigenia's head puzzled scientists for several years. 100m. Many James Bond adventures were set there. Clay minerals appear to have been washed down by the Amazon and Orinoco rivers, as well as by the Magdalena River in Colombia. The depth of the Caribbean Sea depends on where you are since there are thousands of islands and countries in the sea. Cuba, with an area of 109,884 square kilometers (42,426 square miles), is the largest island in the North Atlantic deep water enters the Caribbean beneath the Windward Passage and is characterized by its rich oxygen content and by a salinity of slightly less than 35 parts per thousand. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The Cayman Trough, also known as the Bartlett Deep, is an interesting point in the sea because it sits on multiple tectonic plates, including the North American Plate and the Caribbean Plate. The sea is one of the largest oil production areas in the world, producing approximately 170million tons[clarification needed] per year. The result of the death and dispersal of these tiny plants is called coral bleaching, and can lead to the devastation of large areas of reef. ADDITIONAL FACTS. Ferdinand Magellan, a Portuguese explorer, named this massive water body Pacific in 1520, meaning peaceful.. [20] Non-governmental organizations, universities, public institutions, civil society organizations, and the corporate sector are all eligible for financing. The Caribbean monk seal which lived in the Caribbean is considered extinct. Of the endemic species 48 are threatened with extinction including the Puerto Rican amazon, and the Zapata wren. Panel Chairman in Marine Biology, Gulf University Research Corporation. Turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum) is common in the Caribbean as is manatee grass (Syringodium filiforme) which can grow together as well as in fields of single species at depths up to 20m (66ft). On continental slopes and ridges calcareous silts are found. The seas deepest point is the Cayman Trough, between the Cayman Islands and Jamaica, at 7,686 meters (25,220 feet) below sea level. The Arabian Sea has an average depth of 2,734 m, with its deepest point in Wheatley Deep descending to about 5,800 m. The formation of this sea took place roughly 50 million years ago. This sea began forming around 45 to 17 million years ago, leaving a V-shaped basin. 100 354. What is The Average Depth of the Caribbean Sea? without marginal seas 82. Its average depth of 1,500 m, with its deepest point in Calypso Deep descending to 5,267 m. The Strait of Gibraltar (a narrow waterway) connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. [10] Most recently, a 7.1 earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, 2010. Interesting Caribbean Sea Facts: The deepest part of the Caribbean Sea is the Cayman Trench, located between Jamaica and Cuba. On the western side of the sea, the trade winds influence a northerly current which causes an upwelling and a rich fishery near Yucatn.[12]. There's a pesky problem in a wide stretch of the Atlantic Ocean that's likely to wash up on some beaches later this year: Seaweed. Thats precisely why we explore.. The entire area of the Caribbean Sea, the numerous islands of the West Indies, and adjacent coasts are collectively known as the Caribbean. What is the Maximum Depth of the Caribbean Sea? The Colombian Basin is separated from the Venezuelan Basin by the Beata Ridge, while the Grenada Basin is separated from the Venezuelan Basin via the Aves Ridge. The Central American Sea apparently became separated from the Atlantic before the end of the first phase. Can You Eat Seagulls and How Do They Taste. But, he added, scientists do know a few things about the area: They know that it is tectonically active, with some seismic hazards such as earthquakes and tsunamis. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. These plants provide food for the corals and give them their color. Near the end of the second phase, gentle warping and faulting occurred, forming the Aves and Beata ridges. The Caribbean has fewer hurricanes than either the western Pacific (where these storms are called typhoons) or the Gulf of Mexico. In 1963 one of the deadliest hurricanes on record, Flora, caused the loss of more than 7,000 lives and extensive property damage in the Caribbean alone. The Caribbean Sea is one of the largest seas and has an area of about 2,754,000 square kilometers (1,063,000 square miles). depth: 3,750 to 4,384 metres (12,303 to 14,383 ft) . The sea is home to several islands, including Lakshadweep Islands, Astola Island, Socotra, and Masirah. The Caribbean Sea is home to about 9% of the worlds coral reefs covering about 50,000 square kilometers (19,000 square miles), most of which are located off the Caribbean Islands and the Central American coast. km, the Caribbean Sea is bordered by the countries of Colombia, Panama, and Venezuela in the south; by Belize, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula in the west; by the Greater Antilles islands in the north; and by the Lesser Antilles islands in the east. The Arabian Sea has an average depth of 2,734 m, with its deepest point in Wheatley Deep descending to about 5,800 m. The formation of this sea took place roughly 50 million years ago. Its natural beauty makes it a popular tourist destination. The principal ocean current is the North Equatorial Current, which enters the region from the tropical Atlantic. It is a unique sea with lots of wildlife, over 7,000 islands, and thousands of miles of coral reefs. Approximately 1,000 fishes have been recorded in the Caribbean Sea including flying fish, angelfish, manta ray, Caribbean reef shark, silky shark, bull shark, tiger shark, butterflyfish, Atlantic Goliath grouper, moray eels, lobsters, sardines, parrotfish, etc. The sill depth of Anegada Passage is between 6,400 and 7,700 feet (1,950 and 2,350 metres), whereas that of the Windward Passage is between 5,250 and 5,350 feet (1,600 and 1,630 metres). The region has several types of sea turtle (loggerhead, green turtle, hawksbill, leatherback turtle, Atlantic ridley and olive ridley). The islands of Curaao and Aruba experience arid climates. Tropical cyclones that impact the Caribbean often develop off the West coast of Africa and make their way west across the Atlantic Ocean toward the Caribbean, while other storms develop in the Caribbean itself. 460 41. The ancient sediments overlying the seafloor of the Caribbean, as well as of the Gulf of Mexico, are about a half mile (about one kilometre) in thickness, with the upper strata representing sediments from the Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras (from about 252 million years ago to the present) and the lower strata presumably representing sediments of the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras (from about 541 to 66 million years ago). Annual variations in monthly average water temperatures at the surface do not exceed 3C (5.4F). Such storms also have been a major cause of crop failure in the region. There are 500 species of reptiles (94% of which are endemic). The preferred oceanographic term for the Caribbean is the Antillean-Caribbean Sea, which, together with the Gulf of Mexico, forms the Central American Sea. [32], The Caribbean region supports a large tourism industry. The Caribbean Sea mostly occupies the Caribbean Plate and features many island arcs which separate it from the ocean. This ocean is relatively calm and offers significant sea routes for transporting materials such as oil, rice, sugar, and silk. They are also fairly certain the area contains deepwater snapper populations, deepwater corals and geological features such as seamounts and mud volcanoes. Okeanos Explorer, which is operated, managed and maintained by NOAAs Office of Marine and Aviation Operations, has just spent about four weeks mapping more than 13,600 square miles of seafloor around the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. 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