What is the Sargasso Sea?
Q: What is the Sargasso Sea?
A: The Sargasso Sea is a region in the gyre in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded on the west by the Gulf Stream; on the north, by the North Atlantic Current; on the east, by the Canary Current; and on the south, by the North Atlantic Equatorial Current. This system of ocean currents forms what is known as the North Atlantic Gyre.
Q: How big is it?
A: The Sargasso Sea is 700 statute miles wide and 2,000 statute miles long (1,100 km wide and 3,200 km long).
Q: Where is it located?
A: The Sargasso Sea is located in between Europe and America in an area of ocean called a gyre within the North Atlantic Ocean. Bermuda lies near its western fringes.
Q: Who discovered it?
A: Portuguese sailors were among some of first to discover this region back in 15th century. They named it after a type of seaweed growing there called sargassum.
Q: What makes its water unique?
A: The ocean water within this sea has a deep blue color with exceptional clarity that allows for underwater visibility up to 200 feet (61 m).
Q: What role does it play for certain species?
A: The Sargasso Sea plays an important role for two species - European eel and American eel - as their larvae hatch here before migrating to either Europe or East Coast of North America where they later return to lay eggs when they are mature adults. It also believed that young Loggerhead Sea Turtles use currents such as Gulf Stream to travel here where they can use sargassum as cover from predation until they become mature adults.
