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The Sargasso Sea

© Copyright 2001, Jim Loy

The Sargasso Sea is a region of the northwest Atlantic Ocean, which contains a great deal of floating sargassum, a species of seaweed. The Gulf Stream is between the Sargasso Sea and the United States. Bermuda is within it. The other boundaries of the Sargasso Sea are difficult to define, but it is quite a bit larger than Greenland. It is very roughly egg-shaped, and rotates clockwise. The central areas are usually calm, with relatively little wind and ocean currents. Apparently there is very little plankton and animal life in this area. Columbus, on his first voyage in 1492, passed through the Sargasso Sea.

Throughout history, there have been rumors that the Sargasso Sea is a dangerous trap for ships, and that there are even many ancient ships still floating in it. This is untrue, although sailing ships could be becalmed for long periods of time. The Sargasso Sea is within the northern "Horse Latitudes," a region of relatively calm seas.

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