The Sargasso Sea is the name given to a zone of the ocean northern Atlantique, in the east of the islands the Bahamas or in the North-East of the the Antilles, in the hollow formed between the America S. It draws its name from the algae known as sargassos which have the characteristic to float, and which accumulate on the surface in this zone. The word even of “sargasso” comes from the Spanish word “sargazzo” which means Varech. Indeed, the zone was discovered for the first time by Christophe Colomb, which there foot-note the abundance of plants on the surface, sign for him of a very close continent.

The Sargasso Sea has also the characteristic to be a calm zone, without wind nor vagueness. The ships of Colomb sailed thus not without sorrow in the middle of these grasses which stopped their walk with the great fear of the crews, and they lost three long weeks to cross them.

Explanations

The Force of Coriolis creates on the level of the oceans, of large swirling forms of winds, waves, currents… On the level of the North Atlantic, this force rolls up the southern arm of the Gulf Stream: towards the forty-fourth northern degree of latitude, this hot current is divided into two arms, the main thing goes towards the coasts of Ireland and Norway, while the second bends towards the south with the height of the the Azores; then striking the African shores and describing a lengthened oval, it returns towards the the Antilles. This second arm surrounds by its warm water rings this cold portion of the ocean which is the Sargasso Sea, quiet, motionless, true lake in the full Atlantic. Water of the large current does not put any less than three years to make of it the turn, it also charient towards this zone a crowd of floating objects - pastures, algae and Fucus - removed with the shore of Europe and America.

In spite of the proliferation of the alga of the Sargassum kind, she is often regarded as being without life. Indeed, very salted, the medium is low in lower part of surface, and the area is not rich in chlorophyl. Besides according to the sources one finds, allotted to the Sargasso Sea the expressions of " floating jungle" or of " floating desert".

The Sargasso Sea also plays a big role in the migration of the European Anguille and the American Anguille: the larvae of the two species are born there, then go to Europe and/or east coast of North America. Later in the life, they try to turn over in the Sargasso Sea to lay their eggs there.

Remarkable phenomena

• the Sargasso Sea is the only sea considered as not having shores.

• the Anguille S can carry out thousands of kilometers in order to reproduce there.

Anecdotes

The sailors who furrowed the northern Atlantique with 15th and 16th centuries, feared the Sargasso Sea. Indeed, this zone of calm dish and null wind with tendency to immobilize the sailing ships, so that it was difficult to leave there. Moreover, the presence in strong concentration on the surface of algae sargassos - algae of big size - gave the impression to be broken down on a kind of immense meadow marinades , made gigantic algae which evoked at the time the monstrous arms of Pieuvre S.

See too

References