Located deep in the Atlantic Ocean, the Sargasso Sea is a mysterious circle of ocean currents that has no coastline. This unique sea has fascinated sailors and amazed explorers throughout history. Far from land, with its limitless horizons and rich ecosystem, the Sargasso Sea is home to nature’s most striking and extraordinary creatures. This sea, where plastic pollution is also a serious problem, brings together scientists, environmental protection activists and nature lovers.
Although the Sargasso Sea is surrounded by the Gulf Stream to the west, the Canary Current to the east, the North Atlantic Current to the north, and the North Atlantic Equatorial Current to the south, it has an important difference from other seas: It has no coast. It is located near the western edges of the Bermuda Sea and is approximately 1100 km wide and 3200 km long. The depth of the sea varies from 1,500 meters to 7 thousand meters in different regions.
Discovery and Features of the Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is known as a mysterious corner of the oceans. Although there is a criterion when defining seas that they must be landlocked, the Sargasso Sea is a rare place that does not meet this definition. This unique sea a special structure And a unique ecosystem has. Unlike other parts of the Atlantic Ocean, Sargasso is located in a region where the surroundings are cold, although it is located in a warm climate.
The Sargasso Sea was first discovered by Portuguese sailors in the 15th century. However, the first written records about this region appear in a poem by the writer Rufus Festus Avienus, who lived in the 4th century. Also, in the 5th century, the Carthaginian traveler Himilco discovered that this part of the Atlantic seaweed He stated that it was covered with. Throughout history, it has been a source of great difficulty for sailors traveling to this mysterious sea region. This region, discovered during voyages, appeared to be approaching the shore because it was covered in algae, misleading the sailors.
Life in the Sargasso Sea
While oceans are considered to be vast water worlds full of secrets, it is a fact that living life, especially in open waters, is limited compared to the coasts. However, although the Sargasso Sea is described as an open sea, an extraordinary diversity of living things hosts. This unique area is characterized by sargassum algae on the surface, which the turtles use as food and shelter for their young.
The Sargasso Sea provides a rich habitat not only for turtles, but also for shrimps, crabs, fish and other marine creatures perfectly adapted to these surface algae. This enormous diversity also includes endangered species such as eels, white merlin, Porbeagle shark, dolphins, etc. Some people visit Sargasso especially during breeding seasons, and this sea makes important contributions to the life cycles of creatures during these periods.
In addition, the sea is one of the important migration routes of creatures such as the European eel, American eel and American poisonous eel. In the early 2000s, the Sargasso Sea was surveyed as part of the Global Ocean Sampling survey, which found a wide variety of prokaryotic life in the region.
Every year, large creatures such as humpback whales also migrate to the Sargasso Sea. Additionally, tuna fish, one of the important targets of commercial fishing, also use this region as part of their migration route. With these features, the Sargasso Sea is not only a paradise for marine creatures, but also an important part of nature’s delicate balance system.
Accumulates High Amounts of Plastic Waste
However, there are also worrying situations regarding pollution. Due to the surface currents of the sea, Sargasso high amount of plastic waste accumulates. Because North Atlantic garbage patch It is home to a large garbage patch known as In order to address this problem, many countries and non-governmental organizations have combined their efforts to protect the Sargasso Sea and an organization called the Sargasso Sea Commission has been established. This commission was established on 11 March 2014 by the governments of countries such as Azores (Portugal), Bermuda (United Kingdom) and Monaco, as well as the United Kingdom and the United States, and continues its work as of 2020.
Research conducted in the Sargasso Sea has revealed special types of bacteria that consume plastics. However, this interesting finding still brings with it a big mystery: How these bacteria process plastic waste and transfer it to other ecosystems is not fully understood. This discovery excites scientists who are seeking deeper understanding and solutions to combat plastic pollution. By better understanding the effects of plastic on nature, research is gaining momentum to unravel the Sargasso Sea’s extraordinary ecosystem and the role of these bacteria.
The unique structure of the Sargasso Sea and its definition as a sea without land has been an interesting topic of discussion in geography and maritime literature. It may be misleading to call a body of water that is not logically land a sea, but this particular region is considered an exception in terms of definition. Therefore, in the world the only sea without a shore can be considered as. These features of the Sargasso Sea make it one of the most unique and interesting seas in the world.
