The Atlantic Ocean is flush with unique attributes, knowledge of which will not only make you the star of your next beach trip, but aid you in your appreciation of this magnificent ocean.
Or maybe it’s thirsty? Either way, the Atlantic is one greedy ocean. It is fed by a disproportionate number of the world’s major rivers and about half of the world’s land mass. Just a few of these rivers include the Mississippi, the Amazon, the Congo, the Niger, the Loire, the Rhine, and the great rivers draining into the Mediterranean and Baltic seas.
The Atlantic has the highest tides of any ocean. In fact, there is one area in particular that puts all the rest to shame, the Bay of Fundy, off the coast of Nova Scotia. Every day, the bay fills with more water than all of the world’s freshwater rivers combined… and it fills up twice!
If that still doesn’t impress you, consider this: the water level rises by 53 feet in some areas! That’s 5-story building high.
Photo credit: ontheworldmap.com
Most of us can identify with the Atlantic—an ocean familiar with coming in second in everything. Sure, the Pacific has the size advantage, but that doesn’t mean the Atlantic doesn’t hold its own. In fact, it covers 20% of the Earth’s surface, meaning the United States could fit into it around 10 times.
The largest islands in the Atlantic are Great Britain, Cuba, Ireland, Great Britain and Newfoundland.
Everyone has heard of the Bermuda Triangle, the area between Miami, Bermuda, and Puerto Rico that roughly forms a triangle. Experts have claimed that nothing is unusual about the zone compared to similarly traveled regions, but come on, we know there has to be more.
Aliens, waterspouts, it’s all fair game since there is yet to be a definitive answer.
The name originated in the ancient Greek cultures. The myth of Atlantis referred to a sea beyond the boundaries of their societies—the Sea of Atlas. The full story of the origins of the Atlantic Ocean’s name is worth reading up on!
Shipping in the North Atlantic are often affected by an unusually high number of icebergs. (Photo credit: The Canadian Press via www.cbc.ca)
Okay, not literal teeth… but close enough! What the Atlantic Ocean actually has is icebergs, and sometimes those icebergs are like teeth in the jaws of fate. Remember how we mentioned that the Atlantic is one greedy ocean? Well, it’s true in more way than one, as it is responsible for sinking the Titanic.
HANNA MARCUS is a beach-loving Floridian who travels the country hunting down natural wonders she’s always wanted to explore — of course, many of them are beaches. She’s a passionate writer, dog-lover, and friendly optimist who hopes to spread her love for the beach to everyone she meets.
