'The sea that doesn't touch any land at all': All about Sargasso that terrified Christopher Columbus
Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
No Coastline
Forget the seaside; the Sargasso Sea is the only ocean region in the world that doesn’t touch a single coastline. Located in the North Atlantic, it’s held together not by shores but by four powerful currents, creating a boundary defined solely by the ocean.
Curious Boundaries
The Sargasso Sea’s “borders” are formed by a circular enclosure of currents—the North Atlantic, Canary, Equatorial, and Antilles—trapping the sea in a “perfect lake” without a shoreline. This unique gyre creates an isolated, self-contained ocean ecosystem.
Seaweed Mat
Vast mats of foul-smelling Sargassum seaweed blanket the Sargasso, giving it an eerie look. This floating carpet not only sets it apart but has given rise to a massive North Atlantic Garbage Patch where debris swirls into an unnatural island of waste.
A Mystery for Columbus
Christopher Columbus first recorded the Sargasso Sea’s strangeness in 1492. His crew worried the dense mats of Sargassum might entrap their ship or leave them stranded in windless doldrums, contributing to an air of mystery that would last for centuries.
Bermuda Triangle Link
Adding to the enigma, the Sargasso overlaps with the southwestern edge of the Bermuda Triangle. Stories of vanished planes and ships over the years have deepened its mystique, marking it as a place of fear and fascination.
A Biodiversity Hub
Despite its eerie qualities, the Sargasso supports a rich marine ecosystem. The Sargasso Sea Commission calls it a “haven” for threatened species, including eels, tuna, and humpback whales, which rely on its unique environment for critical life stages.
Plastic “Island”
The ocean gyre’s currents also trap vast amounts of plastic and waste, forming the North Atlantic Garbage Patch—a disturbing “island” of human debris that stretches over hundreds of kilometers, a stark reminder of human impact.
Shipping Threats
Shipping traffic introduces new dangers to the Sargasso Sea. Noise pollution, damage to Sargassum beds, and chemical spills threaten its delicate ecosystem, putting its unique marine life at increasing risk.
Climate Crisis Looms
A recent study notes alarming shifts in the Sargasso’s conditions—rising temperatures, acidity, and salinity at their highest since 1954. These changes are reshaping its ecosystems, raising concerns for the wider Atlantic.
Point of No Return?
Dr. Nicholas Bates, lead author of the study, warns that global warming may have propelled the Sargasso Sea’s conditions to a near-irreversible state, affecting global water cycles and weather patterns, possibly beyond repair.