{"id":7431,"date":"2023-11-01T18:10:17","date_gmt":"2023-11-01T17:10:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.deepworldsea.com\/?p=7431"},"modified":"2023-11-01T18:10:17","modified_gmt":"2023-11-01T17:10:17","slug":"where-does-the-caribbean-sea-meet-the-atlantic-ocean","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.deepworldsea.com\/where-does-the-caribbean-sea-meet-the-atlantic-ocean\/","title":{"rendered":"Where Does The Caribbean Sea Meet The Atlantic Ocean"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The Caribbean Sea and The Atlantic Ocean <\/h2>\n

The Caribbean Sea is located to the east of the Central American mainland and is bordered by Mexico and Central America to the west, the Caribbean Islands to the west, the Greater Antilles to the north and South America to the east. The Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean at several different points, depending on which direction you are traveling.
\nThe Caribbean Sea is a warm, relatively shallow body of water that connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the Caribbean Strait and the Windward Passage. On the western end of the Caribbean Sea, there are two distinct sets of islands that serve as dividing points. To the North is the Greater Antilles, which includes Cuba, Jamaica, and Hispaniola; to the South is the Lesser Antilles, which includes the numerous islands extending southeast from Puerto Rico.
\nThe Atlantic Ocean is the body of water that lies to the east of the United States and Caribbean islands and is bordered by Europe, Africa and the Caribbean. The Atlantic is divided into the North Atlantic and the South Atlantic, with a dividing line running from Florida to Brazil. When looking at where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean, it is important to keep in mind this dividing line.
\nThe general consensus among experts is that the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean at the Mona Passage between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, the strait of Yucatan between Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and Cuba, and the Windward Passage between Cuba and Haiti. In addition to these three water passages, some experts suggest that the Caribbean Sea also meets the Atlantic Ocean near Cape Canaveral, Florida and at the mouth of the Amazon River in Brazil.
\nFurther study of the region has led experts to suggest that the location of the interface zone between the two seas is highly variable and dynamic. In the southern Atlantic, scientists have documented a large area known as the Caribbean Water Mass (CWM) where salt and temperature variability is pronounced. This suggests that the interface between the Caribbean and Atlantic is located within the CWM. <\/p>\n

Sea Currents<\/h2>\n

Understanding the currents in the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is key to understanding the interface between the two bodies of water as currents have the potential to move material and organisms, as well as heat and energy, between the seas. The main ocean current between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is the Gulf Stream. The Gulf Stream is a strong, stable and powerful warm water current that originates in the Caribbean Sea and makes its way northward along the US east coast carrying warm water from the Caribbean to the northern Atlantic.
\nThe Gulf Stream is the predominant oceanic current in the Caribbean Sea and it helps to drive not only the climate of the Caribbean region, but of the entire Atlantic basin. The current helps to maintain the North Atlantic Gyre, which helps to drive the global ocean conveyor belt and has been linked with changes in global climate. The Gulf Stream is also the main cause of the mixing of water masses between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; warm Caribbean water is drawn into the Gulf Stream and is transported north where it is mixed with cooler Atlantic water, thereby creating the interface between the two bodies of water. <\/p>\n

Marine Species Migration<\/h2>\n

The interface between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean also serves as a crucial migration corridor for many marine species. Species such as sea turtles, whales and many forms of fish migrate through the interface between the two seas during their life cycle. Sea turtles in particular have been documented to utilize the interface between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as an important part of their life cycle; some species lay their eggs in the Caribbean Sea and then migrate to the Atlantic Ocean for the remainder of their life span.
\nThe interface between the two seas is also important for the dispersal of larval fish and invertebrates. Larval stages of marine species are sensitive to changes in salinity and temperature and can survive only within a certain range. The salinity and temperature of the interface between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean provide the perfect conditions for the survival of larval stages of many species and it is thought that the migration corridor between the two seas is vital to the survival of many species. <\/p>\n

Marine Life Impacts<\/h2>\n

The interface between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean is also important because it can be used to measure the impact of human activities on marine life. The border between the two seas provides a unique opportunity for scientists to study and monitor the impacts of humans on the marine environment. The area provides an important opportunity for scientists to assess the health of the ocean, since the movement of material and organisms between the seas can be easily observed and quantified.
\nIn particular, the interface between the two seas provides a unique opportunity to observe and measure the effects of pollution, as pollutants can easily be transported between the two bodies of water. In addition, the interface zone has been used to study the effects of climate change and can provide insights into how the ocean is responding to global warming. <\/p>\n

Regional Fisheries Impacts<\/h2>\n