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Southern Ocean: The Best Vacation Spots on Earth
The Southern Ocean is the ocean that surrounds the Antarctic continent.
It is the largest body of water in Antarctica, covering about 19% of the continent.
The ocean has a salinity of about 3% to 7% of that of the Atlantic Ocean, and its average depth is 3,659 meters (12,070 ft).
The density and temperature of the Southern Ocean are much lower than those at other latitudes because it contains very little fresh water and very few landmasses; most ice-covered regions lie on Antarctica itself or on islands off its coast.
10 Interesting Facts About the Atlantic Ocean From Here
Because of this, the circulation in the ocean is also weaker than at other locations at similar latitudes.
The low salinity allows rocks to drift along the bottom as well as provide limited habitat for some flora and fauna species.
In addition, human expansion outwards from Antarctica’s coastal areas has led to an increase in river runoff into the ocean, thereby increasing its nutrient content.
The vastness of the Southern Ocean is a reminder of the enormity of our home planet.
Inhabited by an array of species, there is no shortage of beauty in this desolate expanse.
With its calm waters and clear skies, it’s also a perfect place for photography.
The marine life you might encounter depends on where you are and what time of year you visit.
Whales are most active between April and October, while seals can be seen almost
anywhere between January and March.
Most divers head to the region to see seals at work during summer months (March-July).
The Antarctic fauna is incredibly rich, with over 4,000 animal species known to inhabit the continent alone.
Most are small or insectivorous and can quickly be overlooked - but a few stand out as worthy subjects for photographers.
Let’s take a look at six animals that can be found in the Southern Ocean with ease - from humpback whales to penguins!
The Southern Ocean is the largest and deepest ocean on earth.
It covers about 22% of the planet’s surface.
The southernmost part of it is known as the Antarctic Ocean.
The surrounding seas and waters are also collectively referred to as the Southern Hemisphere.
This vast sea basin extends from polar regions to subantarctic waters in the south, equatorward to about 55°S latitude, and then eastward along the coasts of Antarctica past the South Pole and into the interior toward Australia.
The Southern Ocean is a major habitat for many marine organisms including whales, penguins, seals, toothfish, crustaceans and krill (smaller crustaceans).
The area is also a major source of nutrients which fuels oceanic phytoplankton blooms and serves as nurseries for fish larvae.
The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's oceanic divisions.
It is named for its geographic location around the North Pole and South Pole, opposite the other major oceanic division, the Pacific Ocean.
The Atlantic basin covers much of West Africa, from the Red Sea in the east to the Indian Ocean in the south; and excess water flows outwards through three latitudinal oceans: the Caribbean Sea, South Atlantic Ocean, and Southern Ocean.
The average depth of the Great Atlantic Current (GAC) is 2 km (1.2 mi), with a maximum of about 6 km (3.7 mi).
This makes it one of the least saturated surface currents in the world.
However, because of its volume and speed, it is still believed to be one of the 10 fastest flowing currents in Earth’s oceans.
It has three distinct sections: a northern extension from Greenland south to about latitude 55°S; an intermediate section between about 25°S and 55°S; and a southern extension from about 60°S to Antarctica.
The South Atlantic Ocean is the second largest ocean on Earth and is located south of the equator.
It covers almost 60 million km2, which is slightly more than half of the total surface area of Earth.
The average depth of the South Atlantic is around 11 km, while its maximum depth reaches up to 35,885 ft or 10 km.
The name ‘South Atlantic’ comes from the fact that most of it lies south of the Equator.
The continent Africa separates the South Atlantic Ocean from the Indian Ocean in its north and east ends; however, there are many other smaller seas which separate these two landmasses as well.
These include; The Southern Ocean (or Antarctic Oceans), Agulhas Current (which flows along part of southern Africa), Mozambique Channel, Roaring Forties, Agulhas Leakage, East India Ridge and George’s Banks.
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