Many stories have been written about shipwrecks and survivors who eventually reached the seashore to share their experiences with others.
However, there is only one sea on Earth that has no seashores as its boundaries, not one.
The Sargasso Sea is 2,000 miles long and 700 miles wide, and it is located in the North Atlantic Ocean where it is a marvel of nature, strange and unique in that it is formed by four currents.
It is the only sea on Earth that has no land boundaries, and it is formed by global wind patterns and the rotation of the Earth that creates an ocean gyre, a huge circular motion of currents moving clockwise.
While other seas have seashores that define their boundaries, the closest thing to a seashore that the Sargasso Sea has is the Bermuda islands situated within its western boundary.
Known for its uniqueness, the Sargasso Sea is the only known area on Earth that harbors sargassum that are holopelagic and float on the sea while reproducing vegetatively.
It has been called a “floating golden rainforest,” and Christopher Columbus was the first to take note of it in 1492.
Sailors, especially during the days prior to steamships, feared the Sargasso Sea because it was uncommonly calm and covered with algae (seaweed) that they feared would cause their ships to become entangled in so badly that they could never break loose.
Ray Allen is the Editor of the Virginian Review. Mr Allen received his A.B. degree in English and physical education (1963) and M.A. degree in secondary education (1965) from Morehead State University before earning his M.F.A. degree in theatre arts from UCLA (1980) where he majored in writing for motion pictures and television. He retired as an educator in 2004, having taught 11 subjects and having coached five varsity sports during his 41-year-career that led him to teach and coach in Ky., Mich., Calif. and Va.
