Forensic analysis of the BOP completed the following year determined that a set of massive blades known as blind shear ramsdesigned to slice through the pipe carrying oilhad malfunctioned because the pipe had bent under the pressure of the rising gas and oil. During this period the conditions are favorable for the development of hurricanes. Ask below and we'll reply! The Sigsbee Deep[Note 1] (Mexico basin in the U. S. Board on Geographic Names Advisory Committee on Undersea Features (ACUF) Gazetteer),[1] is a roughly triangular basin that is the deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico named for Commander Charles Dwight Sigsbee, USN, Assistant U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey, commanding officer of the USC&GS George S. Blake which discovered the feature during its mapping of the Gulf of Mexico. (2021, September 8). The Gulf of Mexico is the largest Gulf in the world and the tenth biggest body of water in the world. Clear Map How To Use Zoom and drag the map to find the location of marker 1 Click to place marker 1. These include Kemps ridley, loggerhead, green turtle, leatherback, and hawksbill. Still, there are, 30A's Ultimate Guide to The Florida Panhandle Shipwreck. The groundbreaking promise of cellular housekeeping. The Gulf of Mexico supports different species of flora and fauna and is widely recognized for its diversity and productivity. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in pictures, The Perils of Industry: 10 Notable Accidents and Catastrophes, https://www.britannica.com/event/Deepwater-Horizon-oil-spill, National Ocean Service - Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010 - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Deepwater Horizon oil spill: debris and oil, Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010: path of the oil, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The climate of the Gulf of Mexico region varies from tropical to subtropical type. The Gulf's geologic origin remains uncertain. How did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill affect birds? Fishing is productive in the Gulf because of the connection with Sarasota Bay and other local estuaries. When an attempt to employ a top kill, whereby drilling mud was pumped into the well to stanch the flow of oil, also failed, BP in early June turned to an apparatus called the Lower Marine Riser Package (LMRP) cap. It was used by the early Europeans as an exploration route to explore the Americas. The basin is roughly circular in shape and approximately 810 nautical miles (1,500 km) wide. The deepest point is in the Mexico Basin (Sigsbee Deep), which is 17,070 feet (5,203 metres) below sea level. Once released, the natural gas traveled up a riser to the platform of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig that was over the well, where it ignited, killing 11 workers and injuring 17. When did the Deepwater Horizon oil spill happen? Eighteen percent of the country's oil comes from offshore wells in the Gulf. The Gulf of Mexico is somewhat shallow, along the coastal continental shelf areas, and has an average depth of 1,615m. Climate change that's warming waters further is also making them larger, as in increased intensity and amount of water. The Gulf of Mexico was likely formed roughly 300 million years ago when part of the ocean floor gradually sank due to plate tectonics. . Measuring from Florida to the Yucatan, the coastline of the Gulf measures 3,540 miles long and boasts some of the worlds best beaches. "Sigsbee Deep" applied to the entire deep basin appears on some of the earliest charts of the Gulf of Mexico. At its deepest point the bottom is 2.7 miles underwater, but most of the Gulf is much shallower. Houston, New Orleans, Cancun, Tampa, Key West, Havana, San Francisco de Campeche, Mobile, Gulfport, Tampico, Veracruz, Ciudad del Carmen, Coatzacoalcos, Corpus Christi are some of the major urban settlements along the Gulf. Eco-friendly burial alternatives, explained. The feature known as Horseshoe Basin in the western Gulf of Mexico shows up far more clearly on the new high-resolution map (right). The Overwater Argument. The agricultural activities inland of the Gulf of Mexico coast have led to an increase in nitrogen-rich chemical fertilizers and pesticides and phosphorus-based detergents that are eventually washed away by rains or by rivers into the aquatic ecosystems. The marine flora in the Gulf of Mexico includes seagrasses, mangroves, marine algae, and marsh grasses. ABOARD THE WESTERN NEPTUNE, Gulf of Mexico Every 17 seconds, a small armada of ships trawling 130 miles from the Louisiana coast fire powerful air guns toward the bottom of the sea in a. In the Sarasota area the Gulf is best known for beautiful white-sand beaches and exciting offshore fishing. The western end of the island of Cuba forms a partial barrier to the eastern Gulf of Mexico, where it joins the Caribbean Sea. An ocean basin is simply any large area covered with seawater and located below sea level. I'm actually a little scared to get in a boat with you.". Because this continental shelf is easily accessible, the Gulf of Mexico is exploited for oil with offshore oil drilling rigs centered in the Bay of Campeche and the western Gulf region. The Deepwater Horizon rig, owned and operated by offshore-oil-drilling company Transocean and leased by oil company BP, was situated in the Macondo oil prospect in the Mississippi Canyon, a valley in the continental shelf. Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach? The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is 5,299 feet (1,615 meters) and the maximum depth is estimated to be 14,383 feet (4,384 meters). Not only does it border five U.S. states Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida but the Gulf of Mexico also borders Cuba and part of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is an ocean basin located close to the southeastern United States. Public domain image from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Padre Island has its origins in the Gulf of Mexico. Marc Pagani Photography/Shutterstock.com. The narrow subtropical sea is 1,130km (700 miles) long and 80-209km (50-130 miles) wide. They found the Gulf is home to 2,000 year-old deep-sea black corals, many of which are only a few feet tall. Only a vague outline of this bizarre landscape was visible on the old map, which had a resolution of 27,000 square feet per pixel, actually quite good for the seafloor. Despite what we know, there is much to be discovered in the depths of the Sigsbee Deep as there has been little exploration since its discovery. Cleanup crews attempted to burn the oil off of the water, gather the oil and move it, and block it from hitting the coast. This is twice the size of Texas. 2014). Some 1,680 miles of the US coastline and 1,743 miles of the Mexican coastline borders the Gulf of Mexico. The dead zones are incapable of supporting aquatic flora and fauna. Breathtaking vistas create an inviting back drop for all-season entertaining.. Right, In addition to impacts to the diversity of marine life living on the seafloor, researchers found a conservative chemical tracer of petroleum in surface seafloor sediments extending 15 miles from the Macondo wellhead (Valentine et al. To the southeast, it's bounded by the Caribbean Sea and Cuba. The gulfs peculiar history gave rise to a landscape riddled with domes, pockmarks, canyons, faults, and channels all revealed in more detail than ever before by a new 1.4 billion-pixel map. Some portions of the loop current often break away, forming gyres or eddies which further affects the regional current patterns. The use of "Sigsbee" for the feature originates from Commander Charles Dwight Sigsbee's Gulf of Mexico surveys that defined the general features of the body while commanding officer of the USC&GS George S. Blake. The Western Gulf of Mexico, and. SANTA CRUZ, Calif. For the first time, scientists have been able to validate the age of deep-sea black corals in the Gulf of Mexico. So is the Gulf of Mexico an ocean? 30A is the #1 Guide to Floridas Scenic Highway 30-A. Old cells hang around as we age, doing damage to the body. The area then filled with seawater, forming the Gulf of Mexico. On the night of April 20 a surge of natural gas blasted through a concrete core recently installed by contractor Halliburton in order to seal the well for later use. Transcendentalism was a key movement in 19th-century America, but many people still aren't sure what it was all about. Nice beaches and all, and warm for nine months a year, but if youre going anywhere west of about 85 degrees longitude, youll have the argument with yourself about cutting the corner across the Gulf. The shores of the Gulf of Mexico also serve as important habitats for different shorebirds and waterfowls. Construction of two such wells had begun in May. Looking at a map you may not realize that the Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. This cross section has been derived from recently collected deep-penetration seismic reflection profiles collected by industry. Hurricane Season of Gulf of Mexico: The hurricane season officially begins at the beginning of June and ends in late November. The United States' proposal to rename the 23 52 N 91 35 W point "Mexico basin was rejected while the ACUF Mexico basin with "Sigsbee deep" as an alternate name is given in the NGA database as 25 N 92 W.[4][5], There are other features with BGN approved names in the region in recognition of this pioneer in deep ocean sounding and commander of the first true bathymetric survey of the Gulf of Mexico conducted while commanding USC&GS George S. Blake:[4][6], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}2352N 9135W / 23.867N 91.583W / 23.867; -91.583, The name "Sigsbee Deep" has sometimes been applied to. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is 5,299 feet (1,615 meters) and the maximum depth is estimated to be 14,383 feet (4,384 meters). Claims by several research groups that subsurface plumes of dispersed hydrocarbons had been detected in May were initially dismissed by BP and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). By fintasticinc March 22, 2016 Capt's. Corner. The Gulf of Mexico has been a source of oil since 1938, when the first oil well was drilled there. Here are 11 facts about the Gulf. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico by shore is roughly 5,200 feet. Located close to the Continental Shelf, you'll find waters as deep as 600 feet just 10-12 miles from shore. The Gulfs basin is unusually flat, with a gradient of only about 1 foot per every 8,000 feet. However, the hurricanes which do reach land can cause catastrophic devastation. The Gulf of Mexico covers roughly 615,000 mi (1.6 million km) and is about 930 miles (1,500 km) wide. Final Reports FINAL REPORT: Congressional Letters - Offshore Whistleblower Protection Although it has its own name and boundaries, the Gulf of Mexico can be considered part of the Atlantic Ocean as oceans have no hard boundaries. Along the south and southwest, the Gulf of Mexico is bordered by the Mexican states of Tamaulipas, Veracruz, Tabasco, Campeche,and Yucatn. Both are partially detailed in a lengthy 1975 National Academy of Sciences report on ocean contaminants. It is a part of the Atlantic Ocean and is bounded by Mexico to the southwest, Cuba to the southeast, and the Gulf Coast of the United States on the north, which includes the states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas (map). These animals can sniff it out. It contains about 2,500 quadrillion liters of saltwater. You may commission us to create customized maps, infographics and stories as well. 2. First discovered in 1999 by Texas A&M deep-tow data and 3D seismic supplied by WesternGeco LLC, the furrows are expressed for over 200 km along the Sigsbee . How did this mountain lion reach an uninhabited island? We had been planning a trip to run deep into the Gulf, but . Florida and Eastern Gulf of Mexico Grids. The explosion Copyright 2023 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. Theres a pocket of seawater in the Gulf of Mexico near New Orleans that contains salt content thats 5 times higher than neighboring waters. below the gulf's surface, with a circumference of 100 feet (30 m) and 12 feet (3.7 m) feet deep, which is four to five times saltier than the rest of the water. How Far Until You Reach the Seafloor of the Gulf of Mexico? The Gulf of Mexico The graphic above shows the varying depths of the Gulf, which can range to over 12,000 feet deep (the darker the blue the deeper the water). The comparison is based on hull dimensions, including heave plate and structural support construction. The lake gets its foreboding name because of how salty the water is and how most things dont survive it. The Gulf of Mexico is known for beautiful white-sand beaches and exciting offshore fishing. In the United States the population of the coastal regions surrounding the Gulf of Mexico is estimated to number more than 60 million people by 2025, as states such as Texas (the second most populous state) and Florida (the third most populous state) are growing quickly. Looking for more fun facts? Animals that wander into the lake dont come out alive. (April 23, 2010). In this guide, we explain exactly where the Gulf of Mexico is and what its boundaries are, and we include a Gulf of Mexico map so you can see a visual of it. Now thats deep! The Gulf of Mexico is shallower, saltier, and warmer than the Atlantic Ocean. Expect southerly winds, gentle to moderate for the eastern Gulf, and moderate to occasional fresh at the western Gulf. "Flaming Oil Rig Sinks in Gulf of Mexico. Some dolphins are also found in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. Hydrology It has been estimated that the Gulf of Mexico yields more shrimp, finfish, and shellfish per year than the New England, Chesapeake, south, and Mid-Atlantic areas combined. Later, as the basin became a gulf, the salt was covered with sediment deposited by rivers. Thankfully close to 80% of hurricanes formed lose strength and dissipate before reaching land. Off the sands in Florida lies a 360-mile stretch of coral Reefs which developed 10,000 years ago during the last Ice Age. The wetlands here comprise nearly 30% of all wetlands in the United States. All major bodies of saltwater, including the oceans, are ocean basins. https://www.thoughtco.com/geography-of-the-gulf-of-mexico-1435544 (accessed March 4, 2023). . Kramer and Shedd report that after the 2010 Deep Water Horizon oil spill, marine biologists wanted a detailed map of the Gulf to help locate ecological communities that might have been impacted. Coral reefs provide a thriving ecosystem that supports significant biodiversity in the Gulf. "A recent forecast of the size of the 'Dead ZoneR Not sure where the Gulf of Mexico is? Observe fireboat responding to crews battling the fire during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill of 2010, See how wire entanglement inside a well bore mitigates the effects of blowout preventer failure in an oil well. It often raises the Gulf of Mexico water temperature, which can also lead to the formation and strengthening of hurricanes. The Sigsbee Deep, 200 miles southeast of Brownsville, Texas, is estimated to be between 12,300 to 14,383 feet. Now that's deep! The Gulf of Mexico is one of the most important offshore petroleum . It is enclosed largely by North America. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 1,615 metres (5,299ft). The Alabama Gulf Coast boasts the largest artificial reef program in the nation, with 1,136 square miles of artificial reefs located at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the largest marine oil spill in U.S. history. Many died from ingesting oil or because it interfered with their ability to regulate their body temperatures. Located in between the U.S. coast and Yucatan Peninsula, this deep rests on an area of salt beds created millions of years ago. Every year, millions of birds migrate during fall, and many of them fly over the Gulf of Mexico during their trip. . Brown pelicans and laughing gulls were among the species most affected. The oil rig involved in the Deepwater Horizon oil spill was owned and operated by offshore oil-drilling company Transocean and leased by the oil company BP. Due to the warm water temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes regularly form there. Several copepods of the family Zosimeidae were found in deep-sea sediment samples from the Gulf of Mexico and the Gulf of California (Mexico). [3] The actual maximum depth is disputed and estimates range between 3,750 and 4,384 metres (12,303 and 14,383ft). The Gulf of Mexico features a wide continental shelf, specifically around Florida and the Yucatn Peninsula. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Sea wall installed to protect Fort Myers Beach condo building just feet from the Gulf of Mexico March 2, 2023 Observing the migrant crisis from the eyes of the U.S. Coast Guard Photo credit: NOAA Okeanos Explorer Program. You can spot them and learn more about their life on the Alabama Gulf Coast on a dolphin cruise. The new year once started in Marchhere's why, Jimmy Carter on the greatest challenges of the 21st century, This ancient Greek warship ruled the Mediterranean, How cosmic rays helped find a tunnel in Egypt's Great Pyramid, Who first rode horses? The Mexican material represents new species of the genera Zosime Boeck, 1873, Peresime . The first European exploration of the Gulf of Mexico occurred in 1497 when Amerigo Vespucci sailed along Central America and entered the Atlantic Ocean through the Gulf of Mexico and the Straits of Florida (the strip of water between present-day Florida and Cuba). These islands are Galveston, Follets, Matagorda, St. Josephs (San Jos), Mustang, Padre, and Brazos. The basin has an area of 600,000 square miles (1.5 million sq km) and most of it consists of shallow intertidal areas but there are some very deep portions. (April 28, 2010). Omissions? 6. Briney, Amanda. See how other students and parents are navigating high school, college, and the college admissions process. About 60% of the Gulf is less than 700 feet deep. The US states of Texas and Florida are recognized as the most rapidly growing states. Fishing is productive in the Gulf because of the connection with tidal streams and local estuaries. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. As per different reports, about 11 people had lost their lives and about 5,000 barrels of oil/day had leaked into the Gulf of Mexico from the 5,486m deep well on the platform. The Gulf Stream originates here, and it is one of the strongest ocean currents in the world. The cited reference discusses differences in United States and IHO committee views and variations between names recommended by the Advisory Committee on Undersea Features (ACUF) of the U. S. BGN and the GEBCO committee. Ask questions; get answers. Its a diverse ecosystem with a long and interesting history. Cuba is located to the southeast of the Gulf of Mexico. 7. Warning: THIS DATA IS NOT TO BE USED FOR NAVIGATION There are nearly 2,000 different species! They found evidence of sediment resuspension linked with oceanic phenomena. With millions of gallons of oil spilled in the sea, the response effort was large and has lasted for over a decade. of Mexico before you plan a fishing trip. In Florida, for example, Florida state waters are from shore to 9 nautical miles on the Gulf . Due to its large size and the complex current system, the Gulf of Mexico has a diverse ecology, ranging from the coastal zone, which serves as a nursery for all types of marine life, to the deep waters of the abyssal plain where colonies of deep-sea coral grow on the seafloor. The Gulf of Mexico is a part of the Atlantic Ocean and is considered an ocean basin and marginal sea. Amanda Briney, M.A., is a professional geographer. The rig was located approximately 50 miles southeast of Venice, Louisiana, and had a 126-member crew onboard. The average depth of the Gulf of Mexico is approximately 1,600 meters, or 5,200 feet. The volume of oil escaping the damaged welloriginally estimated by BP to be about 1,000 barrels per daywas thought by U.S. government officials to have peaked at more than 60,000 barrels per day. Read our guide on transcendentalism for everything you need to know about key transcendentalist beliefs, an overview of the movement's history, and key players. The coastal population of the five US states on the Gulf of Mexico is projected to increase from 44.2 million in 1995 to about 61.4 million in 2025. It doesnt hurt that a large part of the Gulf is right over the North American Continental Shelves, which means the water is fairly shallow. Over 40 species of sharks live in the Gulf of Mexico. To learn more about the Gulf of Mexico, visit theGulf of Mexico Programfrom the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Check out our guide on the 13 colonies for everything you need to know about the colonies and how the US came to be. The largest of these rivers is the Mississippi River. Supported by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ( NOAA) Ocean Exploration and Research, the research team recently completed an expedition into the Green Banana Blue Hole . Check out these interesting facts to learn more about the Gulf of Mexico. The Gulf was first explored by Amerigo Vespucci in 1497. environmental disaster, Gulf of Mexico [2010]. 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One of the most devastating was Hurricane Katrina, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico in 2005 and caused over 1,200 deaths and $125 billion in damage, mostly concentrated in New Orleans, Louisiana and surrounding areas. With the consent of the seven companies, the BOEM released the map to the public. Where Is the Gulf of Mexico? Some bivalve species that are found here include oysters, mussels, clams, and scallops. The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 5,200 feet, but other parts of the Gulf of Mexico are surprisingly deep. The Gulf of Mexico is a large ocean basin near the Southeastern United States. Yes! The Gulf of Mexico is fed by the waters of 33 American rivers, the largest of which is the Mississippi River. The casual observer would need to watch the coral for many years possibly hundreds to notice any difference in its growth, however. What are the circles in the Gulf of Mexico? But it wasnt good enough for biologists who needed a more detailed picture of the area around the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill so they could assess the ecological damage. Following the continental shelf edge westward, Diaphus Bank rises about 48 miles west of the Mississippi Trough. The floor of the Gulf of Mexico is one of the most geologically interesting stretches of the Earth's surface. A well-preserved shipwreck is seen in the Gulf of Mexico. This surpassed the 3.3 million barrels that spilled into the Bay of Campeche by the Mexican rig Ixtoc I in 1979. Some of the significant ones include Blue whale, Brydes whale, Fin whale, Killer whale, Minke whale, Humpback whale, Sperm whale, and Northern right whale. Nearly half of the basin is compromised of shallow continental-shelf waters and due to the separation from the Atlantic Ocean, there are minimal tidal ranges. Though the leak had slowed, it was estimated by a government-commissioned panel of scientists that 4,900,000 barrels of oil had already leaked into the gulf. The Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is the worst oil spill in history, leaving almost 5 million barrels of oil in the Gulf. The Gulf is about 1,000 miles wide, as much as 14,000 feet deep, and receives runoff from vast areas of the continent. The Gulf of Mexico shares its borders with the United States on the north, northeast, and northwest, and Mexico on the southwest, and the south. South of Cocodrie at 28.09 degrees North and 90.71 degrees West, Diaphus Bank covers about 20 square miles. Can we bring a species back from the brink? We end with some fun facts about the Gulf (spoiler alert: its home to a lot of sharks!). Interested in early American history? In the fall of 2021, nine new . Nearly all offshore oil and natural gas leasing and development activity currently occurs in the central and western Gulf of Mexico, where thousands of . The strange geology of the floor of the Gulf is mostly caused by thick underlying layers of salt. Hurricane Harvey is tied with Hurricane Katrina as the costliest in U.S. history. When the guns fire, they create sound waves that travel down and are reflected back up by the sea floor. These floating feeding grounds can grow to be so large theyre detectable from space! Without a doubt, the sugar-white sand beaches on the Alabama and Florida gulf coast are among the most beautiful on the planet. hbspt.cta.load(360031, '4efd5fbd-40d7-4b12-8674-6c4f312edd05', {}); Have any questions about this article or other topics? It is largely surrounded by the continent of North America. The deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico is Sigsbee Deep, which has an estimated depth of around 14,383 feet. A sea lily (Crinoidea) rests in the middle of a mushroom coral (Anthomastus sp.) The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world at a width of 810 nautical miles (1,500 km). It Holds as Much Power as Beauty The Gulf of Mexico is a rich reservoir of natural gas and oil. How big is the Gulf of Mexico? Please be respectful of copyright. Ukraine Russia War Crisis: Everything You Wanted to Know. Hurricanes are common along the Gulf Coast, such as Katrina in 2005, Ike in 2008, Harvey in 2016, and Michael in 2018. 30A has raised over $3 million for coastal charities, and has given away 4 million of its famous blue 30A stickers. The Jacuzzi of Despair as its called, is a combination of methane gas and hydrogen sulfide that kills all creatures who enter it. n o date, more than $11.6 billion has been paid to Gulf-area T Its four times as salty as the nearby seawater and is warmer as well. In the fall of 2021, nine new sections of reefs totaling 110 square miles were added to the pre-existing zones. The Gulf covers approximately 600,000 square miles. Different species of jellyfish are also commonly found in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency's Undersea Features History. 3. The two designs are sized and analyzed for the new Gulf of Mexico metocean criteria. Were here to help! Thank you for reading! The plan would mainly limit drilling to the Gulf of Mexico, with one proposed lease sale in waters off Alaska. The Mississippi is the largest river that drains into the Gulf of Mexico and carries with it an extraordinary amount of these contaminants into the Gulf. Most of the basin consists of shallow intertidal areas, but its deepest point is called Sigsbee Deep and has an estimated depth of about 14,383 feet (4,384 m). For over 10 years, scientists and researchers have come a long way in restoring, recovering, and researching the . Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Its considered one of the worst natural disasters in history, and efforts to reverse some of the damage that was caused are still ongoing. The deepest point is in the Mexico Basin ( Sigsbee Deep), which is 17,070 feet (5,203 metres) below sea level. The Gulf of Mexico is roughly oval-shaped with a long dimension of about 950 mi (1,500 km). It is estimated that around 10,000 bottlenose dolphins live in the coastal waters of the Gulf of Mexico. In geographic terms, the Gulf of Mexico is also an ocean basin. They said this would protect shipping, and in the event of an emergency, rescue would be nearby. "Size of Spill in Gulf of Mexico is Larger than Thought. Over the years, these water bodies turn into dead zones. Black coral that grows in the Gulf of Mexico is thought to be one of the oldest living organisms on Earth. After the discovery of Cuba and Mexico by the early Europeans, Spain had led a military invasion through the Gulf to colonize these areas. A Comprehensive Guide. Gulf of Mexico water temperature: The surface water temperature of the Gulf of Mexico, as recorded in February, varies from 18C in the northern part of the Gulf to about 24C off the Yucatn coast. Endangered sea turtles also use the coast as their nursery and require the Sargassum, seaweed that floats on the surface of the water, to feed, along with fish, seahorses, and other marine life. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest gulf in the world, with 600,000 sq miles bordered by 1,680 miles of US coastlines. Currently, there are about 27,000 wells, both oil and gas, that have been drilled and abandoned in the Gulf. Which travel companies promote harmful wildlife activities? Due to the warm waters, moist air, and strong current of the Gulf Steam when storms originating in the cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean move west and collide it creates the perfect conditions for hurricanes to form. The 'extreme cruelty' around the global trade in frog legs, What does cancer smell like?