What are the two most transparent seas on Earth. Why
The sea is a favorite vacation spot. Everyone will be able to find something to their liking: someone will be delighted with exploring the underwater world and will be able to spend hours under the azure surface, looking at the amazing patterns of corals and watching the measured life of colorful fish, and someone will be happy to spend several days on a sandy beach , "brown" their sides with the gentle rays of the sun. Which coast to choose so that the waves are transparent and fish can be caught with bare hands? Let's figure it out together where you can relax on the shores of the clear sea.
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This is the southernmost and oldest accumulation of water on the planet, which is famous for its huge ice floes. If you are not afraid of cold weather and are looking for a corner that has preserved all the pristine nature, this is the place for you! Just imagine: the shores of the sea are generously encrusted with glaciers, on top of which numerous mammals love to spend time after dinner.
The temperature can hardly be called comfortable for swimming, and it is only suitable for people with strong immunity and walruses. But it can proudly claim the title of leader in cleanliness. You won’t be able to enjoy the beauty of the place from the ship’s side: the conditions for navigation here are extremely unfavorable. What is the phenomenon of "flash freeze" - when before our eyes the waves turn into ice and fetter the ship with ice shackles!
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Sargasso and the Dead Sea
The Sargasso Sea is famous not only for its purity, but also for the lack of clear boundaries. It is possible to determine exactly where this reservoir ends only by currents. By the way, brown vegetation can often be seen on the surface. These algae are called sargassum, and it is from them that the name of this beautiful place comes.
But the Dead Sea boasts not just clean waves. It is also the most salty corner of the planet! The salt content in the main Israeli reservoir is so high that there are no conditions for life. Nevertheless, tourists from all over the world come here, seeking not only to actively relax, but to strengthen their immunity. In addition to salts, the water contains a huge amount of healing and essential minerals and trace elements for the body.
The purity of our seas or a fly in the ointment
The Black and Azov Seas are considered the most accessible and therefore favorite places for family holidays. But how safe are the local beaches? It turns out that these waters cannot be called clean. And that's why. The developed network of seaports, constantly receiving cargo and passenger ships, does not at all contribute to ensuring that the water in the seas is clean. In addition, fishing is also carried out, which leaves its traces on this part of the ecosystem.
According to environmentalists, it is these reservoirs that deserve the title of one of the most polluted places on the planet. Undoubtedly, even here it is possible to find a good place to relax. Top tip: choose the time to visit the coast at the beginning of the holiday season or in the off-season, when the number of tourists is much less.
The cleanest sea in Russia
If you choose between the resorts of your native country, you should pay attention to the coast of the White Sea. It is the local beaches and water that deserve the title of the cleanest in the vast state. By the way, the water temperature also leaves a pleasant impression, allowing you to spend several days with pleasure and maximum benefit in the company of sand and azure waves.
Egyptian resorts are famous for their Red Sea. It is rightfully included in the list of the cleanest reservoirs on the planet and is the best suited for a vacation. It is quite simple to explain such purity of water: not a single river flows into the sea, respectively, it does not deliver to it the garbage that accumulates along its course. Please note that the local fauna is diverse and rich. And not all underwater inhabitants are safe for humans. Numerous sharks and barracudas are found in the sea, which can significantly spoil the impressions of Egyptian resorts.
But in specially designated areas for swimming and closed beaches, swimming will be a real pleasure. Transparent water will allow you to see the smallest details of the bottom and fish swimming by. Therefore, the reservoir is in great demand among divers and spearfishing enthusiasts.
Aegean and Mediterranean
You can safely call clean water off the coast of Turkey and Greece. The Mediterranean basin has been famous for its resort areas for several centuries in a row, and finding an untouched strip of coast or a bay that has been preserved in its original form is not difficult even in the busiest season.
Not without reason, it is on the coast of the Aegean and Mediterranean Seas that millions of tourists from all over the world come together, who appreciate not only the excellent service of the local hotels, but also the cleanliness, fragrance, and respectability of the beaches.
The Weddell Sea is a rarely visited and least explored sea of the oceans. Its waters are the cleanest and most transparent among all the seas of the world.
This is the most beautiful area of Antarctica. Here are penguin rookeries, home to many seals and seabirds. The land of wild nature and huge icebergs. An unusual place and an unusual state of sea ice. In the vicinity of the Larsen Ice Shelf, the ice in the Weddell Sea is densely packed, with few patches of open water. Compared to the ice in the Weddell Sea itself, the sea ice in the north is very scattered, broken, and thin—north of the Weddell Sea is usually almost free of ice.
Compared to sea ice in the Arctic, Antarctic sea ice generally exhibits greater variability. Unlike Arctic sea ice, which has a limited ocean basin and is surrounded by land, Antarctic sea ice has more room to grow in winter and melts more completely in summer. In addition, Antarctic ice is subject to a wider range of atmospheric influences from land and ocean.
Its land boundaries are defined by the bay, from the coasts of the Land of Palts and the Antarctic Peninsula. The easternmost point is Cape Norway on the coast of Princess Martha (Dronning Maud Land). To the east of Cape Norway is the kingdom of Haakon VII (the coast of East Antarctica).
Much of the sea is covered by a permanent massive field of the Filchner-Ronn Ice Shelf (not pack ice). The sea is in two overlapping Antarctic and UK territorial claims, as well as a territorial claim. At its widest point, the Weddell Sea measures about 2,000 kilometers (1,200 miles) and covers an area of 2.8 million square kilometers.
The Weddell Sea has been recognized by scientists as having the cleanest and clearest water of any sea in the world. Dutch researchers from the German Alfred Wegener Institute found that the Secchi disc was visible at a depth of 79.86 meters (262 feet) on October 13, 1986, and determined that the clarity matched the purity of distilled water.
In his 1950 book The White Continent, historian Thomas R. Henry writes:
The Weddell Sea, according to all who sailed its velvety waters, is the most treacherous and gloomy region on earth. The Ross Sea is relatively peaceful, predictable and safe compared to the Weddell Sea.
In the icy waters of the sea, the crews were unable to navigate their way until 1949, and treacherous "outbreaks of frost" flatten the ships: so the polar explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic, and one of the main figures of this period, known as the Heroic Age of the Antarctic research, Ernest Shackleton, at the mercy of the ice, was forced to leave the ship Endurance.
The sea is named after the Scottish sailor James Weddell, who entered it in 1823 and originally named it after King George IV; but the sea was renamed Weddell in 1900. In 1823, American Captain Benjamin Morrell claimed to have seen land about 10-12° east of the actual eastern limit of the sea. He named it New South Greenland, but its existence was disproved when the sea was explored more fully in the early 20th century.
The farthest southern penetration into the Weddell Sea was made by the Scotsman William Spears Bruce in 1903. Otto Nordenskiöld, leader of the Swedish Antarctic Expedition 1901-1904, spent the winter on Snow Hill with a party of four; his ship was crushed by ice. The crew managed to get to Paulet Island, where they spent the winter in a primitive hut. Nordenskiöld and others were finally raised by the Argentine fleet in Hope Bay. All but one survived.
The Antarctic Cape is named after the expedition ship Otto Nordenskiöld. The cape separating the tip of the Antarctic Peninsula from Dundee Island is also called "" because of the huge icebergs that are often seen here. Snowill Island is located to the east of the Antarctic Peninsula. It is almost completely covered in snow, hence its name.
The Weddell Sea is an important area of deep-water mass formation, the main driving force of thermohaline water circulation. Like other neighboring areas of Antarctica, the Weddell Sea shares a common geological history with South America.
The Weddell Sea is teeming with whales and seals. Characteristic fauna of the sea includes Weddell and killer whales, fibula whales, leopard seals and crabater seals. Adélie penguin is the dominant species
The first place in terms of water purity is occupied by the Dead Sea, which is located between Jordan and Israel. Its sterility is ensured by a large amount of salt, which makes the water absolutely unsuitable for the existence of any living creatures - from fish to microorganisms. But this sea helps in the treatment of rheumatism and depression. However, the cleanliness of this facility is under threat, because every year a person worsens the ecological situation.
Weddell Sea
Washing the shores of West Antarctica, the Wedell Sea is also one of the cleanest seas in the world. Almost 30 years ago, it was even listed in the Book of Records for this indicator. The studies carried out then showed that a special disk, by which the transparency of water, was distinguishable at a depth of 79 meters out of 80 possible. Such indicators would hardly be possible if it were located near the places of human residence.
Red sea
The inland sea of the Indian Ocean is not only the saltiest, but also one of the cleanest seas. Its area reaches 450 thousand square kilometers, and the volume of water in it is 251 thousand cubic meters. The Red Sea is also unmatched in terms of quantity and diversity of marine life. Its transparency is explained by the absence of rivers flowing into it, which often carry sand and silt with them. Despite this, every year the environmental situation in the Red Sea is deteriorating, because some ships dump garbage and waste directly into the water.
Mediterranean Sea
The third place in terms of water purity is shared with the Red Mediterranean Sea. Near some coasts of Turkey and Greece, it even received the "Blue Flag" - a prestigious status indicating that the purity of the water meets the environmental requirements of the European Union. But on the coasts of France, Italy and Spain, Mediterranean waters are considered quite dirty because of the waste from developed industry that enters them. These countries have been repeatedly fined by representatives of the EU environmental organization.
Aegean Sea
The purity of the Aegean also depends on the coast. Some of the most sterile waters wash Greece, but off the coast of Turkey, the Aegean Sea systematically suffers from the discharge of sewage. During the so-called "red tides", layers containing a large amount of nitrogen and phosphorus rise from the depths of this sea. It is not recommended to swim in such water during this period, and even more so to consume seafood caught from it.
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The current ecology leaves much to be desired, and relaxing in a clean, unexplored place would be priceless... BigRating magazine will help you choose the right place for your summer vacation from the top of the cleanest seas.
andaman sea
It is located within the Malacca and Indochina peninsulas. Local legends say that the name of this sea comes from the name of the god Anduman, revered in Malaysia. The sea is rich in flora and fauna. There are more than 400 species of fish here alone.
Philippine Sea
Refers to the basin of the seas of the Pacific Ocean. This sea ranks second on the planet in terms of size, since its area is 5726 thousand square meters. kilometers. The Philippine Sea is unique because it does not have a clear land border. A distinctive feature is also the low level of salt in the water column.
Arabian Sea
The sea has a small area with a huge depth: the area is 4 thousand square meters. kilometers, depth - 6 thousand meters. The most transparent waters can be found off the coast of the Maldives, as well as near the deserted island of Astola. These are the most popular places among fans of ecotourism.
White Sea
This sea is part of the Arctic Ocean and washes the territory of Russia. Moreover, the White Sea is considered the most transparent in Russia. An interesting fact: thanks to a very curved coastline, the sea has a second name - "Bay of snakes".
Mediterranean Sea
Part of the Atlantic Ocean. The status of this sea is ambiguous, since its purity is very relative. So, the part of the sea, which belongs to Greece, is quite clean and transparent. At the same time, the coasts of Spain and Italy are incredibly polluted. Moreover, Spain even received a fine for violating environmental regulations.
Fortunately, pollution did not lead to the death of the inhabitants of the Mediterranean Sea. There are approximately 550 species of fish alone.
Cretan Sea
The Cretan Sea is distinguished by its amazing purity. It is thanks to him that northern Crete is so popular, because the waters in that part of the island are incredibly transparent and impeccably clean.
Red sea
In addition to impeccable purity, the waters of the Red Sea are also characterized by extraordinary warmth and high salinity. On average, the water temperature fluctuates within +30, and the salinity is about 42%. The uniqueness of this sea lies in the absence of freshwater tributaries. The bottom is covered with corals, so the sea water has a peculiar shade. Corals also attract a huge number of fish in the sea. Unfortunately, in recent years, the Red Sea has come under the threat of pollution due to waste thrown out annually.
Sargasso Sea
The Sargasso Sea is amazing and unique in its own way, because it has no clear boundaries. The sea has a colossal area - 7 million square meters. kilometers, 6 of which are completely covered with sargassum algae, which gave the name to the water area.
The undisputed leader of the list is the Wedell Sea. The water is translucent 79 meters deep, and this significantly exceeds the performance of other seas. The sea area is 2920 thousand square meters. meters, depth - 6 thousand meters. Wedell's water is extremely cold, since the sea is shrouded in Antarctic glaciers for almost the entire year.
Some exotic lovers, oddly enough, prefer to swim in dirty water. There are people who purposefully search the Internet for this kind of "entertainment". And in the Kuban, at the height of the velvet season, “dirty” tourism is gaining popularity. Last summer, many vacationers preferred extreme swimming in the lakes of mud volcanoes to the traditional rest on the beach and sea baths. By inheritance, the local Cossacks are engaged in "dirty" business.
But still, fortunately, such originals are in a clear minority. Most of our compatriots, when planning to go to the coast, ask themselves the question - which sea should they go to in search of the most environmentally friendly sea bathing (meaning popular tourist routes)? Oceanologist Nikita Kucheruk, candidate of biological sciences, compiled a "hygienic" rating of the seas, which we invite you to familiarize yourself with.
1. Seychelles and Caribbean Islands
Secluded islands far from civilization - the best place for swimming. The water is perfectly clear. Near these islands, the sea is very warm all year round, and there is very little food for marine life. So, if any product of human activity (household, oil pollution) gets into these heavenly blue waters, marine flora and fauna take these emissions as a pleasant addition to breakfast and sweep them away in an instant. Strong ocean currents near the islands help to restore the ecological balance;
2. Portuguese coast and the Dead Sea
The Atlantic coast of Portugal is slightly inferior to the secluded islands. A low-waste industry, a deep bottom, and besides, the ocean - it is much more difficult to litter it than the sea. Along Portugal, the Gulf Stream purifies the water. But in the ocean it is not always safe to make long swims, that is, it simply depends on the relief of the coastline. If there are reefs nearby and the water depth near the coast changes dramatically, a strong undercurrent begins at high tide and the bather can be carried into the open ocean.
As for the Dead Sea, it is also very clean there, but there is no question of any marine flora and fauna: the sea is so salty that no one lives there, no flowers, no fish, no algae. Yes, and swim humanly will not succeed. True, the benefits of it, as we have already written, are immeasurable: here they treat not only the skin, but also rheumatism and depression.
3. Resorts of the Indonesian archipelago (Bali, Malaysia), Singapore, Australia
The honorable second place with the Portuguese coast in our ranking is practically shared by the beaches of Indonesia. The tropical seas are very warm, and just like in the Seychelles, there is little food for marine life - so if some industrial waste gets into the water, the living creature quickly eats everything up.
And at the same time, marine life is the only source of trouble. Communication with a jellyfish nicknamed the Sea Wasp with 5-6-meter transparent tentacles saturated with nerve poison will end at least in a burn.
Hated by snorkellers, sea urchins are found in great abundance. For example, it’s better to stay away from the crazy handsome man nicknamed “diadem” - our expert oceanologist had personal contact with the “diadem” and shared his impressions: “It’s like after shelling.”
You have to be careful with coral reefs: if you touch the "fire" coral, at best, there will be a burn (as after falling into a thicket of young nettles). On the beach, you can stumble upon a large cone-shaped shell of heavenly beauty, in which a mollusk lives - the owner of a deadly proboscis, with which he kills fish. The man, of course, is also not good. So everything bright and beautiful is best observed from afar.
4. Eastern Mediterranean
A great place for lovers of ecological bathing and the freshest seafood: the sea there almost did not suffer from the costs of civilization. The Cretan and Greek beaches, as well as the Mediterranean beaches of Israel and Turkey, have the cleanest and "live" sea in the entire Mediterranean. There is no industry, there are great depths around. The trouble that the sea cannot cope with even in these areas is the often found plastic bags that do not decompose at all: the water is clear and they are clearly visible.
5. Mediterranean coast of Egypt
It would not have received a pass to our top five if the Nile had not actually stopped flowing into the Mediterranean Sea. About ten years ago, the water hyacinth plant got into the river, which quickly multiplied, and the Nile blossomed. But this life-loving plant turned out to be from humid Florida, so it evaporates a lot of liquid, and in dry Egypt, water hyacinth, a scoundrel, evaporates all the remaining river water in large volumes, and all the rest of the water is used for irrigation of fields and practically does not reach the sea - which and it’s good, because if it did, then with fertilizers. Thanks to this environmental trouble, the sea has become cleaner, and the water hyacinth is alive and well and even adapted to the herbicide attacks of the Egyptian authorities.
6. Aegean and Red Seas
The Aegean Sea is relatively prosperous - due to the fact that the ratio of the catchment area (the entire area on land from where water is collected that flows into the sea) to the sea area is very favorable - 1: 1, which means that the proportion of industrial discharges is moderately modest. Swimming off the coast of Greece does not overshadow any plankton, and freshly caught fish is very good.
The Turkish Aegean coast is becoming increasingly problematic, with sewage off the coast from Izmir to Istanbul increasingly causing "red" tides. Layers of water rich in phosphorus and nitrogen rise from the depths of the ocean, which is why toxic (for both people and fish) microflora begins to multiply rapidly - the sea near the coast becomes brown-red. Tourists are not allowed to swim or eat seafood at this time, given the experience of local fishermen and bathers: due to swimming in the sea during red tides, they lose a total of 10,000 working days a year, according to Greenpeace.
Despite the proximity of the Suez Canal, through which oil tankers travel, the Red Sea quickly "digests" pollution, like any tropical sea, where there are many "hungry" algae, fish and other inhabitants and little food. Oddly enough, an oil slick for the ecosystem of the tropical sea is also revered as a good snack. For example, after an oil spill during the US military operation Desert Storm, the sea recovered in a matter of months (for comparison: the northern seas recover from such a shock in five to seven years). And the caution about brightly colored fish and jellyfish still stands: don't grab them by the fins and tentacles. Moray eels (a type of eel) that hide in rocks bite like young bulldogs.
7. Mediterranean beaches of France, Spain and Italy
The Mediterranean Sea, of course, can digest everything. Although France, Italy and Spain are the source of three-quarters of the industrial and agricultural pollution that enters the Mediterranean. But soon the forces of self-regulation by the sea will be exhausted: Greenpeace is already sounding the alarm - each of the ten beaches in the section from Cannes to Capri does not comply with European Union standards. Not to mention the sad facts: last year, dolphins were thrown onto this part of the coast, and because of the ubiquitous tourists, the populations of animals living on the beaches, the Mediterranean tortoise and the seal, decreased by two or three times.
And by the way, lately, local living creatures are getting worse and worse with alien marine plants. For example, off the coast of the French Riviera and Italy (from Toulon to the Italian town of Imperia), the marine weed Caulerpa taxifolia (a native of the tropics) began to multiply at a gigantic rate due to sea pollution with sewage. This weed releases a toxin that kills deep sea algae. In general, you will not be poisoned by seafood in these areas, but still do not eat a lot of them: they contain somewhat exceeded standards for mercury and heavy metals.
8. Adriatic Sea, coast of Tunisia and California
In the waters of the northern Adriatic and near the beaches of Tunisia, chlorophyll is more than normal - when the water temperature rises above 25-26 degrees, the sea may bloom. Along the coastline in these areas, water exchange is not intensive, industrial emissions linger longer. This is precisely the effect of the “annular current” that exists in any enclosed sea: the current along the shelf (sloping coastal part, just where the beaches are) drags with it all possible pollution and does not allow them to mix with the deep layers of the sea.
The Adriatic Sea is in a difficult position - along with the waters of the Po River, waste from the turbulent Italian industry enters it: in the late 90s, the volume of discharges became ten times more than half a century ago. So do not choose the closed bays and lagoons of Trieste and Venice for swimming (you will probably be impressed by the fact that tons of algae are caught annually from the Venetian lagoon so that they do not exude unpleasant odors).
In California, the transparency and smell of water is much better. Why, then, is the famous Sunset Beach not among the leaders of our rating? Due to the increasing "red" tides, during which the famous California oyster farms have to close.
9. Baltic Sea
Unfortunately, swimming there is not very pleasant - dirty. Baltic fish is also not of the best quality. And it's not even about the Russian attitude to the environment. Our legislation is quite strict (treatment facilities in large cities compare with Europe, and often not in favor of the latter). The geographical location of the Baltic Sea is to blame: it is surrounded by industrialized countries (Norway, Sweden, the Baltic countries), oil tankers go through it. In addition, due to the low temperature of the water, it slowly recuperates after pollution.
10. Black Sea
Despite its inherent romantic halo of "the bluest in the world", it trails behind in our ranking. And it seems that it is hopeless: it is physically impossible to restore it. The ratio of the catchment area to the area of the sea itself is the most unfavorable - 6: 1, the water exchange is very slow, and on top of everything else, the waters of the Danube flow here after traveling through three dozen European countries. In the Bulgarian resorts - Sunny Beach and Golden Sands - the sea is already completely brownish in color, last year the visibility was only 20 centimeters.
If you already swim in the Black Sea, then it is better in the cold (up to 20-21 degrees): as soon as the water becomes warmer, the microflora (a possible carrier of infections) multiplies with tripled enthusiasm.
Swimming in a dirty sea can cause not only skin irritation, but also infectious diseases of the ear cavity and nasopharynx, in rare cases - dysentery and even cholera. But most experts agree that the European Union and Greenpeace set fantastically high environmental standards for the purity of sea water. In theory, this severity is justified, but we have never heard of a person swimming in the sea and immediately turning red spots or getting cholera. So if you find out that the sea off the coast on which you are going to relax is not quite clean, you simply should not sit in the water for 10 hours a day. But with fresh fish, really be careful. All marine life accumulates toxic substances in higher concentrations than water.
Of course, in order to disrupt the ecological balance of the oceans and all its seas, one must try hard, but humanity seems to be trying hard: now the pleasure of swimming in clean and clear sea water and eating clean seafood is a rare luxury. But as long as it's allowed.
