This name was given by Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer who discovered it. This has especially been plaguing the southwest and southern Florida coast, from the Florida Keys to north of Pasco County, Florida. By Get expert advice, insider tips and more. Most Gulf beaches are located along a string of sandy barrier islands created by wave-washed quartz sand. Rough Waters: The typhoon season in the northwest Pacific Ocean is mainly from July to November with a peak in late August/early September -- although storms can occur year-round. The Bay of Campeche in Mexico constitutes a major arm of the Gulf of Mexico. Hurricanes spawned in the North Atlantic may also move through the gulf at that time, often picking up strength. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". The gulf's warm water temperature can feed powerful Atlantic hurricanes causing extensive human death and other destruction as happened with Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The latest forecasts from the National Hurricane Center show the potential for two different tropical cyclones in the Gulf of Mexico next week. The calmer waters . Particularly devastating hurricanes included one that struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900 and another that devastated New Orleans and surrounding areas in 2005. Fishing is productive in the Gulf because of the connection with tidal streams and local estuaries. In Mexico, Cozumel is one of the best destinations for diving and snorkeling. An Eastern that goes to the Virgin Islands normally has calm seas in February. [36] The wreck's precise location was discovered during the C & C Marine survey that located the U-166. The deciding factor is which will have the calmer water, not the itinerary stops. With very few exceptions, you can expect incredibly calm seas! In this article, we will discuss the best times and seasons to fish in the Gulf of Mexico. The U-boat sailed on only two war patrols and sank four ships totalling 7,593gross register tons(GRT). There are some places in every ocean which are calm depending on the ocean currents and wind flow. The Gulf of Mexico is fed by the waters of 33 American rivers, the largest of which is the Mississippi River. Clicking on the map below takes you to TAFB's marine services webpage where you can get offshore forecasts and warnings for the tropical Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean in many different forms, including text and graphics. The quake was reportedly felt from Louisiana to Florida in the Southeastern United States. Oysters are also harvested on a large scale from many of the bays and sounds. Additionally, the gulf's shoreline is fringed by numerous bays and smaller inlets. CC Help Jenn Because amenities are not beachside, it is often not as busy as other local beaches. There is also a lighthouse close to the beach which offers spectacular views of the coastline from the cliffs. On March 13, 2009, the CLCS accepted Mexico's arguments for extending its continental shelf up to 350 nautical miles (650km; 400mi) into the Western Polygon. [32] Mexico sought an extension of its continental shelf in the Western Polygon based on international law, UNCLOS, and bilateral treaties with the United States, in accordance with Mexico's domestic legislation. The dead zone in the Gulf of Mexico has harmful effects on marine life and fisheries, and so scientists have set a target to have the dead zone grow to no larger than 1,900 square miles (4921 . When is the calmest water in the Gulf of Mexico? 4. Rough Waters: If you're cruising Down Under, you'll find some rough patches in the Bass Strait (between the Australian mainland and Tasmania) and the Tasman Sea (between Australia and New Zealand). Sadly the seas can kick up anytime of the year. [39], Various biota include chemosynthetic communities near cold seeps and non chemosynthetic communities such as bacteria and other micro benthos, meiofauna, macrofauna, and megafauna (larger organisms such as crabs, sea pens, crinoids, demersal fish, cetaceans, and the extinct Caribbean monk seal) are living in the Gulf of Mexico. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. On April 7, 1528, they spotted land north of what is now Tampa Bay. Perhaps a Southern Carib. On December 11, 1526, Charles V granted Pnfilo de Narvez a license to claim what is now the Gulf Coast of the United States, known as the Narvez expedition. A line joining Cape Catoche Light (2137N 8704W / 21.617N 87.067W / 21.617; -87.067) with the Light on Cape San Antonio in Cuba, through this island to the meridian of 83W and to the Northward along this meridian to the latitude of the South point of the Dry Tortugas (2435'N), along this parallel Eastward to Rebecca Shoal (8235'W) thence through the shoals and Florida Keys to the mainland at the eastern end of Florida Bay and all the narrow waters between the Dry Tortugas and the mainland being considered to be within the Gulf. She was sailing southeast of the entrance to the Mississippi River when the explosion destroyed the #3 hold, vented through the B and C decks and damaged the engines, the radio compartment and the steering gear. A storm thousands of miles away can cause unsettled seas in any ocean. A visit to Mexico is a popular choice for many reasons. In July 2015 BP reached an $18.7bn settlement with the US government, the states of Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas, as well as 400 local authorities. Cozumel. Our Alaska cruise was the roughest. 75F is warmer than the waters get for most of the summer on Long Island. Since the seas are usually calm, this is also a great time to take kids out for their first trips out or to schedule deep sea fishing party boat charters. slander meaning in . Cancun Beach, Riviera Maya. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. While the Gulf of Mexico was a restricted basin, the subsiding transitional crust was blanketed by the widespread deposition of Louann Salt and associated anhydrite evaporites. ;). Geologists and other Earth scientists agree in general that the present Gulf of Mexico basin originated in Late Triassic time as the result of rifting within Pangea. [31] The earthquake was described by the USGS as an intraplate earthquake, the largest and most widely felt recorded in the past three decades in the region. The Gulf of Mexico is the largest gulf in the world, with 600,000 sq miles bordered by 1,680 miles of US coastlines. The Gulf of Mexico is the ninth largest body of water in the world at a width of 810 nautical miles (1,500 km). Snapper, redfish, tuna, sailfish, and mahi-mahi are best caught during this season. The top destination in the Florida Keys is also . The Gulf of Mexico is somewhat shallow, along the coastal continental shelf areas, and has an average depth of 1,615m. . . [54] Coast Guard Rear Adm. Sally Brice O'Hare stated that the US government will be "employing booms, skimmers, chemical dispersants and controlled burns" to combat the oil spill. Water from the Caribbean enters through the Yucatn Channel, the floor of which forms a sill (submarine ridge between basins) at about 1 mile (1.6 km) beneath the surface, and flows out in a clockwise direction via the Straits of Florida. Posted February 18, 2010. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Although you can get lucky and find smooth seas, most cruise travelers experience rough waters traversing this region. Over 40 species of sharks live in the Gulf of Mexico. That's the only time we've experienced heavier movement on the ships in normal, calm weather. Yelapa. Separating the Gulf of Mexico from one of the limited hypersaline lagoons on earth, the Laguna Madre, is the Padre National Seashore. Gulf of Mexico, Spanish Golfo de Mxico, partially landlocked body of water on the southeastern periphery of the North American continent. Cruise-e-Q, January 1, 2015 in Caribbean - Other. Sounds like this is a first cruise. However, this first voyage of 1497 is widely disputed and many historians doubt that it took place as described. centerville high school prom 2022 8. The water temperature off Miami averages 72 F (22 C) over winter. Here's another fact: rough water almost always occurs when two different bodies of water meet. February - March The big fish in the water is the Yellowfin Tuna. The beach is wonderful and there are a half-dozen very good restaurants. So for a first cruise you may want to choose between the western and eastern. Dunbar. Powdered sugar beaches and plenty of sun mean that Biloxi is a premier destination in the south for swimming. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". During this time, sharks are the most abundant and plentiful along the beachfront and nearshore waters of Galveston. Is it easy to get an internship at Microsoft? Earthquakes may be caused by interactions between sediment loading on the sea floor and adjustment by the crust.[28]. The Gulf of Mexico (Tampa -Key West- Cozumel) is pretty calm from December to June. The Gulf of Mexico (Tampa -Key West- Cozumel) is pretty calm from December to June. But at the end of the day, Mexico will always be known as a beach destination - and for good reason. He cast anchor between Cat Island and Ship Island; and on February 13, 1699, he went to the mainland, Biloxi, with his brother Jean-Baptiste Le Moyne de Bienville. It is a country of great ruins, culture, food, and especially beaches. Individual waves may be. In May 2007, an expedition, led by Texas A&M University and funded by OGGC under an agreement with the Minerals Management Service (now BOEM), was launched to undertake the deepest scientific archaeological excavation ever attempted at that time to study the site on the seafloor and recover artifacts for eventual public display in the Louisiana State Museum. This proportion, however, varies markedly during the year in coastal waters, particularly near the outflow of the broad delta region of the Mississippi River. During rough seas, the captain may order passengers to stay indoors for the safety of everyone on the ship and for passengers with mobility issues, staying seated is a good idea. There is extreme variability in both current direction and speed on the continental shelf and in the coastal waters of the gulf, where currents are subjected to seasonal and annual variations caused not only by major circulation patterns but also by changes in the prevailing wind direction. The Gulf of Mexico's eastern, northern, and northwestern shores lie along the US states of Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas. Mexico is one of those well-rounded countries that offer a little bit of everything: food, culture, gorgeous landscapes, and some of the best hotels and resorts in the entire world. When word of the disaster reached Mexico City, the viceroy requested a rescue fleet and immediately sent ngel de Villafae, in Mexico City with Corts, marching overland to find the treasure-laden vessels. NWS National Hurricane Center Miami, FL. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. On July 30, 1942, the Robert E. Lee, captained by William C. Heath, was torpedoed by the German submarineU-166. Sea surface temperatures in February vary between 64 F (18 C) in the northern gulf and 76 F (24 C) off the Yucatn coast. Taking a Cruise in December. The first beach on the list, Playa Norte, has clear waters and shining white sand. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Routes: Caribbean cruises are divided into eastern, western, and southern itineraries. Answer (1 of 2): It can be. San Diego to Vancouver. The equatorial part of the ocean is called as doldrum. The size of the Gulf basin is approximately 1.6million km2 (615,000sqmi). Except for certain areas (like around the ends of Africa and S. . This was compared with a 52% to 48% male-female ratio found in reference sites, showing an impairment of reproductive output for fish populations inhabiting hypoxic coastal zones. During the Late Jurassic through Early Cretaceous, the basin occupied by the Gulf of Mexico experienced a period of cooling and subsidence of the crust underlying it. The biggest offender is the Mediterranean, which tends to be roughest in the fall and winter, due to winds and storms. Many cruise lines -- including .css-hghiur{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-medium);border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;cursor:pointer;color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);border-color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);}.css-hghiur:focus-visible,.css-hghiur[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-hghiur:hover,.css-hghiur[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;}Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian -- have multiple ships sailing to the Caribbean out of Florida and the Gulf States throughout hurricane season (though the vessels will make itinerary changes to shy away from the biggest storms). The contract gave him one year to gather an army, leave Spain, be large enough to found at least two towns of 100 people each, and garrison two more fortresses anywhere along the coast. On May 27, 2010, The USGS had revised the estimate of the leak from 5,000 barrels per day (790m3/d) to 12,00019,000 barrels per day (3,000m3/d)[55] an increase from earlier estimates. [49], There are 27,000 abandoned oil and gas wells beneath the Gulf. Air temperature typically controls land and sea breezes. The islands and the passes between them . The warm water then moves north, where it forces cooler water to sink and move south. It is connected to part of the Atlantic Ocean through the Florida Straits between the U.S. and Cuba, and with the Caribbean Sea via the Yucatn Channel between Mexico and Cuba. Thanks for any help. What mineral resources are found in the Gulf of Mexico? Started June 21, 2021, By The Arctic Ocean is the shallowest (mean depth 1361 m) and has significantly larger continental shelves than other oceans. Both of these channels . The country is estimated to have about 500 beaches, not including endless wild shorelines and private lands. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. In 1510, he accompanied Diego Velzquez de Cullar, an aide of the governor of Hispaniola, in his expedition to conquer Cuba. Not on Cruise Critic's list but also quite rough is the Mississippi River from New Orleans to the Gulf of Mexico. 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). An October 2007 study of the Atlantic croaker found a disproportioned sex ratio of 61% males to 39% females in hypoxic Gulf sites. The only sure thing would be a river cruise - or perhaps the Staten Island ferry (great price for a short cruise). Meandering masses of water, called loop currents, break off from the main stream and also move clockwise into the northeastern part of the gulf. The Gulf of Mexico (Tampa -Key West- Cozumel) is pretty calm from December to June. Impacted Itineraries: Transatlantic, transpacific, Hawaii, Canada and New England, world cruises. When is the calmest water in the Gulf of Mexico? https://www.britannica.com/place/Gulf-of-Mexico, Texas State Historical Association - Handbook of Texas - Gulf of Mexico, Gulf of Mexico - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), Gulf of Mexico - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up), Biden considers 1st offshore wind auction in Gulf of Mexico, one that struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900, another that devastated New Orleans and surrounding areas in 2005. Global Land One-kilometer Base Elevation (GLOBE) v.1. Initially, the combination of crustal stretching and cooling caused about 57km (3.14.3mi) of tectonic subsidence of the central thin transitional and oceanic crust. He arrived in time to greet Garca de Escalante Alvarado (a nephew of Pedro de Alvarado), commander of the salvage operation, when Alvarado arrived by sea on July 22, 1554. The subsidence was the result of a combination of crustal stretching, cooling, and loading. On April 5, 2022, changes to the Tropical Analysis and Forecast Branch (TAFB) offshore marine zones were made. The Gulf of Mexico (Tampa -Key West- Cozumel) is pretty calm from December to June. From the floor of the basin rise the Sigsbee Knolls, some of which attain heights of 1,300 feet (400 metres); these are surface expressions of the buried salt domes. Region: Gulf Coast. The equatorial part of the ocean is called as doldrum. At the time of the photograph, The Galveston Airport, Scholes Field, reported calm winds. 3. On the Gulf Coast, a Quiet Hurricane Season (So Far!) It is sheltered in almost every direction for safe swimming, and the location is shallow enough that the chilly Pacific water warms early here. Started August 27, 2021, By It was at this time that rifting first created a connection to the Pacific Ocean across central Mexico and later eastward to the Atlantic Ocean. 1003 AM EST Wed Mar 1 2023. the Gulf Coast could see two landfalls within 24 hours of one another. [37] She was sunk on July 30, 1942, in Gulf of Mexico. Answer (1 of 4): Ocean waves are affected by many things, including currents, tides, and winds quite far away from where the waves are observed. itinerary from San Juan that visits an island virtually every day, will ease her anxiety (knowing you will be in port the next morning may help "if" she feels discomfort despite using motion sickness preventitives);). The deepest point is in the Mexico Basin (Sigsbee Deep), which is 17,070 feet (5,203 metres) below sea level. The Bay of Biscay, off the west coast of France and north of Spain, and the North Sea can also be rough, but are calmer in the summertime. A Mediterranean cruise rarely experiences significant seas. It is 17,070 feet (5,203 meters) below sea level in the Mexico Basin. [47] Poor agricultural practices in the northern portion of the Gulf of Mexico have led to a tremendous increase of nitrogen and phosphorus in neighboring marine ecosystems, which has resulted in algae blooms and a lack of available oxygen. and 4 day cruises this spring, beginning at the end of April. Sharks can be caught with different types of baits including live and dead baits. 14 Miramar Beach. During the winter there are fronts coming down from up north and during the summer always the threat of a hurricane. The Gulf of Mexico is a rich reservoir of natural gas and oil. Which Waters Do You Pass Through When You Sail the Seven Seas? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Oyster shells obtained from the shallow waters are used in the chemical industry as a source of calcium carbonate and also provide material for building roads. Impacted Itineraries: Eastern, Southern and Western Caribbean. . Corrections? This land lay south of a continuous mountain range that extended from north-central Mexico, through the Marathon Uplift in West Texas and the Ouachita Mountains of Oklahoma, and to Alabama where it linked directly to the Appalachian Mountains. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Gulf of Mexico is an excellent example of a passive margin. The abyssal plain, which forms the floor of the gulf, consists of a large triangular area near the centre, bounded by abrupt fault scarps toward Florida and the Yucatn Peninsula and by more gentle slopes to the north and west. The most dangerous animals in the Gulf of Mexico include bull sharks, sting rays, lionfish, sea urchins, etc. The Gulf of Mexico borders the southeastern coast of North America. Individual waves may be more than twice the . Carnival has 3 & 4 day sailings from Long Beach, CA and Royal Caribbean's 'Radiance of the Seas' offers a 5 night on 5/3/10 r.t. from San Diego. [5], The Smithsonian Institution Gulf of Mexico holdings are expected to provide an important baseline of understanding for future scientific studies on the impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. When you're not splashing in the gentle waves or strolling the sand here, head out to spot dolphins during a cruise with Sunshine Scenic Tours or rent a standup paddleboard from one of the many . Photo Credit: www.bolivarpeninsulatexas.com. This thinning created a broad zone of transitional crust, which displays modest and uneven thinning with block faulting, and a broad zone of uniformly thinned transitional crust, which is half the typical 40-kilometer (25mi) thickness of normal continental crust. The Gulf of Mexico (Spanish: Golfo de Mxico) is an ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean,[2] largely surrounded by the North American continent. When air over land is war. On July 15, 2010, BP announced that the leak stopped for the first time in 88 days. Can't guarantee smooth seas anywhere, or any season. The shelf is exploited for its oil by means of offshore drilling rigs, most of which are situated in the western gulf and in the Bay of Campeche. ETOPO1 1 Arc-Minute Global Relief Model: Procedures, Data Sources and Analysis. The Gulf waters cool a little earlier in winter compared with the Atlantic. In the summer, surface temperatures of about 90 F (32 C) have been measured, but the usual variation is nearly the same as that experienced in February. Anchoring the Riviera Maya in the Yucatan Peninsula, which sticks out into the Caribbean Sea, Cancun is famous for its developed tourism industry, powder-soft white-sand beach, and turquoise sea. you also wouldn't get more than 1 sea day in a row so that might be a comforting thought for the OP. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". LauraS The continental shelf forms an almost continuous terrace around the margin of the gulf; its width varies from a maximum of more than 200 miles (320 km) to a minimum of about 25 miles (40 km). This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Set on 20 acres, the luxury resort has numerous pools peppered throughout the property, as well as four restaurants, and a vast stretch of beach - though because of its location, it is not safe for swimming. Because it is protected from larger ocean currents by the Florida and Yucatan peninsulas. New York: Liveright Publishing Corp. p. 416. In latitudes 15 to 30 N, the North Atlantic is characterized by prevailing high pressure with an attendant lack of intense storms and severe weather. If you're up for an enjoyable day on the water chasing all kinds of exciting and hard pulling fish, Gulf of Mexico Reef Fishing is the way to go. The consensus among geologists[4][8][9] who have studied the geology of the Gulf of Mexico is that before the Late Triassic, the Gulf of Mexico did not exist. Gulf waters are warm, shallow, and often calm. Oh, those fickle seas! Video footage from the ROV was an integral part of this outreach and used extensively in the Mystery Mardi Gras Shipwreck documentary.[35]. L.A. to Vancouver, or Vancouver to Seattle, or. The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. In fact, beach lovers usually find that the beaches are enough of a reason to visit Mexico all by itself. The badly damaged Robert E. Lee first listed to port then to starboard and finally sank within about 15 minutes of the attack. when is the gulf of mexico the calmestmegabus cardiff to london. This was ranked as the largest oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico until the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010. Powered by Invision Community. This loss, in combination with other ship disasters around the Gulf of Mexico, gave rise to a plan for establishing a settlement on the northern Gulf Coast to protect shipping and more quickly rescue castaways. Issues: Hurricanes and tropical storms are the number one cause of rough waters in the Caribbean. Copy. There is no wind flow. Take your favorite seasickness remedies and look at it as part of the experience. By Spring - Gulf of Mexico Fishing Seasons. There are a couple of San Diego to Vancouver coastals that stop in Victoria, B.C. As part of the project educational outreach Nautilus Productions in partnership with BOEM, Texas A&M University, the Florida Public Archaeology Network[33] and Veolia Environmental produced a one-hour HD documentary[34] about the project, short videos for public viewing and provided video updates during the expedition. Mexico has about 7,000 miles of coastline, and beaches include the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, the Caribbean Sea, and the Pacific Ocean. and has a midship stateroom location, she should be fine. height of the highest 1/3 of the waves. Hastings, D. and P.K. During the summer months, the Gulf of Mexico will be five or more degrees warmer than the Atlantic Ocean. When you're not at the beach, check out the live music scene in Crystal Beach and the historic Bolivar Point Lighthouse. . This was the first European encounter with an advanced civilization in the Americas, with solidly built buildings and a complex social organization which they recognized as being comparable to those of the Old World; they also had reason to expect that this new land would have gold. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. It's created as calm weather lets fresh river water form a layer above the denser salt water in the Gulf of Mexico. Since that time thousands of wells have followed. Its shallow, saltier, and serene waters surrounded by velvety quartz sand may seem like another world when compared to the Atlantic's cool and thrilling waves and golden-brown sand. We also enjoy spending 3 - 4 nights in PR after the cruise. After both platforms were submerged, the formation of carbonates and evaporites has characterized the geologic history of these two stable areas. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. By Gulf Of Mexico facts. She does suffer from a little vertigo even on dry land and doesn't want to spend weeks being sick. Cuba and United States: Maritime boundary agreement between the United States of America and the Republic of Cuba, of December 16, 1977. The seas of the Atlantic around the Brazilian coastline near the equator tend to be large rolls so that when headed to the drill ship it was like riding up and . The five coastal states on the Gulf of Mexico - Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi and Texas - all have rigs-to-reefs programmes and have converted more than 500 oil and gas platforms . Biloxi is a great place to swim on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. Holland America has some very short (1 day!) evan peters jeffrey dahmer & Academic Background; department of public works massachusetts. Arctic Ocean. However, avid cruisers have experienced rough seas in the spring and summer, so be prepared for anything. Amante, C. and B.W. A difference isn't discernable between the two with the same good conditions present. It was created by the collision of continental plates that formed Pangea. To the northwest, north, and northeast it is bounded by the southern coast of the United States, while to the west, south, and southeast it is bounded by the east coast of Mexico. [8][14][15], Later, loading of the crust within the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent coastal plain by the accumulation of kilometers of sediments during the rest of the Mesozoic and all of the Cenozoic further depressed the underlying crust to its current position about 1020km (6.212.4mi) below sea level. [18], Today, the Gulf of Mexico has the following seven main areas:[citation needed]. The remainder of the shelf consists of sand, silt, and clay sediments. The continental shelf is quite wide at most points along the coast, most notably at the Florida and Yucatn Peninsulas. The waters around the Cape of Good Hope, especially where the Atlantic meets the Indian Ocean, can be pretty choppy. PC-566 began dropping depth charges on a sonar contact, sinking U-166. Credit that very few people get seasick these days. It has been called the "Jacuzzi of Despair". The Mexican portion of the Gulf coastline spans 1,743 miles (2,805km). The Gulf Stream passes the closest to the coast in this area of Florida. The gulfs greatest east-west and north-south extents are approximately 1,100 and 800 miles (1,800 and 1,300 km), respectively, and it covers an area of some 600,000 square miles (1,550,000 square km). if you and your mother would be interested in seeing the world famous Butchart Gardens there. Getty Images. The first exploration of the site was unmanned, using Hercules and in 2015 a team of three used the deep submergence vehicle Alvin.