Do the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans Truly Avoid Mixing?

The Pacific Ocean is between Oceania and Asia to the west and the Americas to the east. Fortunately, the Atlantic Ocean is located between the Americas to the west and Europe and Africa to the east.

With a median depth of 4,280 metres and a surface area of about 165 million square kilometres, the Pacific Ocean is both the largest and deepest ocean in the world. The Atlantic Ocean, which is in second place, has a standard depth of 3,646 metres and a surface area of over 107 million square kilometres.

Do the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans Merge?

The Pacific and Atlantic Oceans mix together and are not separate bodies of water. Despite the various titles given to each of Earth’s oceans, ocean currents constantly cross these borders, thereby blending the waters of the oceans.

But every sea and ocean has its own unique features. Notably, the Atlantic Ocean’s surface salinity is higher than that of the Pacific and Indian Oceans, while the Black Sea and Red Sea’s confined waters have even higher salt levels.

The arrival of less acidic waters from the deep sea is limited and drainage exceeds replacement by rainfall, leading to this difference.

Where Do the Atlantic Ocean and Pacific Ocean Converge?

The Atlantic and Pacific Oceans merge at Cape Horn, which is located in Chile, South America’s southernmost country. A strong current in this region directs water flow from the Pacific into the Atlantic by moving it from west to east.

Ships have to follow a dangerous and stormy route around Cape Horn, which has claimed many lives. The Panama Canal was the only nautical link between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans prior to its construction.

The online videos that have gone viral and show two distinct bodies of water merging, apparently at the meeting of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, actually show a phenomenon in the Gulf of Alaska where light-colored, sediment-filled freshwater from melting glaciers meets dark, salty ocean water. These waters gradually merge due to natural currents and eddies. It’s important to note that the location of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans’ meeting was incorrectly identified in the original film, which was shot in 2015.