Straits of Florida

The Straits of Florida, also called the Florida Straits or Florida Strait, is a narrow stretch of water located south-southeast of the North American mainland. It lies between the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, and is bordered by the Florida Keys on one side and Cuba on the other.

At its narrowest point between Key West and the Cuban shore, the strait is about 93 miles (150 kilometers) wide. Divers and scientists have explored its depths, finding it to be as deep as 6,000 feet (1,800 meters).

The strait is important because it carries the Florida Current, which is the beginning of the powerful Gulf Stream. This strong ocean current helps shape weather patterns and move warm water northward along the east coast of the United States.

Oil and gas

From 1947 to 1962, five wells were drilled in state waters south of the Florida Keys, but none found oil. In 1960 and 1961, Gulf Oil drilled three wells in federal waters south of the Florida Keys, but these were also dry.

The boundary between the Exclusive Economic Zones of the US and Cuba is halfway between the two, as set by the 1977 Cuba–United States Maritime Boundary Agreement.

Offshore Cuba

Cuba has three oil fields near its north coast, close to Florida. Experts think there might be a lot of oil and gas hidden under the sea there.

In 2004, a Spanish company looked for oil in deep waters between Cuba and the Florida Keys but didn’t find enough to use. Later, Cuba made deals with other companies to search for oil, but some of these plans didn’t work out.

Offshore Bahamas

In 2009, two companies planned to search for oil in waters near the Bahamas, but the Bahamas decided to wait before allowing any drilling until they talk more with Cuba, the United States, and nearby islands.

Currents

The Gulf Stream is a big ocean current that moves a lot of water, heat, and other things. It helps decide the weather and climate, affecting places like the coast of Florida and even faraway areas in continental Europe. Scientists have found that changes in the tropical Pacific Ocean can affect the Florida Current in the Straits of Florida. The Gulf Stream might also be used as a renewable energy source. Studies show that the water flow in the Straits is strong and steady over many years, which is important for the world’s oceans. Small spinning patterns of water, called mesoscale eddies, can change the amount of tiny plants in the water and affect ships traveling through the area.

Crossing

Two people have swum across the Straits of Florida. In 1997, an Australian named Susie Maroney swam across with the help of Shark cage diving. In 2013, an American named Diana Nyad, who was 64 years old, swam across without any special equipment. She swam the 106 miles (171 km) between Havana and Key West and it took her 52 hours and 54 minutes.

Wildlife

The Florida Straits are home to many animals and plants. One example is the Caribbean Spiny Lobster, which is collected by fishers and sold for food. Another interesting animal is the lettuce sea slug, which has ruffled bodies and can use sunlight to make food by keeping parts of the algae it eats inside its body. There are also corals in the Straits, like the boulder brain coral, which is made of many small identical animals called polyps. This coral is very strong and helps support other sea life.