The Gulf of
Mexico is the 9th largest body of water in the world. The Gulf is a partially landlocked
basin. There is only a narrow connection
to the Atlantic as the Gulf is surrounded by North America and Cuba.
The coast
line of the Gulf measures approximately 3500 miles starting from the tip of
Florida, to the Yucatan, and about 230 miles along Cuba.
Although
much of the Gulf basin is shallow water over Continental shelves, it does have
a trough that measures about 14,000 feet!
The
population of people who live along the Gulf is projected to reach 61.4 million
by 2025!
The Gulf is
home to many species including 5 types of endangered sea turtles. 49 different types of sharks are known to
inhabit these waters as well. Also
calling the Gulf their home is the bottlenose Dolphin, the West Indian manatee
and humpback,, minke, and sperm whales.
60% of brown
pelicans breed along the Gulf coast. Fisheries
in the Gulf of Mexico include red snapper, shrimp, grouper, amberjack and
oyster. The Gulf also can also boast
about having 8 of the top 20 fishing ports in the nation, by dollar value.
Exploring the the
water ways leading up to the Gulf by Jet ski, Hurricane Deck Boat, or
Pontoon is always fun! Port of Naples Marina has great summer rates! (239) 774-0479.
