Smallest ocean
Last updated: March 21, 2020 at 4:50 am
The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the world’s five oceans with a surface area of 14.056 million sq. km (5.427 million sq. mi.). It is also referred to as the Arctic Mediterranean Sea or the Arctic Sea by some oceanographers who regard it as a mediterranean sea (enclosed sea with limited exchange of water) or as an estuary (partially enclosed coastal body of water) of the Atlantic Ocean.
Arctic Ocean - Encyclopædia Britannica.
CIA World Fact Book: Arctic Ocean
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First to dive the Five Deeps
By Jeffrey Gallant
Victor Vescovo was the first human to dive to the deepest point in each of the Earth's oceans using the deep submergence vehicle [...]
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Deepest submersible dive (Solo | Men)
By Jeffrey Gallant
10,925 m (35,843 ft) — Victor Vescovo (USA) aboard the DSV Limiting Factor (Triton 36000/2 model submersible) | Five Deeps Expedition, April 28, 2019 [...]
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Deepest fish (Observed)
By Jeffrey Gallant
The Swire's snailfish (Pseudoliparis swirei) was captured on video at the depth of 8,178 m (26,831 ft) in 2017. This species, more commonly referred to as the Mariana snailfish [...]
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Deepest diving submersible (In service)
By Jeffrey Gallant
The DSV Limiting Factor dived four times to the bottom of the Challenger Deep in April-May 2019, including the deepest dive ever made by a submersible [...]
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Deepest dive by a head of state
By Jeffrey Gallant
5,109 m (16,762 ft) — HSH Prince Albert II accompanied Victor Vescovo to the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea, the Calypso Deep, on [...]
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Deepest watch (Prototype)
By Jeffrey Gallant
10,925 m (35,843 ft) — Omega Seamaster Planet Ocean Ultra Deep Professional. Two of the Omega timepieces were strapped to the manipulator [...]
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Deepest point in Earth’s oceans
By Jeffrey Gallant
10,994 m (36,070 ft) — The Challenger Deep, located in the Mariana Trench, 250 miles (400 km) southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean, is the deepest [...]
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Deepest submersible dive (Ocean)
By Jeffrey Gallant
10,925 m (35,843 ft) — Victor Vescovo (USA) aboard the DSV Limiting Factor (Triton 36000/2 model submersible) | April 28, 2019 | Challenger Deep [...]
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Oldest diver (Men)
By Jeffrey Gallant
99 — William Lambert (USA) celebrated his 99th anniversary with a birthday dive in Pearl Lake, Illinois, on September 5, 2019. He remained at the depth of 9.7 m (32 ft) for 20 minutes [...]
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Fastest drift dive
By Jeffrey Gallant
17.68 knots (32.74 km/h / 20.34 mph) — Sechelt Rapids (Skookumchuck Narrows), British Columbia, Canada. It is estimated that for a 3.6 m (12 ft) tide, 757 billion litres of seawater flow [...]
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Largest jellyfish
By Jeffrey Gallant
Lion’s mane jellyfish (Cyanea capillata) — The largest individuals have a bell diameter of 2.3 m (7.5 ft) with over 800 tentacles; some reaching lengths of 37 m (120 ft). Despite its [...]
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Deepest octopus
By Jeffrey Gallant
Dumbo octopus (Grimpoteuthis) — 6957 m (22,825 ft), Java Trench (Indian Ocean). The octopus was remotely observed using an autonomous baited camera and trap lander in [...]
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First documented case of hydrogen psychosis
By Jeffrey Gallant
Capt Steve Zissou suffered from the debilitating effects of Crazy Eye after witnessing the demise of his diving companion and partner, Esteban du Plantier [...]
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Clearest water
By Jeffrey Gallant
80 m (262 ft) or the approximate visibility of distilled water. A few locations are claimed to equal the visibility of distilled water, including the Weddell Sea (Antarctica), New Zealand’s [...]
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First underwater colony
By Jeffrey Gallant
1963 — Conshelf II (France). Seven divers lived underwater off Sha’ab Rumi (Sudan) in the Red Sea for one month under the supervision of Jacques-Yves Cousteau. The colony [...]
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Most fin patents
By Jeffrey Gallant
Bob Evans (USA) — Since 1971, he has patented 33 revolutionary fin designs including the Force Fin Tan Delta (polyurethane) which is part of the permanent collections of the New York [...]
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Largest glacier calving ever filmed
By Jeffrey Gallant
The largest glacier calving event ever recorded took place on May 28, 2008, when Adam LeWinter and Director Jeff Orlowski were filming the Ilulissat Glacier [...]
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First aquanaut (Men)
By Jeffrey Gallant
1962 — Robert Sténuit | Man-in-the-Sea I project by Edwin A. Link. Sténuit spent 24 hours and 15 minutes in a submersible decompression chamber (SDC) at a depth of 61 m (200 ft) [...]
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Longest migration (Shark)
By Jeffrey Gallant
20,142 km (12,516 miles) — A whale shark (Rinchodon typus) was tracked by satellite from Panama to the Mariana Trench between April 2012 and [...]
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Oldest active scuba club
By Jeffrey Gallant
1938 — Göteborgs Amatördykarklubb (Gothenburg Amateur Diving Club). The club, which was founded on October 22, 1938, began its activities after receiving two Le Prieur [...]
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Jeffrey Gallant is the Editor-in-Chief and Records Keeper of the Diving Almanac. He is also a contributing editor of DIVER Magazine, and the scientific director of the Greenland Shark and Elasmobranch Education and Research Group (GEERG). Jeffrey started diving in 1982.
