The history of the Caribbean did not begin in 1492 when Christopher Columbus landed in the Bahamas. The islands were already inhabited by the Ciboney, Arawak and Carib peoples from mainland America. They settled on a number of the Caribbean islands, where they lived by farming. …

Central America is a narrow isthmus that is bordered by North America and the Gulf of Mexico to the north and by South America to the south. The Caribbean Islands are another region that are considered part of the continent of North America. They are located in the Caribbean Sea to the east of Central America.

The history of the Caribbean reveals the significant role the region played in the colonial struggles of the European powers since the 15th century. In 1492, Christopher Columbus landed in the Caribbean and claimed the region for Spain.

The sea is literally the lifeblood of their economies, supporting the transportation of goods and people through shipping, providing food from fisheries and underpinning the most important economic activity in the region: tourism.

The Caribbean is one of the world’s prime yachting locales, offering diversity, warm weather and fine scenery. The many small islands and relatively calm sailing waters make this region great to explore by sea. The Grenadines The cays here have long been a yachters’ haven; Bequia is a fab port island.

Across the Caribbean region, there is diverse topography including coral reefs, mountains, tropical forests, low-lying plantations, valleys, waterfalls, and volcanoes. Only about 2% of the Caribbean region is inhabited, and so when most speak of the Caribbean region, they are referring to about 32 countries.

The name “Caribbean” derives from the Caribs, one of the region’s dominant Native American groups at the time of European contact during the late 15th century. During the first century of development, Spanish dominance in the region remained undisputed.

The term Caribbean culture summarizes the artistic, musical, literary, culinary, political and social elements that are representative of Caribbean people all over the world.

10 Interesting Facts About the Caribbean Sea

• It’s technically part of the Atlantic Ocean.
• It takes its name from the natives who lived there.
• 9% of the world’s coral reefs are in the Caribbean Sea.
• It’s home to diverse flora and fauna.
• It’s the deepest sea in the world.
• It includes over 7,000 islands.
• Temperatures stay around 81 F (27 C) all year.

Other commonly found inhabitants within the Caribbean Sea include a variety of conch and other molluscs, Green Sea, and Loggerhead sea turtles, a variety of lobsters and eels, black tip, hammerhead and leopard sharks, various species of jelly fish and sting rays, and many different species of whales, both baleen and …

Yucatán Channel

Is Cuba closer to Mexico or Florida? Q: Two peninsulas, Florida and the Yucatán, embrace the Gulf of Mexico , with Cuba at its entrance. A: According to Google Earth, Key West is 94 miles from Cuba , while Cancún is 128 miles from Cuba .

Bay of Bengal

about 12,100 feet

Vescovo’s trip to the Challenger Deep, at the southern end of the Pacific Ocean’s Mariana Trench, back in May, was said to be the deepest manned sea dive ever recorded, at 10,927 meters (35,853 feet).

Special-operations units from each US military service branch train to conduct combat diving as a part of their missions. Navy SEALs take that capability further, however, practicing not only to travel through the water but to conduct underwater missions as well.

Standard Navy SEAL dive fins and diving masks are similar to standard retail versions. However, combat divers also use the military Full Face Mask. This mask gives the wearer extra face protection and functions well in polluted waters.

If you remember one rule of scuba diving, make it this: Breathe continuously and never hold your breath. During open water certification, a scuba diver is taught that the most important rule in scuba diving is to breathe continuously and to avoid holding his breath underwater.