The Sargasso Sea

The Sargasso Sea

by Thomas Casanova

​The Sargasso Sea

​ Sailors long ago had many fears. What if there were monsters in the seas? What if the wind stopped blowing? What if the ship got stalled in thick weeds? Many sailors in those times did not want to sail on the Sargasso Sea.

The Sargasso Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean. The sea is a huge area that covers about two million square miles. It is filled with floating seaweed. The seaweed floats because there are small air sacs in it. The air in the sacs keeps the weeds on the top of the water. The sacs look like grapes. The Portuguese word for "grape" is "sargaco." There were many Portuguese sailors. That's how this part of the ocean became known as the Sargasso Sea.

​The Sargasso Sea

People wondered how the seaweed got there. Some of the seaweed grows where it is. The weather and water temperature help it grow. Some seaweed is carried there by water. Strong currents move a lot of seaweed from the shore. The seaweed gathers and stays in the calmer water. There are many kinds of sea life in the Sargasso Sea. Some fish eat the seaweed. Other fish come to feed on the weed-eating fish. Some fish hide in the weeds. These fish become the same color as the weeds. When they are very still, their enemies can't see them.

​Columbus crossed the Sargasso Sea on his first trip to America. His ship did not get trapped. The story about stalled ships was a myth. The story was not true.

Multiple Choice

1. The MAIN idea of this story is that...

• "sargasso" means "grapes" in Portuguese

• the Sargasso Sea is an interesting body of water

• Columbus crossed the Sargasso Sea.

Multiple Choice

Which Italian explorer crossed the Sargasso Sea?

• Americo Vespucci

• Christopher Columbus

• Vic Tambarina

Multiple Choice

Why does the seaweed float in the Saragossa sea?

• Because it's heavier than water

• Because there's so much of it

• Tiny air sacs in the seaweed cause it to float