The Pacific Ocean by Lasunncty. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.The Atlantic Ocean is huge. And, the Indian Ocean is big, too. But, the biggest ocean of all is the Pacific.The U. S. has five states that border the Pacific Ocean. Those states are: Alaska, Washington, Oregon, California, and Hawaii. Hawaii is the only state that’s totally surrounded by the Pacific.
The Pacific Ocean is so big that it covers about one-third (1/3) of the Earth’s surface. That makes it bigger than all the Earth’s land masses put together!
The Pacific Ocean separates the continents of Asia and Australia from the continents of North and South America. So, if you were on a space station looking down at the whole Pacific Ocean, you’d see Asia and Australia on the western side of the Pacific (the west is the left-hand side). And, you’d see North America and South America on the eastern side of the Pacific (the eastern side is the right-hand side).
Fun Fact: The average depth of the Pacific Ocean is 13,000 feet, which is about 4,000 meters or about 2.5 miles.
Fun Fact: The deepest spot of any ocean on Earth is located in the Pacific, at a place called the Mariana Trench. At its deepest known point, the water there is over 36,000 feet. That’s so deep that if you could drop the world’s tallest mountain, Mt. Everest, into the Mariana Trench, the top of the mountain would still be a mile under water.
Fun Fact: The Pacific Ocean is surrounded by lots of volcanoes and earthquake zones. About 80% of the world’s earthquakes take place in and around the Pacific Ocean.
Fun Fact: It is estimated that there are approximately 25,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean.
Fun Fact: The Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan gave the Pacific Ocean its name. He called it “Pacifico” (or Pacific) which means “peaceful.” Magellan first sailed into the Pacific waters on a calm and peaceful day. But sometimes, the Pacific Ocean can be the exact opposite.
Fun Fact: In the first chapter of The Mystery of the Disappearing Dogs, the Ryder family saw the Pacific Ocean from the window of their train!
Quotes About Nature
“Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.”
John Ruskin
“The landscape belongs to the man who looks at it.”
Henry David Throeau
“Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.”
Albert Einstein
“Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters.”
John Lubbock
“The sea, once it casts its spell, holds us in its net of wonder forever.”
Jacques Cousteau