BWB – Thanks to the Canary stream

Every ocean and every sea has its own current systems that give this body of water its special character. Currents are the horizontal and vertical transport of water masses inherent in the system. Ocean currents are determined by a wide variety of factors, such as water temperature, salinity, density, tides, bottom composition and depth, the Earth’s rotation, wind behavior, temperature gradients between the poles and the equator, and the seasons.

As the second largest ocean on our planet, the Atlantic Ocean plays an important role in our geological history. One of its most important currents is the fast-flowing Gulf Stream, which, together with the North Atlantic Current, transports warm water to the north-east. It is Europe’s heat source.

There are cold and warm currents. In the Atlantic, the cold currents include the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, Benguela Current, Falkland Current, Canary Current, Cape Horn Current, Labrador Current and the two Greenland Currents. The Atilles Current, Azores Current, Brazil Current, Florida Current, Gulf Stream, Irmminger Current, Caribbean Current, North and South Equatorial Current, North Atlantic Current, Norwegian Current and the Portugal Current, on the other hand, carry warm water masses.

The balancing Gulf Stream with its small offshoot, the Canary Current, is decisive for the constant climate throughout the macro giants. The waters of Madeira are strongly influenced by the Canary Current, which is extremely powerful up to a depth of 500 meters.

As everything in our natural world is interconnected and mutually supportive, the water masses are naturally also interdependent. The Canary Current, for example, is part of the great Atlantic current ring. This consists of the Portuguese Current, the Canary Current, the North Equatorial Current, the Antarctic Current, the Florida Current, the Gulf Stream and the North-East Atlantic Current.

As already mentioned, the Canary Current is one of the cooler water masses in the North Atlantic. It is partly fed by the Azores Current and the Portuguese Current. The rising, nutrient-rich deep water leads to the comparatively low temperatures of the Canary Current. It initially flows in a southerly direction before turning slightly to the south-west. It travels along the north-west African coast and past the Canary Islands. At the Cape Verde Islands, however, it clearly changes direction to the west and becomes the Atlantic North Equatorial Current.

We owe the Mediterranean climate of our beautiful island of Madeira to the Canary Current. However, it is not only the temperatures that benefit from it, the cold water masses carry with them a great diversity of marine organisms. On its way along the north-west African coast, the Canary Current picks up sunken nutrients and minerals that are transported upwards by the deep water. In the current shadow of the islands, turbulence also ensures that minerals are transported upwards, which the Canary Current can also pick up. These factors ensure a plentiful basic supply for the food chain. Where there is an abundance of food, marine mammals are naturally also to be found, feasting on the plentiful prey.

By Fatima Kutzschbach

Copy right: Image by Britannica