Overview

The Ocean is the heart of the planet. Water covers more than two-thirds of the Earth's surface. All living things, from tiny cyanobacteria to giant blue whales, need water to survive. Without water, life as we know it would not exist. And life exists wherever there is water. Life in the ocean depends on phytoplankton, mostly microscopic organisms that float at the surface and, through photosynthesis, produce about half of the world's oxygen. The oceans are home to millions of Earth's plants and animals--from tiny single-celled organisms to the gargantuan blue whale, the planet's largest living animal. Fish, octopuses, squid, eels, dolphins, and whales swim the open waters while crabs, octopuses, starfish, oysters, and snails crawl and scoot along the ocean bottom. The oceans hold about 321 million cubic miles (1.34 billion cubic kilometers) of water, which is roughly 97 percent of Earth's water supply. Seawater's weight is about 3.5 percent dissolved salt; oceans are also rich in chlorine, magnesium, and calcium. The oceans absorb the sun's heat, transferring it to the atmosphere and distributing it around the world. This conveyor belt of heat drives global weather patterns and helps regulate temperatures on land, acting as a heater in the winter and an air conditioner in the summer. Geographers divide the ocean into five major basins: the Pacific, Atlantic, Indian, Arctic, and Southern. Smaller ocean regions such as the Mediterranean Sea, Gulf of Mexico, and the Bay of Bengal are called seas, gulfs, and bays. Inland bodies of saltwater such as the Caspian Sea and the Great Salt Lake are distinct from the world's oceans. As sailors, we also serve as educators, ambassadors and advocates of a lifestyle on the water. Together we share a passion for the ocean, and an avid desire to keep our playground clean and safe forever. Waterways are crucial to our health, for us and future generations. With more than 60% of the world's population living on the coastline, we all depend on a healthy sea just as much as these beautiful creatures. Life do not exists without water. I join you all to thank VARUNA DEVA for blessing us with life on earth and seek his continues blessings. His beauty at night, with stars and moon is beyond description. Many nights I have spent hours admiring and enjoying it. Don't ask me my reactions when he is angry with choppy seas.

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