North Sea
noun - The North Sea is a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean located between Great Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. An epeiric (or "shelf") sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Sea in the north. It is more than 970 km (600 miles) long and 580 km (360 miles) wide, with an area of around 750,000 square km (290,000 sq mi).
The North Sea has long been the site of important European shipping lanes as well as a major fishery. The sea is a popular destination for recreation and tourism in bordering countries and more recently has developed into a rich source of energy resources including fossil fuels, wind, and early efforts in wave power.
Historically, the North Sea has featured prominently in geopolitical and military affairs, particularly in Northern Europe but also globally through the power northern Europeans projected worldwide during much of the Middle Ages and into the modern era. The North Sea was the centre of the Vikings' rise. Subsequently, the Hanseatic League, the Netherlands, and the British each sought to dominate the North Sea and thus the access to the markets and resources of the world. As Germany's only outlet to the ocean, the North Sea continued to be strategically important through both World Wars.
The coast of the North Sea presents a diversity of geological and geographical features. In the north, deep fjords and sheer cliffs mark the Norwegian and Scottish coastlines, whereas in the south it consists primarily of sandy beaches and wide mudflats. Due to the dense population, heavy industrialization, and intense use of the sea and area surrounding it, there have been a number of environmental issues affecting the sea's ecosystems. Environmental concerns — commonly including overfishing, industrial and agricultural runoff, dredging, and dumping among others — have led to a number of efforts to prevent degradation of the sea while still making use of its economic potential.
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Seven Seas
The North Sea is part of the Seven Seas that can refer either to a particular set of seven seas including the North Sea, Mediterranean Sea, Adriatic Sea, Aegean Sea, Black Sea, Red Sea, and Arabian Sea.
World's Seas
The world's seas include the Mediterranean Sea (1), Red Sea (2), Black Sea (3), Caribbean Sea (4), Gulf of Mexico (5), Hudson Bay (6), Bering Sea (7), Tasman Sea (8), Coral Sea (9), Bay of Bengal (10), Arabian Sea (11), and North Sea (12).
Open Water Swimming
- The North Sea is site of numerous open water swims and solo marathon swimming and stage swim attempts including swims by Lewis Pugh, Professor Dr. Andreas Fath, and Richard Royal who swam 12 km from Sealand to Felixstowe, UK on 20 August 2018 in 3 hours 29 minutes.
- On 21 August 2021, André Wiersig became the first person to swim 48.53 km from St. Peter-Ording on the German mainland to Helgoland, a small archipelago in the North Sea in 18 hours 14 minutes.
Richard Royal Sealand Swim in the North Sea
External links
- The Unprecedented Adventure to Helgoland by André Wiersig
- Ocean? Oceans? Which Is Correct?
- Meeting People Along The Shore
- Richard Royal Crosses A Risky River
- A Rich Concept: The Ancient Seven Seas
- Lewis Pugh official website
- Seven Swims In The Seven Seas For 1 Reason
- The Ancient Seven Seas And 1 Modern Mariner
- Seven Swims In The Seven Seas - 1 Reason, 2 Down
- Seven Swims In The Seven Seas - 1 Reason, 1 Down
- The Ancient Seven Seas And 1 Modern Mariner
- Going Solo Needs Teamwork
- The Heavy Demands On Land Along The Seven Seas
- Seven Swims In The Seven Seas - 1 Reason, 6 Down
- The Sights And Sounds And Swims Of The Seven Seas
- Swimming Professor Andreas Fath Researches The Rhine
- In How Many Seas Have You Swum?
- World Open Water Swimming Association
- Open Water Swimming
