10 Unique Facts About Windward Passage

Windward Passage is a vital strait as it lies in the path of shipping between the Panama Canal and the eastern coastline of America. It also links the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and witnesses significant ship traffic throughout the year.

It is an important waterway located between the islands of Cuba and Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea. The strait is 80 kilometres wide and has an average depth of 1700 m.

In this article, let us explore the 10 Unique Facts about the Windward Passage.

1. Vital shipping route between the Atlantic Ocean & Carribean Sea

The Windward Passage is a strategic trade lane between the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea.

Hundreds of container ships, bulk carriers, tankers, general cargo ships etc pass through it as it offers a link to the vessels which use the Panama Canal to reach U.S and European ports.

It enables maritime trade between the economies in North and Central America and the Caribbean region. Huge quantities of raw materials and agricultural goods pass through it, and so it influences the global supply chains and industries.

Apart from the international maritime trade, the Windward Passage also promotes trade between the islands of the Carribean Sea, particularly trade to and from Cuba and Haiti. It also promotes tourism as cruise ships can easily dock on the islands in the waterway.

2. Site of important ports: Kingston, Caucedo and Mariel

Three important ports lie in the region: Kingston, Caucedo and Mariel in Cuba.

Kingston Port

is the leading port of Jamaica, situated on its southern coast on an almost land-locked natural harbour with around 21 km2 of navigable waters and depths of around 27 m.

It includes Port Bustamante, privately operated berths, a container or transhipment terminal, breakbulk and RORO facilities. Additionally, there are several small terminals. It imports grain, fish, motor vehicles, oil and lumber whereas exports comprise cement, gypsum and aggregates.

A major gateway for container cargo, the Kingston Container Terminal is ideally positioned, 32 nm off the main shipping route coming out of the Panama Canal.

With the increasing demand for a transhipment hub for servicing massive ships coming out from the expanded Panama Canal, the ship traffic handled at this facility will also increase in future. It handles around 2350 ships, 16,250,500 tonnes of cargo and 1,900,000 TEUs annually.

Caucedo Port

It lies on the southern coast of the Dominican Republic and is open to the Caribbean Sea waters. The port has a container terminal handling transshipments between the Caribbean and Latin America.

It handles industrial and agricultural products, garments etc. It is the youngest and most advanced port on the island, managed by DP World. In 2017, the port received the biggest ship ever to visit the island country, the container ship COSCO Yantian, with an LOA of 350.5 m.

Mariel Port

It is located just 45 km from Havana in a deepwater bay, making it Cuba’s principal container terminal with an annual throughput of 300,000 TEUs and a capacity of 800,000 TEUs.

It was recently expanded to accommodate neopanamax vessels and it can now welcome 366 m long and 52 m wide ships.

The terminal has 702 m of berthage, 17.5 m depth alongside and 17 m in the channel and a container yard covering 27 hectares.

Its privileged position makes it a competitive transhipment hub for ship traffic in the region, linking to the north, south and east-west routes. It also handles trade with the ports in the Gulf region and the east coast of the U.S.

3. The Battle of the Windward Passage

This naval battle took place in October 1760 between the British and French Fleets, between Cap-Francais and the eastern part of Cuba in which the British emerged victorious.

On 17th October 1760, the British ships Hampshire, HMS Boreas and HMS Lively were deployed to intercept a French convoy seen in the Windward Passage.

The next day, Boreas captured the French frigate Sirene whose 80 sailors died. Lively caught up with French Corvette Valeur which had a 160-member crew of which 38 died in an engagement that lasted for 90 minutes.

Hampshire chased Frigate Prince Edward whose crew set her on fire, leading to an explosion.

4. A hotbed of maritime piracy in the 1700s

Piracy had become prevalent in the Caribbean during the 17th century but it was most widespread in the Windward Passage, which was a major route of trade between Cuba and Santo Domingo. It saw the rise of famous pirates like Pierre and Jean Lafitte.

The Golden Age of Piracy lasted from the late 1600s to mid-1700s in the Atlantic and the Caribbean Sea.

With its 227 islands, 2387 islets and 667 cays, the Bahamas provided shelter for the biggest pirate vessels to hide from Spanish or British Fleets.

The geography of the region allowed pirates to carry out surprise attacks on passing merchant ships laden with valuable cargo.

These ships often passed through the Windward Passage which is why pirates chose the islands of Bahmas to carry out these attacks. The pirate ships also anchored here to search for their next targets.

5. Houses the Famous Navassa Light Built in 1917

The Navassa island in the Caribbean Sea is a subject of a territorial dispute between the U.S and Haiti. It is 166 km from the U.S Naval Base at Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

It has a rich maritime history and was visited by Christopher Colombus in 1504. His crew members called it Navaza and after this, it was not visited by mariners for almost three centuries.

It is surrounded by white cliffs and covered with grasslands and forests.

In 1905, the U.S thought it would be an ideal location for a lighthouse as the Panama Canal had opened in 1914 and so shipping between U.S east coast and the Canal via the Windward Passage rose in the area around the island.

In 1917, the 49 m Navassa Light was constructed on the island, 120 m above sea level. However, presently, it is uninhabited except for fishermen who occasionally visit the area.

The National Wildlife Refuge covers 5.4 km2 of land and 12 nm of water around the island, protecting coral reefs, endemic plants, and animals and offering research opportunities. Nevassa is known for its seabird colonies and lizard species.

6. USS Maine Accident which sparked the Spanish-American War

Maine was a U.S Navy vessel that sank in Havana Harbour, Cuba after passing through the Windward Passage.

She was an armoured cruiser, 98.9 m long and 17.4 m wide with a displacement of 6789 tonnes. Maine could attain a speed of 16.5 knots and had a complement of 374 officers and men.

She was an advanced warship and was deployed to Havana Harbour to safeguard the interests of the United States during the Cuban War of Independence.

She sank on February 15, 1898, taking the lives of 268 sailors. This incident led to the rumours of Spanish involvement in her sinking which flared the Spanish-American War.

Inquiry revealed that a mine was to blame, however, some disagreed suggesting that the ship’s magazines were ignited by a fire in the coal bunker.

Maine used bituminous coal which released flammable gases like methane which caught fire easily. A 1974 investigation agreed with this hypothesis however the cause of her sinking remains a matter of debate.

Maine lies 1100 m below the sea surface and its main mast is at the Arlington National Cemetary.

7. Enjoys a tropical climate with warm temperatures

The climate is tropical, with ample sunshine all year round. However, storms can form quickly and can be deadly, so keeping an eye on the real-time weather is vital if you plan to cross the Windward Passage.

The rainy season is usually from May to November and the hurricane season peaks in September and October. In these months, occasional storms can stir up suddenly, making the area dangerous for navigation.

However, the Caribbean region witnesses fewer hurricanes than the western Pacific and Gulf of Mexico. Most hurricanes are formed close to the islands of Cape Verde and tread on the path of trade winds into the Caribbean.

The dry season lasts from December to April and witnesses low humidity and cool temperatures. This is the perfect time to visit the area as the weather is generally sunny and quite pleasant.

The temperature ranges from 24 to 30 degrees Celsius throughout the year. Rainfall varies from 25 m to 900 cm in the region and northeast trade winds blow at a speed of 16 to 33 km per hour.

8. EV Nautilus made an expedition to the Windward Passage in 2014

The research vessel Nautilus and one of the remotely operated vehicles called the Hercules conducted detailed research in the Windward Passage, during their trip to the waterway in 2014, providing insights into the water circulation throughout the channel and the marine species that live there.

Nautilus is 68 m long and 10.5 m wide with a speed of 10 knots, a 1249 gross tonnage and a complement of 17 crew members.

It is owned by the famous Ocean Exploration Trust, under the guidance of Robert Ballard, known for discovering the Titanic’s wreck and also that of the Bismarck, one of the most powerful battleships of the German Navy.

Nautilus made interesting discoveries in the Windward Passage with the help of Hercules, which can go to a depth of 4000 m or 13,000 ft. With its homeport in Los Angeles, California, Nautilus has been a part of many other marine expeditions. It is an advanced vessel with sophisticated mapping systems, a control centre and other precision equipment.

9. Jamaica Channel is the southwest extension of Windward Passage

This channel distinguishes Jamaica and Hispaniola with the Windward Passage to its northern side. It is strategically located about 1000 km northeast of the Panama Canal, making it a busy strait.

Ships sailing from the east coast of the U.S, Canada and Europe to destinations in the Pacific Ocean frequently pass through this channel.

Jamaica Strait is around 190 km broad and can be up to 1200 m or 3900 ft deep.

10. Supports a diverse marine ecosystem

Windward Passage has not been adequately studied despite it being of historical significance as a vital shipping lane.

It also represents an active part of the north Caribbean plate boundary wherein many seismic and tectonic activities occur along the seabed. This makes the region prone to earthquakes, like the 2010 disastrous earthquake.

The Nautilus expedition was the first major one to study the animal life and other geological features of the Windward Passage and the Jamaica Channel.

The slopes of Navassa Island and Hispaniola are covered with sponges and cold water corals, including solitary and colonial stony corals, black corals, invertebrates etc. There were sea cucumbers, sea stars, sea pens, dumbo octopods, jellyfish etc.

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