Why is Caribbean water turquoise?

The color of the ocean often appears turquoise in the Caribbean because of the clear waters and the shallow coral reefs. The ocean reflects st light passing through it. This is modified by what's under the near surface, say, 8–10 ft. down.



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Even though pure water is clear, the different shades and colors of the ocean are mainly a result of the ABSORPTION of light and not for reflecting it on its depth and the amount of light that penetrates its surface. Believe it or not, water absorbs red, yellow, and green light better than blue light!

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This is due to the presence of algae and plant life. Photosynthetic organisms contain chlorophyll, which not only appears green, but also absorbs red and blue light. Depending on the type of phytoplankton, the water may appear more blue-green to emerald green.

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13 of the most crystal clear waters on Earth
  • Lake Mashu, Japan. ...
  • The Maldives. ...
  • Sheosar Lake, Pakistan. ...
  • Peyto Lake, Canada. ...
  • Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand. ...
  • The Weddell Sea, Antarctic Peninsula. ...
  • Cancun, Mexico. ...
  • Cook Islands (Rarotonga)


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Exuma, specifically Specifically, the bluest waters of the Caribbean is said to be at Tropic of Cancer Beach on the island of Exuma in the Bahamas. Its long sweeping sandbar is flanked by an eager shoreline expressing every gradient of blue. On a clear day at this Exuma beach, it looks like the sea flows into the sky.

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The Weddell Sea has been claimed by scientists to have the clearest waters of any ocean in the world. Described by a historian as “the most wretched and dismal region on earth”, due to the flash freezes that caught Shackleton's ship, its clarity is only belied by the sheer depth of the ocean below.

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Why Is The Maldives Water So Blue And Clear? Maldives water is known for its abundance of coral reefs. The waters of Maldives are known to consist of coral reefs and “phytoplankton” which absorbs blue and green colours from the sunlight due to which it causes clean water and you can see crystal clear reflection.

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Where To Find The Bluest Waters in Europe
  • Elafonisi, Crete. The island of Elafonisi in Crete, Greece is often referred to as the Maldives of the Mediterranean. ...
  • Croatia. ...
  • Sardinia, Italy. ...
  • The Balearic Islands, Spain. ...
  • Turkey. ...
  • The Azores, Portugal. ...
  • Corsica, France. ...
  • The Algarve, Portugal.


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The vast majority of the Caribbean does not have a problem with clean drinking water, but on most islands you wouldn't want to drink it anyway because it's produced from desalinization plants and doesn't taste very good. So most people just drink bottled water, which I recommend.

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Several pathways and types of land-based pollution contribute to the environmental issues within the Caribbean Sea. Sewage is one of the most significant pollutants affecting the coastal environments of the Caribbean Sea, especially in the developing nations.

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Most cruise ship water is desalinated sea water. The process usually involves steam evaporation -- essentially turning saltwater into distilled water. That water is then mineralized for flavor and chlorinated for extra safety. Other ships are fitted with a reverse-osmosis system for filtering and/or desalination.

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So if shimmering translucent waters float your boat, you should check out the following destinations:
  • SARDINIA, ITALY. What is this? ...
  • TURKEY'S TURQUOISE COAST. What is this? ...
  • LITTLE CYCLADES, GREECE. What is this? ...
  • PUGLIA, ITALY. What is this? ...
  • KSAMIL, ALBANIA. ...
  • MENORCA, SPAIN. ...
  • MALTA'S BLUE LAGOON, MALTA. ...
  • FORMENTERA, SPAIN.


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As you can tell by now, many factors come into play to create the perfect turquoise color that defines the Caribbean. We are lucky to enjoy mother nature showing off with the beautiful intense tones that Cancun gives to everyone who visits.

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A component that plays a big part in the water´s clear blue is the color of the sand. Cancun´s sand is one of the whitest and powdery there is. White sand works as a light reflector that brings the coast a more transparent aspect.

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