The Red Sea - Oceanic rift in the Gulf of Tadjoura
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The Red Sea
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Introduction
The Red Sea is one of the youngest oceans in the world and one of the warmest. The northern region, with its diverse array of marine life, is one of the most visited dive locations on earth while the southern end remains virtually unexplored. It's a global hotspot for marine biology and an important trade route throughout human history, linking the trade goods of India and the Far East with the markets of Egypt and Europe.
Oceanic rift in the Gulf of Tadjoura
Overview
In Djibouti at the gateway of the Red Sea an oceanographic marvel is occurring - a new ocean is being formed. This ocean is being created by the tectonic plates of Africa and Arabia being torn apart. All oceans are formed in this way, but this is one of the rare places where this process can be witnessed first hand.
The rift is a narrow crack under the water which at some points is no more than a metre wide. The plates are being torn apart at a speed of about 2cm a year, roughly the same speed as the growth of a finger nail. In tens of millions of years, hundreds of miles of this rift could be covered in water, this ocean has already been named the Afar.
| Importance: | Witnessing the birth of a new ocean. |
| Dive category: | The rift is very narrow in places so this dive is only suitable for those with experience of diving in confined spaces. |
| Access: | It is possible to charter liveaboard dive boats that will enable you to dive in Djibouti. However before travelling there it is advisable to follow the advice given on the Foreign & Commonwealth Office website. |
Interesting for
- Birth of a new ocean
- Scientific American has created a slideshow of what is occurring further along this rift in Ethiopia.
- The evolution of Ethiopia's Afar depression
- An oceanic rift
- Wikipedia explains what a rift is and where they occur.
- Rift
BBC related content
- Oceans presenter biography: Tooni Mahto
- Oceans image gallery: The Red Sea
- BBC News: Geologists witness 'ocean birth'
Episode region
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