<p>The question was inspired by an answer to <a href="https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/51958/approximately-how-much-travel-time-was-saved-by-the-opening-of-the-suez-canal-in">this question</a> on History SE, which referred to the "at times enormous waves" at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and the even more "treacherous" passage around Cape Horn.</p>

<p>Why is the sea so hard to navigate at the southern extremities of the land masses.?Cape Horn, with a latitude in the high 50's, is easy to understand, but the Cape of Good Hope is in the 30s. Yet from what I understand, "navigability" does not extend far south of the Cape of Good Hope.</p>

<p>Is southern Australia and Tasmania (in the 40s latitudes) similarly hard to navigate? Would it be fore the same reasons?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-06T13:42:55.160Z
The examples you mention are in the southern hemisphere. I'm wondering how the comment applies to southern Asian - from the Arabian peninsular to southern Vietnam, which is in the northern hemisphere & relatively close to the equator? Then there's the southern coast of the USA between Florida & the Rio Grande (border with Mexico). Southern Europe can be ignored because the Mediterranean Sea is effectively a large lake between southern Europe, north Africa & western Asia.
Fred
CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-04-06T22:29:44.793Z
@Fred: I would say that the Gulf of Mexico is effectively a lake between North and South America. I believe that part of the issues is that South America and Africa "juts" into the southern seas, whereas South Asia  is relatively "smooth"  In latitude) for a long distance. Also, South Asia is near the equator, while South America is closer to the South Pole than the equator. I was wondering if South Africa is an "intermediate" case.
Tom Au
<oceanography>
Why are the seas difficult to navigate at the "southern edge" of land?
Tom Au
# Why are the seas difficult to navigate at the "southern edge" of land?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2019-04-05)

The question was inspired by an answer to [this question](https://history.stackexchange.com/questions/51958/approximately-how-much-travel-time-was-saved-by-the-opening-of-the-suez-canal-in) on History SE, which referred to the "at times enormous waves" at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa, and the even more "treacherous" passage around Cape Horn.

Why is the sea so hard to navigate at the southern extremities of the land masses.?Cape Horn, with a latitude in the high 50's, is easy to understand, but the Cape of Good Hope is in the 30s. Yet from what I understand, "navigability" does not extend far south of the Cape of Good Hope.

Is southern Australia and Tasmania (in the 40s latitudes) similarly hard to navigate? Would it be fore the same reasons?

**Tags:** oceanography

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: The examples you mention are in the southern hemisphere. I'm wondering how the comment applies to southern Asian - from the Arabian peninsular to southern Vietnam, which is in the northern hemisphere & relatively close to the equator? Then there's the southern coast of the USA between Florida & the Rio Grande (border with Mexico). Southern Europe can be ignored because the Mediterranean Sea is effectively a large lake between southern Europe, north Africa & western Asia.  
> **username_0**: @username_1: I would say that the Gulf of Mexico is effectively a lake between North and South America. I believe that part of the issues is that South America and Africa "juts" into the southern seas, whereas South Asia  is relatively "smooth"  In latitude) for a long distance. Also, South Asia is near the equator, while South America is closer to the South Pole than the equator. I was wondering if South Africa is an "intermediate" case.  

---

## 0 answers

