TOE CARIBBMN AREA ~ NICARAGUA 



Conmercial development on this coast can be attributed to the activities of var ous 

 fruit companies engaged in banana growing and to shipping, raining, and cutting of mahogany 

 and other woods. Only waterborne and air transportation is available between points on the 

 coast and the interior. 



Offshore, from Monkey Point to the Northward boiandary, there is a labyrinth of coral 

 reefs, cays, islets, and shoals. Tne Pearl Cays and the Miskito Cays are the principal 

 gr'jups. The 100-fathom line is found but six miles off in the extreme south. From here, 

 it trends in a northeasterly direction until at the latitude of Cape Gracias a Dios it lies 

 about 95 miles off. Tne depths throughout are quite irreg\ilar with shallow water of 6 to 9 

 fathoms quite near to the seaward edge. This edge is quite steep-to, dropping 50 to 100 

 fathoms in a relatively short distance. It is calculated that there is approximately 

 100,000 square nautical miles of bottom v/ithin the 100-fathom curve not including the con- 

 siderable shallow lagoon areas. The bottom is principally of coral mud, mud, sand, and 

 shells. Heavy clay occurs in several areas. Over a considerable part of the bottom, coral 

 structures are covered by a shallow layer of mud or silt. As mentioned previously, there are 

 nvimerous rocks, cays, reefs, and shoals. 



The cliief water movement in this region is southward. This is formed by a countercurrent 

 which originates in the Gulf of Honduras, skirts the Bay Islands on the Honduran Coast, and 

 then swings southward along the Nicaraguan Coast before continuing to the eastward along the 

 coasts of Costa Pica, Panama, and Colombia. The currents and sets on the coast are irregular 

 and not too well Icnown since they are affected by winds and bottom contours. 



Over the Miskito Bank, north of the 13th parallel, the normal set is to the northwest, 

 with a drift of 1/A to 3/^ knot. This is formed by the margin of the Equatorial Current. 

 The set and drift are affected by the cays and bottom contours. Between Kisura Cay and 

 Valpatara Reefs the current has been known to run due north iwith a drift of 1 knot. Over 

 the taskito Bank offshore, south of the 13th parallel, the Caribbean countercurrent is 

 found. From the 13th parallel to Gape Gracias a Dios a littoral current sets northward, 

 parallel to the shore with a drift of 1/a to 1/2 knot. 



Immediately onshore the water is often discolored due to the outwash from the land. 

 This region, also, is fairly brackish but the fresh water is well mixed further offshore by 

 surf and current action. 



But a short distance offshore, it is sufficiently saline to support coral growth. Still 

 further offshore, the water becomes quite clear during calm periods but roilly during heavy 

 weather. This entire area, particularly in the area of broken bottom, should be quite produc 

 ductive due to the thorough mixing of the waters. 



In general, the ecology falls into five groupings: J| 



(a) the lagoons: brackish water, mangrove swamps, and m.ud bottom 



(b) the open beaches: surf swept, sand bottoms. 



(c) the coral reefs and cays. 



(d) open areas of fairly deep water: surface layers 



(e) open areas of fairly deep water bottom: mud, sand, shell, and coral 

 bottoms . 



In spite of heavy surf conditions, there is shelter for small craft in many areas. There 

 are, however, few suitable ports for landing or upkeep of vessels. 



The northeast trades are the dominant winds on this coast and they are very constant . 

 Tropical storms visit the area from time to time and are most frequent in September and 

 October, The trades are sometimes interrupted by the equatorial belt of calms from June to 



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