26 THE OCEAN 



closed by solid land on all but the eastern side 

 the water cannot move further west and as the 

 pressure from the east continues it finds its 

 outlet in the only available opening, which is 

 the Florida Straits. 



But a very large quantity of water flows out 

 between the various West Indian and Bahama 

 islands before it is forced into the Gulf of 

 Mexico. Through the Windward Passage, 

 between Haiti and Cuba; the Crooked Island 

 Passage; the Mariguana Passage; the Santa- 

 ren Channel and other openings among the 

 Bahamas, strong currents of water flow north 

 and west to add their quota to the mighty bulk 

 of the Gulf Stream. 



Although it cannot be seen that the water 

 in the Gulf of Mexico is higher than that on 

 the outside, yet it can be proved by visiting 

 the little islands which form the eastern 

 boundary of the Caribbean Sea and which are 

 known as the Lesser Antilles. These islands 

 are but a few miles apart and while on their 

 western or leeward sides the sea is calm and 

 smooth, on the eastern or windward side the 

 surf beats on the beaches in great white-crested 



