Denmark Strait Facts That You May Not Have Heard Before!

The Denmark Strait, also called Greenland Strait, is located within the Arctic Circle that lies between Greenland (west) and Iceland (east).

This exact location connects the Greenland Sea and Irminger Sea waters together. This Strait acts as a gateway of sorts to the two oceans in the Northern Hemisphere of this Earth - the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean.

This critical junction in the north of two of the world's oceans has been the subject of interest all around the world. Read on further to check out some more interesting facts about the Denmark Strait cataract and the Strait itself, which is also referred to as the Greenland Strait, and more. 

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Origin Of The Denmark Strait 

As mentioned, the Denmark Strait is a body of water linking the countries of Greenland and Iceland.

Interestingly, the East Greenland current is a current that originates here and flows icebergs down south into the Atlantic Ocean.

Dense water enters the Atlantic from the northern latitudes and spills across Greenland, Iceland, and Scotland ridges through two passages. One of them is the Denmark Strait, and the other one is Faroe Bank Channel. The Denmark Strait has a waterfall below the water, which is also called the Denmark Strait Overflow.

Greenland is present on the northwest side of the Strait, while the southeast side of the Strait has the small and cold country of Iceland.

A Norwegian Island that is volcanic in nature is situated towards the Denmark Strait's northeast corner. 

Denmark Strait Adventure Tours 

You can call it Greenland Strait or the Denmark Strait; it has captivated the imagination of different tourists and explorers with the best adventure tours.

There are many adventure tour companies that organize regular adventures in and around the North Atlantic Ocean, Norwegian Islands, and the Denmark Strait. The top adventure tours tourists and explorers can enjoy here are plenty.

These include the Three Arctic Islands that show you the most dramatic coastline of Iceland, Greenland, and wildlife of different varieties like bears, whales, and the like. Many adventure tour itineraries let travelers explore Greenland, the narrowest point of the Strait - Cape Nansen, and more. 

Besides that, if you are really someone who is looking for an extreme Arctic sea tour expedition, then get on to the exploration of East Greenland, the narrowest point of the Arctic, the eastern side ocean floor, and loads more.

One of the best adventures you can enjoy is the tour to East Greenland and the Northwest Passage. In this tour, you can experience the northern lights, learn about the unique Inuit culture, sail through the legendary route of Reykjavik, and more. No matter what your choice is, the places around the Denmark Strait and North Atlantic Ocean are plentiful to satisfy your adventure-thirsty soul. 

Things To See And Do Near Denmark Strait 

The Denmark Strait is an oceanic strait that separates Iceland from Greenland and is also home to the world's largest underwater waterfall, Denmark Strait Cataract. So this summarizes the umpteen number of possibilities when it comes to things to do and see near the Denmark Strait.

From exploring the beautiful Arctic region and Cape Tupinier to seeing the magnificent icebergs of Iceland and Cape Nansen, there are numerous things to enjoy around the Denmark Strait.

If you are visiting in the month of September, then you can plan a trip to explore the majestic fjords of East Greenland and their legendary icebergs.

Travelers can also go for an Arctic Journey consisting of Iceland, Svalbard, and Greenland. Here you can experience the best wildlife, gigantic icebergs, sea waves of the Arctic Ocean, and loads more. 

Denmark Strait Cataract 

You might not know, but the Denmark Strait Cataract is the highest underwater waterfall in the world.

Present on the western corners of the Denmark Strait, this waterfall or waterdrop is almost around 2,000 ft (61 m) below the surface water level. Astonishingly, the width of this underwater formation is about 100 mi (160 km), with water dropping an estimated 11,500 ft (3,505 m). This drop occurs into the Irminger Sea from the Greenland Sea.

This amazing natural occurrence is the end result of a change in temperatures of the two water bodies.

The Greenland Sea and the Nordic Sea have cold water, which is a lot heavier and denser than the warmer water temperatures of the Irminger Sea. As a result, the colder water does not initially mix with the warmer water and sinks down towards the ocean floor, creating the Denmark Strait Cataract.

Battle Of The Denmark Strait 

One interesting thing that is associated with the Denmark Strait is a historical moment that is remembered as the Battle of the Denmark Oceanic Strait.

This oceanic strait battle was a huge decisive battle that shaped the Second World War in the year 1941. The Royal Navy of Great Britain, part of the western powers, sent two ships named HMS Prince of Wales and HMS Hood to battle down in the Strait against the German ship called Bismarck.

During the pivotal part of World War Two, the British ships were trying to obstruct the entry of the German battleship Bismarck into the North Atlantic Oceans by going through the straits.

Interestingly, the German ship Bismarck enjoyed success against the Royal Navy by sinking the HMS Hood and causing many casualties to HMS Prince of Wales. However, the Royal Navy fought back against Bismarck, eventually destroying this battleship.

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