Eastern Pacific High Sea

Off the northern coast of Peru, the eastern Pacific lies between the Gulf of Guayaquil and the headlands of Piura. Warm equatorial waters meet the cooler Humboldt Current in this region, helping sustain diverse marine life. Coastal sailors navigated between sheltered bays and river mouths, while farther offshore ships traveled the long route between Panama and the ports of Peru. Paita became one of the important anchorages on that route.