Eastern Pacific High Sea

The Pacific off the southern Peruvian coast is shaped by the cold Humboldt Current, which flows northward along the continent. Nutrient-rich water rises from below and feeds a wealth of marine life, including the fish on which seabirds and sea lions depend. Rocky capes and small islands punctuate the desert shore to the east. For sailors traveling between Peru and Chile, these waters formed part of the long route along the western edge of South America.