Eastern Pacific High Sea

West of Coquimbo, these Pacific waters lie offshore from the Humboldt upwelling system of northern Chile. Winds along the coast draw cold, nutrient-rich water upward, supporting life around the islands of the Humboldt Archipelago. Farther out, the north-flowing current forms the eastern edge of the South Pacific gyre. To the south, the Challenger Fracture Zone cuts obliquely across the deep ocean floor towards the Chilean margin.