# Why is the ocean so salty? **URL:** \ **Category:** NYSpeed Off Topic\ **Created:** [September 10, 2008, 7:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667 "2008-09-10T07:16:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/21 "2008-09-10T08:03:05Z")
> [@newman](#): > > i was told it’s easier to paddle faster on a short board… I had trouble paddling fast enough sometimes… DEF not. On a longboard, you pretty much skim over the water. ---
**Author:** ![BluBalls](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/bluballs/32/7212_2.png) [@BluBalls](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BluBalls)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:03am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/22 "2008-09-10T08:03:40Z")
did you know that much of the sand is actually made from parrotfish’s poo? ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:07am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/23 "2008-09-10T08:07:00Z")
> [@Paulo](#): > > DEF not. On a longboard, you pretty much skim over the water. i still wanna try it… ---
**Author:** ![LUKE\_L](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/luke_l/32/7462_2.png) [@LUKE\_L](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/LUKE_L)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:36am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/24 "2008-09-10T08:36:31Z")
Sounds like an awesome time. But, is this someplace you would move to or is it one of those “cool to visit, hang out, get hammered, slay, etc…then back to B-lo for the snow…” kind of places? I have been a few different areas but never to the West Coast. I want to take a vacation up there but I don’t know that lives out there. Got any pics? ---
**Author:** ![Joe](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/joe/32/7219_2.png) [@Joe](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Joe)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/25 "2008-09-10T08:37:41Z")
San Diego is the first place i’ve vacationed, out of ~100, that I could actually see myself living in. I’m making preparations for a move in ~2 years. ---
**Author:** ![TgDn32](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/tgdn32/32/7360_2.png) [@TgDn32](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/TgDn32)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:39am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/26 "2008-09-10T08:39:00Z")
---
**Author:** ![woz](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/woz/32/7605_2.png) [@woz](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/woz)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/27 "2008-09-10T08:44:05Z")
sd was the first place i visited that i actually wanted to live. and iv been to quite a few places. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/28 "2008-09-10T08:44:22Z")
> [@newman](#): > > i still wanna try it… If you want, take my board on lake erie, or even a pool, just to see how it is to paddle. I have a 7’ funboard. ---
**Author:** ![EvilJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a5b964/32.png) [@EvilJay](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/EvilJay)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:46am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/29 "2008-09-10T08:46:48Z")
I know what you’re thinking. And the answer is yes, I do have a nickname for my penis. It’s called The Octagon. But I’ve also nicknamed my testes. The left one is James Westfall, and the right one is Dr. Kenneth Noisewater. You ladies play your cards right, you might just get to meet the whole gang. ---
**Author:** ![newman](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/newman/32/7569_2.png) [@newman](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/newman)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:47am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/30 "2008-09-10T08:47:22Z")
STOP IT. ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:49am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/31 "2008-09-10T08:49:04Z")
West coast surfing is WAY easier than east coast surfing. Steep waves here on this side. Lake surfing will suck. I really need an OBX trip before winter. ---
**Author:** ![Paulo](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/paulo/32/7328_2.png) [@Paulo](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Paulo)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/32 "2008-09-10T08:50:57Z")
> [@boardjnky4](#): > > West coast surfing is WAY easier than east coast surfing. Steep waves here on this side. > > Lake surfing will suck. There really isn’t any lake surfing worthwhile, i’m just offering for him to see how the board moves in the water. And steep waves are what you want. Fast surfing \> \* Also, good east coast surfing is hard to find. Nothing like having reef surrounding Hawaii to break waves fast. ---
**Author:** ![Carnut](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/carnut/32/7590_2.png) [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:52am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/33 "2008-09-10T08:52:10Z")
I was just in OBX and went wake boarding. Would love to try surfing, waves were bad ass…Waves during gustav were 22’ 😛 I was not there for gustav ---
**Author:** ![Carnut](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/carnut/32/7590_2.png) [@Carnut](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Carnut)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:53am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/34 "2008-09-10T08:53:23Z")
I was just in OBX and went wake boarding. Would love to try surfing, waves were bad ass…Waves during gustav were 22’ 😛 I was not there for gustav ---
**Author:** ![boardjnky4](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/96bed5/32.png) [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/35 "2008-09-10T08:54:31Z")
> [@Paulo](#): > > There really isn’t any lake surfing worthwhile, i’m just offering for him to see how the board moves in the water. > > And steep waves are what you want. Fast surfing \> \* Fast surfing is cool if you know what you are doing. For learning, it sucks, and it means many mouths full of sand. West coast on Longboard vs. East coast on a shortboard is like walk in the park vs. marathon Oh, and I only ride shortboards. It is WAY funner. If you want a shortboard that is easy to paddle, get an egg shaped fish-tail. They are a GREAT board for beginners who have a tough time with paddling a shorty. I have a 6’0" Egg shaped by Surboards Hawaii and a 6’2" classic shortboard by “JC” aka John Harper designs. > [@Carnut](#): > > I was just in OBX and went wake boarding. Would love to try surfing, waves were bad ass…Waves during gustav were 22’ I was not there for gustav 22’ foot faces are RIDICULOUS Biggest I have surfed is probably around an 8’ face. A few feet overhead. Coming down the face of an 8’ wall is pretty scary. A 22’ wave is just insane. ---
**Author:** ![Red99GTVert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ea924/32.png) [@Red99GTVert](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Red99GTVert)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:54am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/36 "2008-09-10T08:54:40Z")
Since nobody has given the geek reply to is post… [http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty\_ocean.htm](http://www.palomar.edu/oceanography/salty_ocean.htm) ---
**Author:** ![9c1](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9c1/32/7392_2.png) [@9c1](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9c1)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 8:56am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/37 "2008-09-10T08:56:18Z")
> If you get into folk stories and mythology you will see that almost every culture has a story explaining how the oceans became salty. The answer is really very simple. Salt in the ocean comes from rocks on land. Here’s how it works: > The rain that falls on the land contains some dissolved carbon dioxide from the surrounding air. This causes the rainwater to be slightly acidic due to carbonic acid (which forms from carbon dioxide and water). The rain erodes the rock and the acid breaks down the rocks and carries it along in a dissolved state as ions. The ions in the runoff are carried to the streams and rivers to the ocean. Many of the dissolved ions are used by organisms in the ocean and are removed from the water. Others are not used up and are left for long periods of time where their concentrations increase over time. > > The two ions that are present most often in seawater are are chloride and sodium. These two make up over 90% of all dissolved ions in seawater. By the way, the concentration of salt in seawater (salinity) is about 35 parts per thousand. In other words, about 35 of 1,000 (3.5%) of the weight of seawater comes from the dissolved salts; in a cubic mile of seawater the weight of the salt, as sodium chloride, would be about 120 million tons. And, just so you don’t think seawater is worthless, a cubic mile of it also can contain up to 25 tons of gold and up to 45 tons of silver! Before you go out and try alchemy on seawater, though, just think about how big a cubic mile is. > By some estimates, if the salt in the ocean could be removed and spread evenly over the Earth’s land surface it would form a layer more than 500 feet (166 m) thick, about the height of a 40-story office building. Information courtesy the of Argonne National Laboratory. ---
**Author:** ![9ONA3OOZX](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/9ona3oozx/32/7242_2.png) [@9ONA3OOZX](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/9ONA3OOZX)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 9:44am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/38 "2008-09-10T09:44:28Z")
i’ve never been surfing but will soon enough. we have an indo board in my basement that’s pretty rad to practice on…i suggest picking one up if you enjoyed surfing… ---
**Author:** ![ultradriver10000](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/ultradriver10000/32/7397_2.png) [@ultradriver10000](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/ultradriver10000)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 10:16am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/39 "2008-09-10T10:16:16Z")
![http://shop.shopblogger.de/images/walkers_saltvinegar.png](http://shop.shopblogger.de/images/walkers_saltvinegar.png) - ![http://gcaptain.com/maritime/forum/extensions/Attachments/image.php?CommentID=23&File=ship-broken-in-two.jpg&Type=Image](http://gcaptain.com/maritime/forum/extensions/Attachments/image.php?CommentID=23&File=ship-broken-in-two.jpg&Type=Image) DUH ---
**Author:** ![Geehee](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex034/user_avatar/forums.speedlife.net/geehee/32/7238_2.png) [@Geehee](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Geehee)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 10:19am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667/40 "2008-09-10T10:19:08Z")
this has potential for a good parody thread… [Previous page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667.md?page=1) [Next page](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/why-is-the-ocean-so-salty/54667.md?page=3)