In November 1520, when Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan came out from the storm-tossed waters of the strait which now bears his name, he encountered a vast expanse of calm sea. According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) , the contrast with the violent Atlantic conditions Magellan’s fleet survived was so striking that he named the ocean Mar Pacifico, which means ‘peaceful sea.’ Notably, more than five centuries later, the name remains attached to the planet’s deepest and largest ocean, even though the Pacific is now known for powerful typhoons, earthquakes and tsunamis. However, Magellan’s momentary encounter with tranquil Pacific waters became one of history’s most enduring geographical names.
