The Pit of Puerto Rico, also known as the Puerto Rico Trench, is a massive underwater depression in the North Atlantic Ocean. It runs roughly parallel to Puerto Rico’s northern coast, about 75 miles (120 km) offshore.
The trench is enormous—around 1,090 miles (1,750 km) long and 60 miles (100 km) wide. Its deepest point, called the Milwaukee Deep, reaches a staggering 27,493 feet (8,380 meters). This makes it the deepest spot in the Atlantic Ocean, located about 100 miles (160 km) northwest of Puerto Rico.
The Puerto Rico Trench has existed for millions of years. It formed at the beginning of the Cenozoic Age, roughly 65 million years ago, and has been part of a complex system of shifts and faults in the northern Caribbean for around 70 million years. Over time, sediments have partially filled the trench, but it remains a dramatic feature of the ocean floor.
This natural wonder reminds us of the vast, hidden mysteries beneath the ocean’s surface—places so deep and remote that few have ever seen them.
