The Sigsbee Deep is the deepest part of the Gulf of Mexico. The actual maximum depth is disputed and estimates range between 3,750 and 4,384 metres (12,300 and 14,400 ft). The average depth of the Gulf is roughly 1,615 metres (5,300 ft).^[1] The Sigsbee Deep is a trough that extends more than 300 miles (480 km) and is often called the "Grand Canyon under the sea." It is located in the southwestern quadrant of the Gulf, with its closest point to the U.S. coast at 200 miles (320 km) southeast of Brownsville, Texas. The Sigsbee Deep was discovered by ships under the command of Captain Charles Dwight Sigsbee, during his time with the United States Hydrographic Office. The feature was named in his honor. He would later be captain of the USS Maine, which exploded in the harbor of Havana, Cuba, in 1898.^[2]

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