What Are the Doldrums?

The Doldrums are regions of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans that have little if any wind. This was a particular problem for sailors in the past when they depended on the winds to propel their ships, a problem that could be potentially deadly. The stagnant winds of the Doldrums have much in common with the way the term is used today.

Identification

The Doldrums are caused by solar radiation from the sun, as sunlight beams down directly on area around the equator. This heating causes the air to warm and rise straight up rather than blow horizontally. The result is little or no wind, sometimes for weeks on end.

Effects

The rising moist air in the Doldrums can spawn tropical storms and hurricanes. Nearly every Atlantic hurricane arises in or near the Doldrums. The unpredictability of the weather, either no winds or potential hurricanes, made the Doldrums one of the least favorite sailing lanes back when all that ships had to power them across the ocean was their sails.

Geography

The Doldrums are located a little north of the equator, but the effects can be felt from 5 degrees north of the equator to 5 degrees south of it. The trade winds border the Doldrums both to the north and south. Then there are the prevailing westerlies in the higher latitudes and the polar easterlies near both poles.

Misconceptions

The phrase "in the doldrums" did not come about as a result of the wind-challenged Doldrums region of the oceans. Rather, it was the other way around. The word "doldrums" was used to describe someone dull and sluggish, and being in the doldrums meant you were feeling listless. The region around the equator began to be called the Doldrums around the middle of the 18th century in reference to the lack of activity by the wind and any ships that were caught there.

Expert Insight

The "horse latitudes" are another area that can have little or no wind activity for great lengths of time. They are found between 30 degrees and 35 degrees latitude both north and south of the equator. They were assumed to have been named for the reported practice on sailing vessels of throwing horses overboard when the ship was stranded in becalmed waters to conserve water on board. However, it is more likely that the name came from a ritual known as the "dead horse" ritual in which sailors tossed an effigy of a horse overboard. It was related to the fact that they were usually paid partly in advance for their work on voyages, with the "dead horse" a reference to the time they were working for what they had already been paid.