Hot or cold ocean currents affect the climate of the landmasses along their course. The Agulhas current, for instance, long prevented Portuguese sailors from reaching India. Ocean currents also affect temperatures all across the world. The current that brings warm water up the North Atlantic Ocean to the north-west European shores stops ice from forming near the coasts and blocking ships from entering and exiting ports. In northern Canada, cold ocean currents freeze the soil all through the year. The cold Benguela current that runs off the coast of Namibia has created one of the driest deserts of the world – the Namib Desert. This current does not allow the sea water to evaporate, and thus prevents the formation of clouds in the local sky.
