It is 93 mi (150 km) wide at the narrowest point between Key West and the Cuban shore, and has been sounded to a depth of 6,000 feet (1,800 m).

[2] Cuba has three producing offshore oil fields within 5 km of its north coast opposite Florida.

[4] The issue of allowing oil and gas exploration offshore Florida became a hotly contested topic in the 2008 US elections.

[11][12] The government of the Bahamas has indicated that applications for offshore drilling are on hold pending negotiations with Cuba, the United States, and the Turks and Caicos Islands on the exact boundaries between their respective Exclusive Economic Zones.

[14] Nyad, who was 64 years old at the time of the attempt, took 52 hours and 54 minutes to cover the 106 miles (171 km) between Havana and Key West[15] .