Wind Waker Water Source

The Salty Mystery of Wind Waker's Ocean

The game The Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker features a vast ocean, but the source of fresh water for its inhabitants is unclear.
Ocean water is too salty to drink and would lead to death in about a week if it was the only source of water.

The video aims to determine the source of drinkable water for the people of Wind Waker, particularly on islands like Windfall Island that lack natural water sources.
The video will also calculate how long it would take 50 garden hoses to fill the ocean.

The world of Wind Waker is divided into a 7x7 grid, with each square containing an island.

Dragon Roost Island: Has a pond, which could be a source of fresh water.
Outset Island: Features a well, which is assumed to be a source of fresh water.
Windfall Island: It does not have any visible water source.

12 islands have water sources.
- Dragon Roost and Outset account for 2.
- Leaving 10 islands with some kind of water source.

Five islands contain fairy fountains, each with a pond. It is noted that the water color differs from the ocean, suggesting it may be mystical rather than typical water.

The Tower of the Gods has a portal to an underwater area with fountains, although their hydrological relevance is questioned.

One island has an ice dungeon with water, but its presence is attributed to magic rather than natural processes.

Located in square E5, the Private Oasis features a relaxation pond, a waterfall, and an infinitely spawning water source coming out of the ground.
This is considered the closest thing to a water source in the game.

Located in square A6, has a similar infinitely spawning water spot, waterfall, and pond setup.

Locations like Big Spring in Missouri demonstrate real-life examples of water spontaneously coming out of the ground.
Big Spring: Dumps hundreds of gallons of water per second, never stopping and not freezing.

Water seeps into the ground and accumulates in underground chambers called aquifers.
If there is a crack in the rock and the aquifer is at a higher elevation, water pressure will force the water out, creating a spring.
If the aquifer refills as fast, or faster, then it drains, the spring maintains itself.

The Forest Haven features an underground spring that feeds a pond, a river, and then a lake connected to the ocean.
A large tree with roots extending into the ocean defies the expectation that plants cannot thrive in salt water.

The flourishing plant life and the ability for people to drink water throughout the game suggest that the ocean is not salt water but fresh water.
Because the world was intentionally flooded by the gods, suggesting they used fresh water.

Evans, a Reddit user, estimates the Wind Waker ocean to be 6 km wide and 6 km long.
Estimation of Ocean Depth:
- Determined by assessing the view from underwater Hyrule and estimating the distance to the surface.
- Real-life cloud height estimation was used to train the accuracy of visual height estimation.
- Estimated depth of 6,000 ft, adjusted by a 20% deviation factor, resulted in an estimate of 7,200 ft (approximately 2,000 meters or 2 km).
Volume Calculation:
- Ocean size: 6 km wide, 6 km long, and 2 km deep.
- Volume: 6 \text{ km} \times 6 \text{ km} \times 2 \text{ km} = 72 \text{ cubic km}
- 1 cubic meter = 264 gallons.
- 72 cubic km = Over 19 trillion gallons.
- Adjusted Estimate: Approximately 18 trillion gallons (accounting for islands and underwater features).
Real-World Comparison:
- The Pacific Ocean contains roughly 352 quintillion gallons.
- The Wind Waker ocean is approximately 20 million times smaller than the Pacific Ocean.
Time to Fill the Ocean:
- Estimated output of the waterfall: Approximately 50 standard garden hoses.
- A standard garden hose (5/8 inch diameter) outputs 1,000 gallons per hour.
- 50 hoses: 50 \times 1,000 = 50,000 gallons per hour.
- Time to fill 18 trillion gallons: \frac{18,000,000,000,000 \text{ gallons}}{50,000 \text{ gallons/hour}} = 360,000,000 \text{ hours}
- 360,000,000 \text{ hours} \approx 41,000 \text{ years}

Even if the ocean being entirely fed by a waterfall isn't technically feasible, it adds to the game's charm.

The bird people's village lacking food or beds, implying they sustain themselves by flying and fishing.
The presence of a human in the post office and the question of how he is sustained.