An underwater plateau on the continental shelf of North America at a depth of 50 to 300 feet. An important [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Cod]] fishery since the [[Viking]] settlement of [[Vinland]] around 1000 CE. There is some evidence the region was known to the Basques, Portuguese, and English fishermen out of [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Bristol]] before [[Dan's History Web/US 1/Topic Index/Giovanni Caboto]] visited on behalf of England in 1497, declaring that the fish were so numerous, you could almost walk across the surface of the ocean on their backs.