Deep Frozen Ocean

The deep frozen ocean is the coldest open sea in Minecraft. Icebergs still float here, but the surface water stays unfrozen, and the floor lies twice as deep as a frozen ocean. This deep frozen ocean finder checks your seed and marks the nearest areas with a biome icon on the map above. Find icebergs, blue ice and even ocean monuments in one trip.

Where deep frozen oceans generate

Deep frozen oceans replace deep oceans in the coldest climate zones. They lie beyond frozen oceans, far from snowy coasts.

They can also border deep cold oceans as the temperature rises. Oddly, the climate is a little milder than in a frozen ocean. Snow only falls in the coldest parts, while warmer parts get rain.

On the map, deep frozen oceans appear as dark open water far from icy coasts. Since they need the coldest climate, they are less common than other deep seas. So it helps to let the finder search a wide area for you.

What you find in a deep frozen ocean

The floor is a single layer of gravel over stone, with almost no plant life. Above it, icebergs generate just like in the shallow frozen ocean.

• Icebergs: packed ice, blue ice and snow blocks.
• Mobs: salmon, squid, the nautilus and drowned. Polar bears are rare because there is little surface ice.
• Structures: ocean monuments, shipwrecks, ocean ruins and ruined portals.

A monument next to an iceberg makes a memorable build site.

How to find a deep frozen ocean

In game, sail north or south past a frozen ocean until the ice sheet breaks into open water with icebergs. That open, icy sea is usually a deep frozen ocean.

The finder saves you that cold trip. Enter your seed and pick your edition. The map moves to the closest deep frozen ocean and marks it clearly. For other choices, check the list on the left and click one.

Then run /tp @s X 80 Z to arrive above the water. Bring a boat, since there is little ice to stand on.

Deep frozen ocean tips

Because the surface is open, boats work well here. Hop from iceberg to iceberg and mine blue ice with Silk Touch.

For monuments, the same gear applies as anywhere: water breathing, night vision and milk. The dark, cold water limits visibility, so a conduit near your base helps a lot.

Deep frozen ocean vs. frozen ocean

These two biomes are easy to mix up. Here is the short version:

• Surface: the frozen ocean freezes over, while the deep frozen ocean stays open.
• Depth: the deep version has a floor about twice as deep.
• Monuments: only the deep frozen ocean can hold them.
• Polar bears: common on frozen ocean ice, rare over deep frozen water.
• Weather: the deep version is slightly milder, so warmer parts get rain instead of snow.

Both share icebergs, blue ice and salmon. So if you only need blue ice, either one works. However, if you want a monument and icebergs together, the deep frozen ocean is the one to find. Check the list on the left, since deep and shallow frozen seas often sit side by side.

Also, icebergs in open water are easier to reach by boat. You can circle each one, look for blue streaks, and pull up next to the best spot.

Version history

The deep frozen ocean arrived in Java 1.13. A snapshot for 1.16 briefly gave it a frozen surface, but that change was reverted one snapshot later.

Deep Frozen Ocean FAQ