Cold Ocean

The Cold Ocean biome is a common biome you will run into often, generated in the Overworld dimension and classed as an ocean biome. Its climate is mild and temperate, so the Cold Ocean gets rainfall. In technical terms the game tracks it with a temperature value of 0.5 and the biome ID minecraft:cold_ocean.

Its defining terrain features are gravel floor, kelp and colder water color. Cold ocean variant with darker, bluer water. Salmon spawn here alongside cod. Gravel forms the ocean floor.

The Cold Ocean biome was added to Minecraft in 1.13 and is still generated in version 1.21. Like all Overworld biomes it is shaped by the surrounding temperature and humidity, so the exact borders of any Cold Ocean you find will shift from world to world.

The Cold Ocean biome only generates in the Overworld. It commonly borders Ocean, Frozen Ocean and Deep Cold Ocean, so finding any of those is a good sign you are close.

Look for darker, bluer water over a gravel floor in cooler regions.

If cheats or operator permissions are available, the fastest method is the command “/locate biome minecraft:cold_ocean”, which points you to the nearest Cold Ocean and gives its coordinates. Without commands you have to explore for the Cold Ocean on foot: because it is common, ordinary travel through the Overworld will usually reveal one before long.

On the peaceful side, the Cold Ocean biome is home to Squid, Cod and Salmon. The Squid, for example, drops ink sacs used for black dye and books-and-quill. Together they make the Cold Ocean a useful place to gather fish and other aquatic resources.

On the dangerous side of the Cold Ocean biome, watch for Drowned. The Drowned is an underwater zombie that can wield a trident and drops nautilus shells.

The blocks that give the Cold Ocean biome its character include Gravel, Seagrass and Kelp. Within the Cold Ocean, Gravel, Seagrass and Kelp are the most useful to gather early, whether for building, crafting or decoration.

Players typically visit the Cold Ocean biome to collect kelp, which makes it a worthwhile stop for that resource.

The Cold Ocean biome can generate Ocean Ruins, sunken stone structures with buried-treasure maps and loot chests and a Shipwreck, a sunken vessel whose chests can hold treasure maps, supplies and emeralds.

With Ocean Ruins and Shipwreck all able to appear in the Cold Ocean biome, it is well worth exploring thoroughly, as each of these 2 structures offers its own loot and challenges.