NO. 1 GEOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT AND STATION RECORDS 5 



The south equatorial current, originating in the Gulf of Guinea on 

 the west African coast, crosses the Atlantic in the region of the equator, 

 striking the South American east coast north of Natal and proceeding in 

 a northwesterly direction along the coast of Brazil and the Guianas at a 

 speed of V/i to 2 knots. Off Trinidad it enters the Caribbean by the 

 Gulf of Paria, by the strait between Trinidad and Tobago, where it 

 attains a maximum velocity of 3 knots, and by the passageways between 

 the Lesser Antilles, with diminishing force, as far north as Martinique. 

 The current proceeds in a westerly direction along the north coast of 

 Venezuela, its maximum speed, 1^^ knots, being felt along the fringe of 

 outlying islands or in the channels between them and the mainland. From 

 Cape la Vela westward its speed and force diminish as it expands into 

 the widest portion of the Caribbean. Reaching the Magdalena River, it is 

 deflected to the northwestward by the volume of fresh water issuing from 

 that stream and by a slower countercurrent originating in the Gulf of 

 Darien and proceeding close inshore to Cartagena and beyond. A similar 

 countercurrent also occurs along the Venezuela coast south of the offshore 

 islands. Since local topography may considerably alter both speed and 

 direction of currents, exceptions to this general scheme will be noted from 

 time to time in the account that follows. 



The general plan will be to describe the coast line from Panama east 

 to Trinidad, including the inshore islands of Tortuga, Cubagua, Coche, 

 and Margarita. Following this, the offshore islands will be considered, 

 beginning with the most easterly, Los Hermanos, and proceeding in a 

 westerly direction to Orchilla, Los Roques, Islas de Aves, Bonaire, 

 Curagao, and Aruba. This plan has two advantages: (1) it prevents con- 

 fusion arising from frequent leaps from the mainland coast to offshore 

 islands often belonging to a nation other than the opposite-lying South 

 American state and (2) with the exception of Aruba, which was visited 

 on the eastern lap of the voyage, it follows in a general way the course of 

 the Felero III. (Chart 1.) 



AN ACCOUNT OF THE COAST LINE 



Panama East of Cristobal 



From Cristobal the Atlantic coast of Panama trends northeastward 

 27 miles to Pta. Manzanillo, most northerly point in Panama. Two thirds 

 of the way to Pta. Manzanillo lies Porto Bello, a protected harbor 0.6 

 mile wide and 1.4 miles deep, one of the best west of Cartagena. Between 

 it and Pta. Manzanillo are Los Farallones and Isla Grande, each of 

 which is marked with a light. 



