42 : The Atlantic 



swung into the Gulf of Maine and on August 7 grounded on Cape 

 Porpoise. 



Selecting an entirely different course, FT 2 jogged off southwest. 

 On two occasions, at the end of June and at the end of July, FT2 

 reversed the direction of travel for a day or so. Even with these delays, 

 FT2 arrived off Cape Henlopen below the mouth of Delaware Bay 

 on August 28. 



So the record comes to this: starting from the same time and place, 

 in fact starting as the same ship, two half ships without any kind of 

 human interference, under what appear to be the same natural condi- 

 tions, travel for months in almost opposite directions. When they 

 stranded they were 350 miles apart! 



Here again the mystery is cleared up by detailed knowledge and 

 observation of the ocean's behavior. 



FT I was the stern of the vessel. It was high built, compartmented, 

 floated relatively high out of waters. The prevailing winds off the 

 coast in spring are from the southwest and even high winds come 

 from this quarter. FTi, therefore, rides the winds and the harder they 

 blow, the farther she travels northeast. Only she goes to the north 

 and not very much to the east because, though chiefly driven by the 

 wind, she is also afloat on a current that pushes her toward the west. 

 The result is her northward course until, well "down-east" in Maine, 

 she becomes the tired victim of northeast winds and a current set- 

 ting into the Gulf of Maine, which combine to drive her ashore. 



FT2 was the bow and forward portion of the vessel. It lay low in 

 the water offering little surface to the wind. It was chiefly in posses- 

 sion of the current. The current here is a large eddy that lies between 

 the Gulf Stream and the American coast and that moves in a counter- 

 clockwise fashion. As the old sailorman used to say, it moves against 

 the sun. FT 2, therefore, traveled in an arc in a southwesterly direc- 

 tion. 



FT2 while steadily in the grip of the current was not entirely free 

 from the effects of wind and weather. On two occasions, that is on 

 the last few days of June and of July, strong southwest winds set FT2 

 back on her heels; in fact reversed her course. In each case, however, 

 as soon as the winds abated the hulk took up her westward drift to 

 her destiny. 



Almost on the equator and some 600 miles east of the coast of Bra- 

 zil there is a mountain peak that rises from the floor of the sea and 

 sticks its head above the ocean to form a steep and desolate little is- 



