Behavior of the Atlantic : 53 



North Atlantic except that their revolution is left-handed or counter- 

 clockwise. The trades are southeast trades and they drive a South 

 Equatorial Current. Part of this turns southward as it approaches the 

 South American coast and becomes the Brazil Current. The Brazil 

 Current continues south until it meets a cold current coming up 

 from the direction of Cape Horn. Then it swings east and becomes 

 the Antarctic Current. Off the west coast of South Africa the cold 

 northbound Benguela Current appears flowing north even into the 

 Bight of Benin. 



The South Atlantic currents have one unique feature which is not 

 repeated elsewhere. The east coast of South America culminates in a 

 point at Cape Sao Roque, the coast retreating away to the northwest 

 and southwest. This wedge divides the South Equatorial Current and 

 an important part of it is deflected northwest. At least 6,000,000 cubic 

 meters per second of it cross the equator and continue northwest to 

 join the North Equatorial Current and pour into the Caribbean and 

 eventually become part of the Gulf Stream system. 



This chapter began with some examples of what the winds and 

 currents of the Atlantic could do to inert and inanimate objects like 

 trees, bottles, wrecked ships, etc. It is easy to understand that such 

 powerful and far-reaching forces will also exert their influence to help 

 or to hinder the voyage of a ship even when driven by sail or engine 

 and even when it is directed by man. The Atlantic will be at work 

 even though man is not always aware of the forces that are assisting 

 or arresting his progress. 



Parts II and III of this book examine many of these relations be- 

 tween man and the Atlantic at different periods of history. It would 

 be impossible to summarize these at this point; but because we now 

 have some of the main Atlantic features in mind it might be interest- 

 ing to pick some examples more or less at random: 



The winds and currents of the Mediterranean affected the location 

 of colonies from the time of the Phoenician on down; also the order 

 in which different parts of the Mediterranean basin were developed; 

 many special features of Mediterranean oceanography are reflected in 

 classic myths, in Homeric literature, etc. 



The early discovery of the American continent by the Norsemen 

 and their voyages along the Atlantic coast become more intelligible 

 and creditable when we examine how their outward and southward 

 passages would be assisted by winds and currents. The relationship of 

 currents to the shores of Greenland and the upwelling of water at the 



