with the northeast drift near the Andaman Islands and is partly de- 

 flected to the south as it approaches the west corner of Sumatra. 

 During this period of the year the Southern Monsoon Current toge- 

 ther vith the Equatorial Counter Current are shown as one broad band 

 of eastward flowing current. Tne Equatorial Counter Current is 

 centered on the Equator or a little south of it and remains there 

 during the entire year as an east set current. Between these two 

 currents there is a zone at about 2°N to 5°N where the current is 

 not only weaker but is more variable in direction. 



In October the southvrest monsoon winds are so weak that the 

 Southern Monsoon Current has decayed into a weak eastward drift and 

 the drift current in the central bay takes on a cyclonic circula- 

 tion. However^ the Counter Current becomes essentially stronger 

 during this month. From June to October the greater part of the 

 water mass of the Monsoon Current joins with the water of the 

 Equatorial Counter Current west of Sumatra and turns south in a 

 broad front to pass over into the South Equatorial Current. 



The South Equatorial Current is steady during the entire year 

 and is set toward the west. It extends from the northwest corner 

 of Australia between 20°S and 10°S to the other side of the ocean 

 as far as Madagascar. There is always a current axis which is 

 readily distinguishable by the higher velocities. In July and 

 August the current axis runs close to the coast of Java^ but is de- 

 flected southwestward vhen joining the water masses of the monsoon 

 current which come from the north along the coast of Sumatra. Most 



■"■Klaus Vfyrtki^ "Physical Oceanography of the Southeast Asian 

 Waters^" MGA Report _, II (La Jolla^ California: Scripps Institution 

 of Oceanography, I9&I), p. I9. 



25 



