was estimated that the normal current past the beach had 

 a southwest direction, 1/2-3/4 knot. However, it was 

 found that a 10- to 15- knot southerly wind sets up a 

 northward inshore current of 1/2-1 knot that results 

 mainly from the breakers angling into the beach. 



"At the beginning of the flood tide (0930- 1000) on February 

 15, 1949, at the entrance to Kuwait Harbor, a long, rather 

 wide, tide eddy was noticed. It was found that on a calm 

 day these eddies stir up separate clouds of mud from the 

 bottom that give the surface of the water a brown, mottled 

 appearance. The eddy line moves up into the harbor and 

 dies out in the vicinity of Ras al Ajuzah as the flood becomes 

 more pronounced. The countercurrent between Ras al 

 Ajuzah and Ras al Ardh — as proved by Current Station 

 No. 10 -- flows back out into the entrance channel south 

 of the eddy line. 



"Another distinct line was observed at 1015 the same day 

 trending generally north to south 2.6 miles due east of Ras 

 al Ardh. The water to the west of the brown foam line that 

 perhaps marked the boundary between waters of different 

 densities was blue-green in color and less muddy than 

 that water to the east of the line. This water on the west 

 appeared to be flowing south- southeast. By 1130 the boundary 

 line had swung on into the northern part of the harbor 

 and at one point was 3.7 miles away from and on a bearing 

 of 015° from Ras al Ajuzah. Later on at 1600-1612 the 

 northern part of the boundary line extended into the 

 harbor at 280°- 100° and at 1612 was at one point 2.9 

 miles away from and on a bearing of 044° from Ras 

 al Ardh. 



"While there is no definite proof yet, it seems logical 

 that this eddy line, or boundary line, is a continuation 

 or development of the earlier one mentioned above." 



Currents throughout the Kuwait area are tidal; there is little evidence 

 of other factors appreciably influencing the current regime on a 

 continuing basis. Of course strong southerly and easterly winds will 

 tend to lengthen the duration and increase the speed of flood currents, 

 and winds from the other two quadrants will tend to shorten the duration 

 and decrease the speed. Opposite conditions hold for ebb currents. 

 Strong winds are most frequent during the winter months and may 

 arise quite unexpectedly, but these are normally short-lived, usually 



