Antilles Current 
The Antilles Current is probably stronger, larger, and more 
persistent than previous descriptions have indicated. Generally, 
the surface flow shows little seasonal variation in speed, direction, 
and size. The current originates in the vicinity of the Leeward Islands 
as part of the Atlantic North Equatorial Current. Figure 2 shows the 
outlines of the current. The frequency of sets in the prevailing direc- 
tion in the three regions shown averages about 55 percent, the main surface 
speed being about 0.6 knot. Table 1 shows the prevailing direction 
throughout the year in each area and the total number of surface obser- 
vations by area in various speed categories. 
The analysis of about 42,000 surface observations shows that in 
Regions A and B, about 80 percent of the observations are between 0.1 
and 0.9 knot, 13 percent between 1 and 2 knots, and 1 percent over 
2 knots; in Region C the current is slightly weaker, with 88 percent of 
the observations between 0.1 and 0.9 knot, 6 percent between 1 and 2 
knots, and less than 1 percent over 2 knots. 
Little is known about the subsurface currents. Table 2 was 
derived from hundreds of direct meter measurements taken at 10-minute 
intervals at 25°30.8'N, 72°32.8'w between 25 June and 13 July 1965. 
The data appear to verify the stability of this part of the Antilles 
Current during summer, both in speed and direction at all depths. 
Below 800 meters (2,625 feet) a slight clockwise turning is indicated. 
