Figure 22 



The islands of Socotra and The Brothers - Apollo 7 



As seen by the crew of Apollo 7 on 15 October 1968 from 100 miles in space, the 

 Abaters around the islands of Socotra and The Brothers, caught in the sun's reflection, re- 

 veal complex surface phenomenon impossible to view by ordinary means. Situated just 

 off the East African coast and north of one of the strongest upwelling areas in the world, 

 the islands form a deflective barrier to the northeastward movement of the cold, upwelled 

 water. The vortices, slicks, swells, and other lines which are visible reveal current di- 

 rection, internal waves, and regions of convergence and divergence. Such information is 

 invaluable in understanding the oceanography of one of the world's largest undeveloped 

 fishing regions. 



39 



