December, the resultant distribution between north and south was approximately 

 the same for both years, but the angles relative to the pier during 1981 were 

 more nearly shore normal. 



Current Data 



84. Surface current measurements were made daily at about 0700 EST by 

 timing the movement of dye patches at three locations: (a) the seaward end 

 of the FRF pier, (b) the midsurf zone position under the pier, and (c) along 

 the beach 500 m updrift of the pier. Results of these measurements are given 

 in Table 7 and Figures 23, 24, and 25. Since nearshore surface currents are 

 highly dependent upon wind speed and direction and wave breaker angle, there 

 is significant variability between the mean values for these locations, (Fig- 

 ure 26). At the seaward end of the pier, wind direction is more likely to 

 control the prevailing longshore current direction; whereas in the surf zone, 

 the breaker angle tends to dominate. 



Table 7 



1981 Monthly Mean Longshore Surface Current 

 Speed and Direction 



Speed, cm/sec 



Pier Surf 

 Month 1981 1978-1981 1981 



Jan 18 19 26 



Feb 4 24 -9 



Mar 16 20 21 



Apr -1* 7 -2 



May 15 13 7 



Jun 6 7 -13 



Jul 6 4 -16 



Aug 11 8 



Sep 10 10 -10 



Oct 24 12 25 



Nov 20 16 22 



Dec 16 11 23 



Mean 12 12 6 



Beach 



Updrift 



1981 



1980-1981 



18 



12 



-8 



6 



15 



10 



-8 



-1 



-3 







-6 



-13 



-10 



-16 



-7 



-10 



-4 



-9 



21 



24 



13 



20 



13 



14 



3 



3 



A minus sign indicates currents flowed northward. 



50 



