On a voyage from Cape Town to London, which would be a favorable ocean current off the coast of Africa?
• General direction of your voyage from Cape Town to London (look at the map: southwest to northwest, then north in the Atlantic) • Locations and flow directions of the major eastern boundary and western boundary currents off Africa (Agulhas, Benguela, Canary, South Atlantic Current) • Difference between warm western boundary currents and cold eastern boundary currents in the Atlantic and Indian Oceans
• First, picture or sketch the coastline of Africa and your ship’s track from the southern tip of Africa up toward Europe. Which side of Africa are you on for most of that trip? • For each current named, ask: is it on the east or west coast of Africa, and does it flow toward or away from Europe? • Eliminate any current that clearly flows against the direction from Cape Town toward the North Atlantic shipping routes to Europe.
• Verify on a chart or atlas which currents run up the west coast of Africa toward the North Atlantic, and which run down the coast or away from the route. • Check that the current you choose is actually in the Atlantic Ocean, not mainly in the Indian Ocean. • Confirm that the chosen current’s flow would give you a following or fair current for most of the leg from off Cape Town toward the approaches to Europe.
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