The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1955-05-13

Having arrived at Kitty Hawk
from Philadelphia by way of all
points in Florida, within the past
week, I have just read with very
great interest the article in the
Coastland Times, April %, en-
titled-"These Two Capes Have
Something in COMMONLY Ay-
cock Brown. Incidentally, my
name happens to be Brown too
s. Linn Brown.
The overall word picture which
Mr.. Brown paints is not only in
teresting but true, and because it
touches a subject which too
have made some study of, l offer
some supplemental statements.
This do more as a pastime than
for any other reason, and wish to
thank Mr. Aycock Brown for his
inspiration, so to speak, for being
retired l do not have enough in
teresting things to do with my
time, and assure you that no work
is as hard as doing nothing, and
at this point, if l may be permit
ted a Commercial" / am open
for suggestions.
The origin and circulatory flow
of the GULF STREAM has long
been of fascinating interest. Sur
prisingly enough great many
individuals, especially Floridians,
confuse the Gulf Stream with the
Gulf of Mexico, but there is no
connection between them, or to
put it another way, the Gulf of
Mexico is just what the name i'm
plies-a gulf of considerable area,
while the Gulf Stream is mighty
river ocean or current, and not to
be confused with any tidal cur
rent.
1t would most certainly bring
about vast boom in real estate
IF the Gulf Stream with its bill
lions of tons of tropically warm
ed salt water did circulate, or
could be made to circulate around
the shores of all our Gulf states,
and IF after passing a few miles
north of the Palm Beaches on it's
northeasterly course it would hug
the shores of the balance of
Florida's east coast and our other
Atlantic coast States, but I'M
fortunately such is not the case,
and to clearly understand the rea-
sons why this is not so, it is nee
essary to understand something
of the true origin of the GULF
STREAM and it's circulatory flow
in the North Atlantic Ocean.
Produced By Two Currents
Actually the Gulf Stream has
its inception stemming from two
Equatorial currents, one of which
is set in motion by the constantly
blowing Northeast trade winds
from off the Northwest coast of
Africa, and the other coming from
the coast of Brazil. After sweep
ing across the equator, one of
these warm salt water currents
passes on the Atlantic ocean side
of the Caribbean Islands, headed
northward. The other flows into
the Caribbean sea and in effect
bounces off the coast of Yucatan
and then, known as the Yucatan
current, flows at considerable
speed and volume eastward along
the north coast of Cuba and out
| thrue the Straits of Florida where
it combines with the other Equa-
torial mentioned current to form
that mighty and influential GULF
STREAM.
The Straits of Florida, incident
ally, are formed by Key West and
other closely grouped Florida Keys
on the north and Cuba on the
south, the distance between Key
West and Havana being less than
80 miles. Key West, be it remem-
bered, is approximately 145 miles
south and west of Miami, and is
on the same tlorth-south longitud-
email lines as Naples, on Florida's
west coast.
In flying from Miami to CANA
guey, Cuba, enroute to Jamaica, !
flew entirely across the Gulf
Stream and was amazed by the
sharply defined boundary line
separating the very deep blue
color of the Gulf Stream from the
surrounding aquamarine colored
waters thru which its momentum
was forcing it to flow northward.
| From the Florida Straits, the
course and direction of this mighty
river of the ocean is definitely set
by reason of the Bahama Islands
to the east and the coast Of Florida
to the west. The STREAM" has no
other place to go except to follow
| fairly close to and northward along
that strip of Florida coast from
Miami Beach to the Palm Beaches,
and it is important to note that
the Florida coast between these
points slants diagonally from
south by west to north by east,
and that having thus been set on
that course the Gulf Stream flows
on in that general direction for