Originator's Ocean Currents Data: Ship Drift

This data set contains over 4 million surface current observations between 1894 and 1993. These are not instrument-measured current data. With the exception of about 5,100 observations taken using the Geomagnetic Electrokinetograph (GEK), almost all obtained by the ship drift method. In this method, the difference between a ship's dead-reckoned position (determined from its previous position determined from a navigational fix) is ascribed solely to the effect of surface currents.