The Canary Current is an ocean current which branches south from the North Atlantic Current and flows toward the south-west about as far as Senegal where it turns west. The cool temperature is caused by the upwelling nutrient-rich water drawn up from below the surface by the current. It is named after the Canary Islands. Major upwelling occurs between 23 and 25 degrees northern latitude. (Canary Current, 2002) The Canary Island Archipelago partially blocks the flow of the Canary Current. (Gyory, 2007) The Canaries Current is responsible for the generally southward movement of ocean circulation and has led to enhancement of coastal fisheries in western Morocco. (Hance, 1975) This wide and slow moving current is thought to have been exploited in the early Phoenician navigation and settlement along the coast of western Morocco. The ancient Phoenicians not only exploited numerous fisheries within this current zone, but also established a factory at Iles Purpuraires off of present day Essaouira for extracting a Tyrian purple dye from a marine gastropod murex species. (Hogan, 2007) The Canary Current is located by Northern Africa. The current moves south and the water is cold.

[edit] See also

• Christopher Columbus
• Madeira
• Elmina Castle
• Voyages of Christopher Columbus

[edit] References

• Canary Current (2002)
• Joanna Gyory, Arthur J. Mariano, Edward H. Ryan (Retrieved Nov 5, 2007) "The Canary Current" Ocean Surface Currents
• William Adams Hance (1975) The Geography of Modern Africa, Columbia University Press, ISBN 0231038690
• C.Michael Hogan, Mogador: Promontory Fort, The Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham, November 2, 2007 [1]

[edit] External links

• Ocean Currents: Canary Current

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