East Australian Current

The East Australian Current is an ocean current that moves warm water in a counter clock-wise fashion down the east coast of Australia. [http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/shownh.php3?img_id=13055 East Australian Current,] NASA Earth Observatory.] It is the largest ocean current close to the shores of Australia. Its source is the tropical Coral Sea off the north-east coast of Australia. [http://www.marine.csiro.au/LeafletsFolder/37eac/ The East Australian Current,] CSIRO Marine Research.] It can reach speeds of up to 7 knots in some of the shallower waters along the Australian continental shelf, but is generally measured at 2 or 3 knots. The EAC results in a current vortex in the Tasman Sea between Australia and New Zealand. The EAC also acts to transport tropical marine fauna to habitats in sub-tropical regions along the south east Australian coast.

Finding Nemo

In the 2003 animated Pixar / Disney film "Finding Nemo", the EAC is portrayed as a super highway that fish and sea turtles use to travel down the east coast of East Australia. The characters Marlin and Dory join a group of sea turtles, including Crush and his son Squirt in using the EAC to travel from their tropic coral reef home to Sydney Harbour. The basic premise of this storyline is correct. Every summer, thousands of fish are swept from the Great Barrier Reef to Sydney Harbour and further south. [ [http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/s1123880.htm Looking For Nemo,] 2004-06-03, "Catalyst", ABC.]

References

External links

* [http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/NaturalHazards/shownh.php3?img_id=13055 Image of the East Australian Current.]