Abstract
A TOTAL OF 2436 DRIFT BOTTLES HAS BEEN RELEASED FROM 205 DIFFERENT STATIONS IN LAKE SUPERIOR SINCE 1966. BY JAN. 1, 1969, 237 DRIFTERS WERE RETURNED OUT OF THE 2436 RELEASED--AN OVERALL RETURN OF 11 PERCENT. THERE APPEARS TO BE A GENERAL COUNTER-CLOCKWISE CURRENT AROUND THE ENTIRE PERIMETER OF THE LAKE. A BROAD CURRENT FLOWS EASTWARD ALONG THE ENTIRE SOUTH SHORE DURING ALL SEASONS THAT DRIFTERS WERE PUT INTO THE LAKE. WHEN THIS CURRENT REACHES THE SOUTHEASTERN CORNER OF THE LAKE IT TURNS COUNTER-CLOCKWISE AND FOLLOWS THE EASTERN SHORE AS FAR AS ROSSPORT, IN THE NORTHERNMOST PART OF THE LAKE. FROM ROSSPORT THE CURRENT CONTINUES ITS COUNTER-CLOCKWISE MOVEMENT AROUND THE LAKE BY TURNING SOUTHWESTWARD BUT DRIFTS AWAY FROM THE SHORELINE AS IT ENCOUNTERS BOTTOM WATER THAT WELLS UPWARD ALONG THE ENTIRE NORTHWESTERN SIDE OF THE LAKE. (KNAPP-USGS)