Dr Franklin Charts The Gulf Stream

Hear y^e Hear y^e

Read All About It!!

D^r. Franklin charts the Gulf Stream
the Olde Fashioned Way.
He swaps a few Shots of Red Eye to a Whaling Captain for the Chart.

Benjamin Franklin is often erroneously credited with discovering and charting the Gulf Stream. The Good Doctor did play an important part in disseminating knowledge of the Gulf Stream in 1769 but whalers in particular had been aware of the Gulf Stream for some time.

Let's let the Good Doctor explain the matter in his own words.

Discoursing with Captain Folger, a very intelligent mariner of the Island of Nantucket, in New England, concerning the long passages made by some ships bound from England to New York. I received from him the following information, viz.,

That the island in which he lives is inhabited by people concerned in the whale fishery, in which they employ near 150 sail of vessels; that the whales are found generally near the edges of the "Gulph Stream", a strong current so called, which comes out of the Gulph of Florida, passing along the coast of America, and then turning off most easterly, running at a rate of 4, 3-1/2, 3, and 2-1/2 miles an hour.

That the whaling business leading these people to cruise along the edges of the stream in quest of whales, they are become better acquainted with the course, breath, strength, and extent of the same, than those navigators can well be who only cross it in their voyages to and from America, that they have opportunities of discovering the strength of it when their boats are out in the pursuit of this fish, and happen to get into the stream while the ship is out of it, or out of the stream while the ship is in it, for then they are separated very fast, and would soon lose sight of each other if care was not taken in crossing the stream to and fro.

They frequently in the same meet and speak with ships bound from England to New York, Virginia, &c. who have passages of 8, 9, and 10 weeks and are still far from land, and not likely to put in for some time, being engaged in that part of the stream that sets directly against them, and it is supposed that their fear of Cape Sable Shoals, George's Banks, or Nantucket Shoals, hath induced them to keep so far to the southward as unavoidable to engage them in the said Gulph Stream, which occasions the length of their voyage, since in a calm it carries them directly back, and tho' they may have fair winds, yet the current being 60 or 70 miles a day, it is so much subtracted from the way {1} they make thro' the water.

At my request Captain Folger hath been so obliging as to mark for me on a chart the dimensions, course and swiftness of the Stream from its first coming out of the Gulph when it is narrowest and strongest, until it turns away to go to the southward of the Western Islands, where it is broader and weaker, and to give me withall some written directions whereby ships bound from the banks of Newfoundland to New York may avoid the said Stream; and yet be free of danger from the banks and shoals above mentioned.

As I apprehend that such chart and directions may be of use to our packets in shorting their voyages, I send them to you, that if their Lordships should think fit, so much of the chart as is contained within the red lines may be engraved, and printed, together with the remarks, at the charge of the office; of at least the manuscript copies may be made of the same for the use of the packets. The expense of the former would not much exceed the latter and would besides be of general service.

Letter from Benjamin Franklin to Anthony Todd, 1769

{1} way: advancement: progress, as of a ship through the water; as under way; as put way on the ship. also spelled weigh.

I have also seen a map purporting to be drawn by Benjamin Franklin but it is more likely that it is Captain Folger's marking out of the Gulf Stream on a standard chart.

Another myth is that Franklin made this information available to American ships thus allowing them to outsail British ships.

The truth is that Juan Ponce de Leon recorded the Gulf Stream in 1513 a.d. and if you will take the trouble to look at a chart of ocean currents you will see that Spain had the Super Slab in both directions.

Back to Azilum