I am taking an oceanography class. Our discussion topic for the week is this: Suppose you are a particle of water dropped in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. Describe the path you may take to get to one of the following locations: off the coast of Madagascar, or off the coast of Peru. Explain what caused your movement. Name the currents you travel in. Try to estimate how long your journey took.

Oceanography is not my forte. :( I'm staring at an ocean currents map I pulled up from Google and I don't know where to begin. I can name the currents but how do you figure out how long the journey will take?

Thank you!

This probably like the map you have -- the ocean is much like currents in the weather

I am not sure how you would estimate a course and direction -- speed of water movement

http://www.cubanology.com/Screen%20Shots%20and%20Thumbnails/Screenshots%20only/ocean_currents.jpg

The following type of search also might be a help to you. I hope that it is!

Estimating Speed of Currents in the Ocean - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&q=Estimating+Speed+of+Currents+in+the+Ocean)

Thanks, you guys! That's exactly what I need. Here is my starting point. Now I just have to figure out distances and speed, etc:
The drop of water would travel from the coast of Florida counterclockwise because of the Gulf Stream. Then it would be picked up by the North Atlantic Drift to the Canary current off the northwestern coast of Africa. The drop would then be caught by the Equatorial Counter followed by the South Equatorial in a counterclockwise direction, sending it off the coast of Brazil until it is swept by the Antarctic Circumpolar. The drop would then travel from the southernmost tip of South America in an eastward direction, below Africa and Australia on the Antarctic Circumpolar until it reached the South Pacific current, where it would travel north and finally reach the coast of Peru.

Where did you find the depth and temperature?