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Gulf Stream Characteristics

The Ocean’s Great River in the Sea
Just offshore of Palm Beach, Florida flows one of the most powerful natural forces on Earth — the Gulf Stream. Often called a 'river within the ocean', this mighty current sweeps northward from the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, hugging the east coast of Florida before continuing into the western North Atlantic. Its waters are warm, swift and steady, carrying life, energy and history across thousands of miles. For families choosing Return to Sea, the Gulf Stream provides both symbolism and certainty: it ensures that a Loved One’s Memorial drifter immediately joins this eternal ocean journey.

Gulf Stream surface currents (2).PNG

A Current of Immense Scale

The Gulf Stream is far more than a surface flow. Offshore Palm Beach, the current is

typically:

15-20 miles wide
2,000–2,600 feet deep
Surface current speeds up to 5 knots
Transport of 30 million cubic meters per second of warm water

That volume transport equals 150 times the flow of the Amazon River and nearly 1,800 times the Mississippi River. To imagine this volume, picture a football field 100 yards long by 50 yards wide. In just one second, the Gulf Stream could fill that field with water to a height of 4.5 miles; taller than Mount Everest.

Why the Gulf Stream Matters for Return to Sea

By deploying our Memorial drifters into the high-speed core of the Gulf Stream off Palm

Beach, FL, we ensure that each journey begins within one of Earth’s great natural highways.

The swift, consistent flow carries each drifter away from shore, into the vast North Atlantic.
This same current has carried explorers for centuries. Further, it's a strong element in the maintenance of climate in the western hemisphere.
Along the way, each drifter contributes valuable scientific data on ocean currents, helping researchers and students better understand our oceans and the marine life they sustain.

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