Tour of the global ocean surface currents. Currents are shown as white lines, with stronger currents appearing whiter. The tour of the Earth, called Perpetual Ocean, starts in the North Atlantic, where the strong Gulf Stream is seen heading towards northwestern Europe from the Gulf of Mexico, via the east coast of the USA. It is powered by currents entering the Gulf and the Caribbean Sea from the tropical Atlantic Ocean the equator is marked with a yellow line. Off the west coast of southern Africa there are several Agulhas Rings moving northwest from the Cape, formed where the south_flowing Mozambique Current down the east coast of Africa meets the Antarctic Circumpolar Current that flows eastwards. The northern Indian Ocean currents change directions with the seasons causing the monsoon. In Southeast Asia the strong westward flow from the equatorial Pacific is forces between the numerous islands, causing a complex system of eddies and powerful streams. In the Pacific, the Kuroshio Current brings warm water to the coasts of Japan, much as the Gulf Stream does to Europe. On the eastern side of the ocean, the California Current brings cool water south, before the North Equatorial Current carries it west. The Equatorial Counter Current flows eastwards below it, with the South Equatorial Current flowing west beneath that. The Humboldt Current carries cold water up the west coast of South America, powered by the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. This also powers the currents around Australia, which meet the south_flowing East Australia Current along its east coast. Data collected over a period from June 2005 through to December 2007.