At 11 am this morning local time, Scarlet surfaced and reported currents to the SE at 15 cm/sec.  So the current speed is still high, but they have rotated around counterclockwise, starting at South and switching to southeast.  If this rotation trend continues, it will align the currents more with the geostrophic currents, and it will push us closer to the Spanish EEZ.  Our glider heading was maintained at NE.

091113_ru27_alt_2

Looking at the big clock, today is our 200th day at sea.  We have flown 7,275 kilometers. For flight distance remaining, we have measured it several times, and have discovered that precise distance measurement is not a strength of google earth.  Our best estimate is that we are just under 6 km from the edge of the Spanish Exculsive Economic Zone marked by the thin yellow arcs.  Our last segment covered a distance of 6.5 km.  We expect to be very close to Spanish waters at the 7 pm surfacing.  If the current rotates more towards the east, we cross.  If the current rotates more to the south, we’ll be a few kilometers shy, and the crossing will occur at the 3 am surfacing. Either way, I bet we are watching.