The Gulf Stream: Tiny Plankton, Giant Bluefin, and the Amazing Story of the Powerful River in the Atlantic

by Stan Ulanski

Coursing through the Atlantic Ocean is a powerful current with a force 300 times that of the mighty Amazon. Ulanski explores the fascinating science and history of this sea highway known as the Gulf Stream, one of the last vestiges of wilderness on Earth. Spanning both distance and time, Ulanski's investigation reveals how the Gulf Stream affects and is affected by every living thing that encounters it--from tiny planktonic organisms to giant bluefin tuna, from ancient mariners to big game anglers. He examines the scientific discovery of ocean circulation, the biological life teeming in the stream, and the role of ocean currents in the settlement of the New World.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Natural History, Environment, Biology, Nature

376 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 1, 2008

Reviews

[William · Rating 2 out of 5]

Should have been an essay, not a book. In fact, the reader would probably be better off reading the Wikipedia article on the Gulf Stream. Much of it is padded with long discussions of fishing, which is apparently the author's hobby, and voyages of discovery, which is a little more interesting, but hardly news.

[Sugarpuss O'Shea · Rating 2 out of 5]

**2.5 Stars**

For me, this book is a real head-scratcher..... It's divided up into 3 parts: The Flow of the Atlantic; Life in the Gulf Stream; and Sailing the Atlantic. (Some of you can see the problem already, can't you??)

I understand the need to show the reader the big picture of the complete Atlantic Gyre in order bring the Gulf Stream into focus. I also appreciate how the author paints a picture of the forms of life who call the Gulf Stream home. However, the 3rd part of this book was superfluous at best. I mean, why not use an explorer or 2 to show the flow of the Atlantic Gyre in action? Why devote an entire third of the book repeating over & over how this guy flowed on that current?

This book could've been so much better if part three expanded on how man has influenced the Gulf Stream. Mr Ulanski started to go there when he expounded on how the early colonists almost overfished the right whale population. Why not continue on that vein and give other examples of how man tries to push the limits of this vast river of the sea? He quotes Jules Verne in the epilogue about the dangers we face in losing the Gulf Stream, so it's not too far fetched to follow the culmination of man's impact on the Gulf Stream, as the logical step for the 3rd part of this book. Instead, what you're left with when you finish this book, is a shrug of the shoulders, an incomplete story, and a yearning for something, better.....

[Peter Corrigan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing overall despite some promising material. Attempts to do too much and does none of it especially well. The sections on the physical characteristics and dynamics of the Gulf Stream were pretty interesting but suddenly you pivot into fish and the pelagic environment, then into the history of exploration. There are interesting stories there but it is all done in a very hasty and mostly superficial sort of way. Three separate books might have been a better solution.

[Last Ranger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Life Blood Of The Atlantic.

I really enjoyed reading Stan Ulanski's interesting book, a blend of science, history and fishing lore (both sports and commercial). As a working scientist in both geology and environmental science he has participated in many projects relating to both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf Stream. In his well written book the author explores a region of the sea that many people have heard of but few have any idea of it's far ranging impact on the environment, human history and the geological story of Earth. The Gulf Stream is broken up into 3 parts. In part 1 we learn the anatomy of ocean currents, trace the Gulf Stream from its source and follow it around the mid-Atlantic Gyre, the mechanics and evolution of ocean circulation throughout its long history. Part 2 is the biological side of the story, including a chapter on the Bluefin Tuna and the problems of tagging these magnificent fish. Part 3 traces the discovery and exploration of the "New World" and what role the mid-Atlantic Gyre played in these events. The oceans have been around for some 3 to 4 billion years and all during that time were crisscrossed with currents and gyres that flowed around whatever land forms there were. Using our present day theories of Plate Tectonics to chart ancient coast lines Ulanski gives us some idea of where, and in what direction, the currents flowed. The Gulf Stream as we know it today runs north along the North American coast, joins up with the cold Labrador Current and turns east across the Atlantic. Turning south when it meets Europe to become the Canary Current it eventually turns west as the North Equatorial Current and reenters the Caribbean Sea to makes its way back north becoming, once again, the Gulf Stream. The biology of plankton, sargassum weed and bluefin tuna make for fascinating reading as does the "catch and release" program with billfish. After Columbus "discovered" the West Indies the way was open for European countries to explore and exploit this new land. While some expeditions attempted the North Atlantic route, with limited results, it was the southern heading that most captains and their sponsors preferred. The North Equatorial Current was, by far, the best way to reach this land of opportunity. The mid-Atlantic Gyre opened a doorway to unlimited profit and prestige. England, Spain, France and other European countries were quick to seize the opportunity with exploration, colonization and exploitation. Fishing and whaling fleets used the ocean currents for high profit as did pirates and slave runners. Colonies established on the North American mainland also met with limited success, often their relief ships, bearing much needed supplies from Europe, failed to return or were delayed for one to two years. Many times, when the relief ship did arrive, there was no sign of the colonist or what had happened to them. Whether he's covering the complex biology and geology of the sea, or human history, Ulanski's writing style is clear and informative, making this an easy read. The author is obviously an avid fisherman and often mixes his personal and scientific observations to make a point. This hard bound edition has several maps and charts that help clarify the anatomy and location of ocean currents. It could have used a few more pictures and a more extensive index but other than that I have no complaints.

Last Ranger

[Bill Leach · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent book on the Gulf Stream and its impact on the climate and human activities.

The Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Current, Canary Current and the North Equatorial Current make up the North Atlantic Gyre, one of five subtropical gyres. Deeper than these gyres, deep water circulation known as the Thermohaline Circulation moves water between the oceans with a period of a thousand years. As the Gulf Stream travels north it spins off whirlpools, with warm rings forming in the Slope Water to the west and cold rings in the Atlantic Ocean.

The Gulf Stream is fed by the sun-heated waters of the Caribbean and is generally above 27 degrees C. As the slope water is around 14 degrees, there is a thermal boundary between it and the adjacent ocean. The difference often causes fierce winter storms called nor'easters. As the tropical waters of the Gulf Stream are nutrient poor compared to the richer Slope Water, fertile upwellings often occur at the boundary.

Ulanski's description of the gyre mechanism is not very clear. Prevailing global wind patterns - easterlies at the tropics and westerlies at the mid latitudes - result in a wind stress curl that causes downwelling in the subtropics and upwelling in the subpolar regions, and an increased sea height in the center. Variation of the Coriolis effect with latitude shifts the gyre west compressing it against North America, narrowing the Gulf Stream and increasing its speed.

The ecology of the cold-water life in the Slope Water is markedly different from the warm-water life in the Sargasso Sea. The Sargasso Sea (and a warm-core ring) is home to a wide variety of tropical and subtropical planktonic species, but the size of the population is small, and the organisms tend to be similar in size. In contrast, the Slope Water (and a cold-core ring) supports a limited number of subarctic species but with a higher population density.

"A common public perception is that the catching of fish is synonymous with "harvesting the sea". The use of the word "harvest" is misleading because while farmers have a financial investment in their land, plant seed, cultivate crops, and control pests, fishermen take the fish for free since the marine "pasture" is open to all. The analogy between farmers and fishermen disintegrates even further because the farmer must ultimately replant his crops once they are harvested. The fisherman is involved in the taking of the resource, not in its replenishment."

Ulanski devotes a chapter to the Bluefin Tuna, a fish "... genetically programmed to be a marathon swimmer, not a sprinter." Because of its warmth, the Gulf Stream may contain 40 percent less oxygen than the Labrador Current. However, the tuna has the largest gill area of any fish, approaching the respiratory area of mammals of comparative weight. While animals with gills cannot normally raise their body temperature through metabolism, the tuna does so by employing heat exchangers to minimize heat loss in the gills.

A chapter is devoted to the major game fish found along the edges of the Gulf Stream.

The author provides detail on early voyages to the Americas, showing how the gyre was recognized and incorporated into sailing routes.

[Maxine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Upside: Lots of information and a very informal tone. For a surface introduction, this book was passing fair.

Downside: The editing wasn't great, and neither was the index. I'd recommend getting corroboration on the information if using this book as an academic citation.

[Joaquin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy bueno. Me ha faltado la influencia que tuvo el deshielo de Canadá y las consecuencias que puede tener el cambio climático acelerado. Algo lo ha arreglado en el epílogo. En general es un buen libro.

[Mom · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF this book for the second time. I wanted to like it, it's a subject I want to learn about and it's no doubt a source of detailed, fascinating information but it wasn't a time I could read anything dense so I had to go to something lighter. Maybe try again later.

[Indecisive79 · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this up at a visitor's center on a trip to the Outer Banks. Decent science-and-history writing about the Gulf Stream. It really does impart the global scale of how the Gulf Stream that's within view of the Hatteras light house has (and still does) impact the world. Some parts dragged on a bit too long (for example, not being a fisherman, I could have done with less detail on how to catch a marlin), and it could have used a couple more maps, perhaps.

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting to consider how ocean currents allowed or inhibited travel; one reason the Europeans were able to reach the Americas early on, and not vice versa. Some chapters covered scientific research on the oceanic currents' effect on sea life. Overall, an interesting technical read.

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reads like a college freshman's term paper.

[Charlott · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first part of the book where I learned about ocean currents. The second part was also interesting where I learned about life in the gulf stream.

[FSU Alumni]

Stan Ulanski (B.S. '68, M.S. '71)

[crabanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very fast reader.A lot of info to retain.I listen to audios 99%.

[Denise Rolon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the first part, the natural science, better than the second part, the history. Overall, it was slow moving, but worth it in the end.

[Geoff Steele · Rating 1 out of 5]

pelagic -open ocean

[Clare · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read my review here: http://www.learntodivetoday.co.za/blo...

[Ed · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok but boring in places.