Currents and Drift

Movement of ocean water is inconspicuous, with speeds averaging about 2.5 mph. This type of movement over broad areas is called drift. Currents are narrow movements of water, usually through restricted spaces, at deeper depths. Currents can move at speeds up to 6 mph and are less common than drift.

The Straits of Florida are an example of a restricted channel, in which a portion of the Gulf Stream (or Florida current) emerges from the Gulf of Mexico. Source: Cuba | Wikimedia