In preparation for the SolarSurfer's trip from LA to Monterey (on October 14th), we've been looking into the expected surface currents along the way. This is particularly important since the SolarSurfer drifts at night and is at the will of the current. Fortunately, according to NOAA's OSCAR database, the currents will be minimal. The are mostly offshore at a speed of about 0.05 m/s, which is much slower than the SolarSurfer travels under power.

Here's a plot of the region between LA and Monterey:

And here's a zoomed out plot showing the entire west coast.

Stay tuned for the launch!