Oceans Away

The Atlantic and Indian oceans do not meet at Cape Town, South Africa, as stated by Christopher Reynolds, repeating a common error (“South Africa Calmly Awaits Acceptance by U.S. Travelers,” Jan. 29). Instead, they meet about 120 miles southeast of the Cape of Good Hope at Cape Agulhas, the southernmost point of Africa and hence of the Old World landmass. In contrast to the spectacular False Cape and Cape of Good Hope (when not fogbound as usual), Cape Agulhas is rather flat, with many rocks extending far south into the ocean, or oceans. It was named by the Portuguese for the erratic behavior of the compass needle ( agulhas ) there. ARHOLD COURT

Emeritus Professor,

CSUN Geography Department