An early stage of the Somali eddy circulation was mapped in the period May 29 to June 13, 1978, using expendable bathythermograph data at closely spaced stations. By this time the SW monsoon had been blowing at 5 ¿N for about 4 weeks and the large anticyclonic eddy in the northern Somali Basin was clearly discernible between 3 ¿N and 10 ¿N. It is estimated that the offshore transport at this time was approximately half of that occurring during the period when the eddy reaches maximum size and strength during August and September. A smaller southern eddy was observed just offshore between the equator and 3 ¿N.