Observations are analyzed from four current meter moorings deployed on the broad continental shelf in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from November 29, 1981, to February 8, 1982 (71 days). Consistent with recent modeling studies, the shelf circulation responds within an inertial period to the alternating up-and-down-coast synoptic scale wind forcing. Average response to a 0.5 dyn cm-2 alongshore wind stress (as measured at the coast) is ~20 cm s-1 off Cedar Key and ~40 cm s-1 in the north where the shelf narrows (off Cape San Blas). Lower layer currents veer counterclockwise with depth, as in the bottom Ekman layer (e-folding scale ~8 m). The pressure field decays offshore (e-folding scale ~160 km) and yields a geostrophic current in good agreement with the observed alongshelf flow. Cross-shelf and vertical variations of the tidal signals compare nicely with results from barotropic theory. Calculations indicate that most of the shoreward propagating tidal energy must be dissipated in depths of <20 m (within 50 km of shore).