A discussion is presented of the physical interpretation of the length scale, λ, introduced in a recent paper by Kao and Cheney (1982) to scale the sea surface height anomaly across the Gulf Stream front. Additional results of sea-surface height anomaly profiles computed from the hydrographic data from Fuglister's GULF STREAM 60 are also included. In all cases the width of the anomaly is spanned rather precisely by 2λ. The relationship between λ and the internal Rossby radius of deformation λ, is discussed.<