The temperature structure of the upper 500m was resolved with an average station spacing of 29 km along 11¿ 15'S across the Atlantic in March 1983. To the east of 5E, an intense thermocline was observed with 18C to 24C isotherms lying within 20 m to 45 m. Elsewhere, the temperature distributions was consistent with a pattern of southward flow above 300 m at the South American Coast as well as southward flow in intermediate waters (10--12C) to the east of 5E and in the region between 32W and 34W; from 34W to Brazil, northward flow was indicated for intermediate waters. Mesoscale variability was not observed.