Hydrographic measurements of temperature, salinity and oxygen collected during the CANEK cruises in the Yucatan Channel are used to characterize the water masses and their variability in the region. Differences in the hydrographic properties between the western side of the channel (Yucatan) and the eastern side (Cuba) indicate the presence of shelf and Gulf of Mexico water masses on the western side.

Lower-ADCP velocity measurements are used to determine the total volume transport which is divided in temperature layers as defined by Schmitz and McCartney, 1993, that is, 4-7, 7-12, 12-17, 17-24 and 24-30 degrees Celsius. Transports in the 4-7, 7-12, and 24-30 layers show the largest variability, (+- 2 Svedrups). The mean transport of the 7-12 layer and 24-30 layer are 4 Sv and 10 Sv respectively. These transport estimates can be contrasted with those of Wilson and Johns, 1996, through the Lesser Antilles passages which give 1.5 Sv for the 7-12 layer and 4.5 Sv for the 24-30 layer. These temperature layers carry water of South Atlantic origin and the higher transports found in the Yucatan Channel corroborate a larger exchange between the Caribbean and the Atlantic through the northern passages, i.e. Winward, Anegada, etc. and suggest an intricate mechanism for inter-hemispheric water exchange in the Atlantic Ocean.

There is a growing recognition of the connectivity among oceanic processes within the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea region (Intra-Americas Sea). Recent technological breakthroughs in communication, specifically the Internet, provide a common denominator for scientific collaboration and data exchange among the region's institutions and government agencies that collect data and utilize data products. The growing need for regional scale models requires that interaction between research endeavors take place, enabling the creation of larger, regional data sets and a more unified approach to understanding the oceanography, climate, and ecology of the Intra- Americas Sea. The Internet web site, http://IASlinks.org, hosted by NOAA/AOML in Miami, Florida, has been developed to facilitate the sharing of resources, results, and data sets relevant to research conducted throughout the Intra-Americas Sea region.

The site is presently designed with indices describing the different types of research and the different institutions, agencies, and personnel involved, with regular highlights of specific regional research topics; it is our hope that the site will continue to expand, becoming a more complete representation of observational programs presently underway in and around the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea. The usefulness of a venue such as IASlinks.org will continue to be realized as scientists and operational observing systems throughout the Intra-Americas Sea make more of their data available over the Internet. In particular, the Internet as a medium for data exchange will play a pivotal role in the forthcoming IOCARIBE-GOOS regional observing system. IASlinks will complement the IASI website, which will emphasize research programs, education, and training. This collaborative atmosphere, where scientific information and resources are shared with one another, will provide investigators working in the region the ability to tackle larger questions regarding climate, circulation, the propagation of species, and the connectivity of regional marine environments.