 It meanders, however, sometimes passing well out to sea, and sometimes passing directly through the island chain, bathing it in warm tropical water; Although the direction of the Leeuwin Current is predominantly southerly, Shark Bay and the Houtman Abrolhos together act as a topographical trigger for the forming of eddies, so the Abrolhos can experience currents from any direction, even when the Leeuwin Current is flowing strongly.Unlike most other major ocean currents, there is no large-scale coastal upwelling associated with the Leeuwin Current.There is limited evidence for some sporadic, localised upwelling in the vicinity of the Abrolhos, but if so it appears to have little effect on the extremely low levels of nutrients in the water.