The Ekman mechanism is also responsible for coastal upwelling and downwelling.  In the northern hemisphere, if one is moving with the wind and the coast is on the left, water will be transported away from the coast by the Ekman mechanism.  Deep water will be pulled up to compensate for the lost surface water at the coast (upwelling). If one is moving with the wind and the coast is on the right, water is transported toward the coast and the surface waters are driven downward (downwelling). One can often see evidence of upwelling and downwelling by examining sea surface temperatures.