The cold ocean current flowing north along the coasts of Chile and Peru. It is one of the swiftest of ocean currents. The Peru current originates where part of the water that flows toward the east across the subantarctic Pacific Ocean is deflected toward the north as it approaches South America. The northern limit of the current can be placed a little south of the equator, where the flow turns toward the west, joining the south equatorial current . Also called Humboldt current. The southern portion of the Peru current is sometimes called the Chile current .