The North Swell is from waves created by wind thousands of miles away. Particularly during the winter. The North Atlantic is a series of storms almost like a freight train. One swell creating storm after another. The last ten days and the next week are great examples. The intense winds from a North Atlantic storm creates massive waves 30, even 50 feet. Those waves travel south all the way to the Caribbean and arrive as swell. The swell created far, far away may be in a very different direction than the local wind. The swell comes along way , the wind and waves are local. All three can be in different directions at times. That is when the sea looks and feels like a washing machine. Yes, I know I left the more complex current out.